October 8, 1871.
The Chicago Fire.
You are there.
Walter Cronkite reporting, Sunday, October 8, 1871.
In this year and month, we are suffering in Chicago, the strange calamity that is most devastating and annoying to that new city, which is now only 30 years old.
In this year, 1871, Chicago has grown like a boom town.
A series of fires the last few months has made the city fathers realize that their city has grown much too fast.
Chicago is now going through a drought.
There has been no rain for nearly six weeks.
The buildings, mostly wooden, are dry and as a result, dangerous.
The last five days, there have been reported fires in many areas.
The firemen as a result are exhausted, undermanned, and ill -equipped for such a series of outbreaks.
Yesterday was the worst fire in Chicago history.
Four blocks were entirely burned.
We've heard reports that another fire has broken out in a barn on the southeast corner of DeKoven and Clinton Streets.
The barn, owned by the O 'Learys of that area, has caught fire and is being whipped by a very strong southwest wind.
We understand that flames are spreading to the adjoining sheds in the interior of this block.
We take you now to our reporter on the corner of DeKoven and Clinton Streets.
All things are as they were then, except...
You are there.
This is William Kennealy.
We're at DeKoven and Clinton Streets.
The fire department has not yet arrived, but it's expected at any moment.
The fire has moved up Clinton towards Taylor Street.
It's moving directly northeast and cutting diagonally through the block.
The O 'Leary barn, where the fire was first reported, is four houses beyond the house we're now viewing.
Now, this home, which I'm afraid is beyond hope, belongs to the John Rafferty.
We've been informed that one of the fire brigades has reached the scene, but it's up on Taylor Street trying to head off the fire.
This is Cleet Roberts of Engine Company Chicago Five.
Other companies are on their way.
Take it, Bill Stout.
This is Bill Stout.
We're near Jefferson and DeKoven Street, a hop, skip, and jump from where the fire started near the O 'Leary barn.
Nearly three square blocks are now consumed by flame.
At the moment, there is no panic.
The engines are now arriving.
The first to arrive was the Little Giant at 9 .24 p .m.
They took water from the first plug on the southwest corner of Jefferson and DeKoven Street.
There is a strong wind.
It has been estimated at nearly 60 miles an hour, and it's blowing the fire directly northeast.
The fire is spreading very quickly.
The heat is creating a strong grab.
Sparks are blowing in many directions, setting fire to shavings and woodpiles in the yards.
They are laying down lines of hose between Taylor and DeKoven Streets.
At the moment, the need of volunteer firemen is a necessity, and many of the citizens have already been pressed into service.
Here's another flash fire.
If this continues, the firemen will not be able to control the fire, and it can spread in almost any direction the wind decides to take it.
The firemen are pumping furiously now, trying to get enough pressure to force their water spray to the maximum.
I repeat, in this wind, anything can happen.
Flash fires are getting out of hand.
We are trying to train our cameras on a mass of burning material that's been caught in the air and is moving down.
It's nearly two, three blocks away.
There it is.
It's heading north of Taylor Street, striking the steeple of St.
Paul's Catholic Church on the northeast of Mather and Quinton Streets.
It's threatening to cross the river near Polk Street.
We take you now to Grant Holcomb.
This is Grant Holcomb.
We're on Polk Street, the south side of the river.
It is true, the fire is threatened to cross the river, and it may happen at any moment.
Right now, all of the engine companies are moving in and hoping that they can bring the fire to a halt.
It's a northeast wind here.
What is frightening is that directly northeast, across the city, lies the water works.
If the fire continues to move in this direction, it will be moving directly toward the water works.
Naturally, there'd be no chance of saving the city.
What is most disturbing, the width of the fire is growing.
Not only is it moving in a northeast direction, but the breadth of it continues.
People who are milling about here don't seem to realize yet that the fire is beginning to get out of hand, and that if this continues, it could consume the entire city.
We've had word that the fire is crossing the river, so we take you to Todd Hunter near the bridge at Polk Street.
Come in, Todd Hunter.
This is Todd Hunter.
The fire is crossing here at the bridge at Polk Street and is going to head on into the main part of town.
The heat is so bad here, we're going to have to move.
Come in, Harlow Wilcox.
This is Harlow Wilcox.
We're on the courthouse balcony where the city fathers are gathered.
Check it at the river.
What time is it now? Midnight, on the nose.
Looks like the fire is moving in the north division too.
If only that wind would give us a break.
While the mayor here is sending for the National Guard, General Sheridan's Army, if possible, and for hosts of volunteers, we take you now down to Adams and Franklin Street, which are east of the river.
This is Grant Holcomb.
We moved across the river and we're near the main part of town.
Fire has crossed the river and it's beginning to look very bad.
What's that? It was a man jumping on fire.
They're signaling now for more coal.
What is frightening is nearly 175 acres have already been consumed.
Over 500 buildings are nothing but smoldering embers.
What more can we say? You can see for yourself this fire is moving like a great octopus, consuming everything in sight.
It's hungry and it's eager and it's becoming a nightmare.
These men have been fighting the fire since nine o 'clock.
Now a little past midnight and many of them are falling from exhaustion.
This is Cleve Roberts.
We've moved across the river.
We're down in the heart of the business section.
These milling crowds realize now that they're faced with more than a fire.
They're faced with the threat of being annihilated.
This is the first sign of panic.
I realized this when we saw the first sign of self -preservation.
Each man is worrying about himself.
The policeman cannot control the crowd.
We may have to move back, for this crowd has become a threatening one.
The pressure of the water is running low.
Wait a minute.
We've just received word the fire has moved into the stockyard.
Todd Hunter is somewhere near the stockyard.
Can you hear me Todd Hunter? Can you hear me? This is Todd Hunter near the stockyard.
Over 10 ,000 cattle have been frightened into a stampede.
They're breaking through their wooden bars and there's nothing here they can stop.
This is beyond imagination.
Everyone here is scattered and run for their lives.
For this could be instant death.
This could be worse in many ways than the fire.
Oh, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to get out of here ourselves.
Come in, Bob Perks.
This is Bob Perks.
I have a vantage point on a ledge.
I may have to move up higher, but at this moment it seems safe.
The cattle are running this way.
Unfortunately, they're heading right toward the heart of town.
Everybody's trying to move out of the way.
It seems like now we're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, between this onrushing herd and the fire.
This is Graham Holcomb again.
I'm here with Bill Kennealy where we've met and we're right in the center of town.
The fire is moving like a blowtorch.
It's jumping ahead far beyond the tired men who are trying to stop it.
I'd say it's roaring at about 100 yards a minute.
We're a few blocks away from the water works.
The fire is moving directly northeast.
It has not changed its course.
We've been trying to fight through this mob to see if we can reach the water works ourselves, but it's almost impossible to get any closer.
Wait a moment.
There's a woman caught on the second floor window.
Oh, that was close.
I believe there's someone else up there.
It's a man.
We're going to see if we can skirt around and see how close the fire is to the main source of water supply.
Take it, Bill Stout.
This is Bill Stout on one of the fire engines trying to reach the water works.
This will be a concentration point.
We're fascinated with these horses.
We can't take our eyes off of them.
With cattle and people milling as one, these horses continue to remain calm.
They're going about their duty with loyalty and courage.
Without these animals, the city would have been ravaged hours ago.
There's a roadblock ahead, so take it, Harlow Wilcox.
This is Harlow Wilcox.
We may have to be leaving here soon.
The fire is catching up with us.
I'm sorry, Your Honor, but I've been notified to tell you that you must abandon this building at once.
Do you know if the city prisoners were released from the jail? I believe so.
Nearly 150.
I don't know whether you know it or not, but there's been a lot of looting.
And all the liquor's been thrown out of the stores into the streets.
We're getting it from both sides now.
The second fire started here a few minutes ago.
There's also a great danger of being trapped by surrounding planes here.
These poor firemen have been fighting for over six hours.
Most of them also fought yesterday's fire.
We take you now to Bill Stout, who's waiting down by the lake, so come in, reporter Bill Stout.
This is Bill Stout.
We're down at the lake.
Thousands and thousands of citizens have come here for safety.
The heat is so great that everyone is getting in the water to stay cool.
We know, as most of these people do now, that the city is doing.
This is Sweet Roberts.
Bill Keneally is on the other side of the waterworks.
He's been cut off, and we can't get in touch with him.
Many families, like the Rafferty's, have been split and divided.
Men who were at work could not reach home, and the few that did found that their families had left for safer ground.
We've seen many reunions, families brought back together, especially here at the lake.
Many of the men, of course, have been pressed into service as volunteer firemen, and they're back in the city fighting the flames.
Here on the lake, the crowds continue to gather.
What you're seeing pretty well speaks for itself.
We've just received word from Grant Holcomb that he's near the waterworks.
Come in, Grant Holcomb.
This is Grant Holcomb.
Most of the waterworks have been destroyed.
The tower is still standing, though.
A great exodus out of the city has now started.
Those who can't reach the lake are running wildly toward the outskirts of the city, and it looks like the city is coming to an end.
We're going to have to move, too.
Someone please take over.
At daybreak, the magnitude of the fire became more apparent.
Where a large part of the city had been was nothing but prairie.
Monday night, the Chicago Avenue Bridge fell.
The sun went down Monday night, and the wind died, too.
By nightfall, the fire was out all over the city, except in the neighborhood of Clark Street and Fulton Avenue, where it still burned fitfully.
Then, dawn on Tuesday, October the 10th, presented a scene of appalling desolation to the frightened people.
An area four and three -quarters miles long from the north to south, with an average width of one mile, had been wiped out in a short period of about 30 hours.
What had been a prosperous business and industrial district was now nothing but occasional piles of stone and bread.
2 ,124 acres had been consumed by fire.
Almost 17 ,000 houses had been burned to the ground.
This had been a great city.
Now there was nothing but ashes.
But it was not a ghost city nor a lost city, for the people remained.
The moment the fire ended, their courage and energy were restored, and with it, the people of Chicago went to work to rebuild their city.
Their attitude was best summed up in a proclamation issued by the mayor.
Quote, with the help of God, order and peace and private property shall be preserved.
It is believed the fire has spread its force, and all will soon be well.
What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our time.
And you were there.
