The Great Fire by Jim Murphy

Author:Jim Murphy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2016-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

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During the night, James Hildreth and his men were hard at work trying to prevent the fire from spreading south. After the first few blasts failed to bring down the structures, Hildreth figured out precisely how much powder was needed. Soon he and his helpers were blasting apart house after house along Harrison Street. By the time they had reached the Wabash Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, they were capable of setting off a powerful charge every five minutes.

With the houses leveled, local residents grabbed buckets and kept the debris soaked until the threat of fire passed. Hildreth’s methods appeared harsh to many people, especially to those who saw their homes blown up while the fire was still blocks away. But there is little doubt that the firebreaks he created halted the southward creep of the fire and saved several blocks of homes from destruction.

While the fire was being contained in the south, to the north another story was unfolding. The width and speed of the fire made it impossible for weary firemen to work in an organized or coordinated way. Besides, they were now beyond exhaustion. Two nights of fire fighting and little rest or food had pushed many to the brink of collapse. Several had to be taken from the area in wagons. One tired fireman sat down on a street corner to catch his breath and promptly fell asleep despite the roar of the fire around him.

At six o’clock on Monday morning, the fire had been burning over nine hours, and seemed capable of continuing its march north unless more help could be found. Chicago’s mayor, Robert B. Mason, had been up all night receiving reports about the spread of the fire and praying for a miracle. Finally, he gave up hope and sent urgent telegrams to the surrounding cities and towns. “CHICAGO IS IN FLAMES,” read his message to the mayor of Milwaukee. “SEND YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT TO HELP US.”

Aid came pouring in from Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville, Detroit, Port Huron, Bloomington, Springfield, Janesville, Allegheny, and Pittsburgh. Some cities sent steamers and ladder wagons, others sent badly needed hose and fresh firefighters. And many did so at great risk. Milwaukee put three steamers and their crews onboard a train, leaving that city with only one working engine.

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