SOURCE: fultonhistory.com scan 'Chicago IL Tribune 1871 - 0607.pdf' = Chicago Tribune, Thursday 30 November 1871, probably p.4 (masthead on the scan: 'THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1871'; scans 0604/0605 match LoC 30 Nov p1/p2, so 0606-0609 = pp.3-6). This page is NOT in the LoC copy of the issue (LoC has only pp.1-2 of 30 Nov 1871). URL: https://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2023/Chicago%20IL%20Tribune/Chicago%20IL%20Tribune%201871/Chicago%20IL%20Tribune%201871%20-%200607.pdf Text = PyMuPDF extraction of Fulton's OCR layer; columns interleave and the article headline was not recovered. Segments: [A] main report (chars 49040-60920 of the extracted text); [B] stray headline/summary fragment (chars 66843-67000); [C] displaced continuation of Hildreth's testimony (chars 69150-71340). [A] Board of Police and Fire Commissioners resumed their investigation yesterday morning. The first witness called was Mr. Thomas B. Burtis, brother of the witness examined on Tuesday, and day Supemtcndent of the Gas Works. He was examined with a view to ascer- taining the condition of the gas-holder at the time of the fire. He said he felt alarmed for the first time when the tar factory, adjoining the building, took fire. The largest'holder was below the coupling point and the smaller one was very much lower. He examined the valves to the dark, and felt that they were all right The gas that was to the meters was sent over to the North Side. The gas was shut oft from the dis- tributing main early in the morning. The South Side supply was left on, because when the build- ing was on fire, he could not turn it off. The gas leaked out from the joints as fast as it was made, from the effects of the fire. They were manufacturing, at the time, at the rate of about 800,000 feet in U hoars. This gas escaping made toe building very much hot- ter ; the flames could be seen issuing from the joints. They were manufacturing gas on the North Side, too, but at that time of night the heavy consumption of toe street lamps had consider- ably exhausted the supply. They always kept the North Side holder in such a condition as to re- ceive what they were making. They manufac- tured meet in the South Side works, and the North Sid* works were established to relieve the South Side, the latter holder not having sufficient S>wer to supply the whole South Side. T*he North de holder had the greater capacity, and on the night of the fire held most gas; the South Side holders were fortunately very tow at the time. If he received an order to letoff the gas, he would let ft out of the man-helee. It was not feasible to tot the gas out with the sparks flying; the east end of the works was in a blaze, ana he would not therefore, raise toe "lids." There were times when such a course would have been right, but that was not suoh a time. With the wind In that direction, the gas would not have risen, but have been carried to the blazing east end and caused aa expiation. With the largest amount of ga* on to* North Side, the effect of opening the valves would be to equalise the pressure on each. IX tne other two holders were filled, the gas could not be sent from the South Side. Heoou Id not tell to which of the North Side holders the gas was sent The water to toe holders was never stag- nant ; toe ga* generally purified it .There was never any occasion for cleaning the tank. There was ao chance for the gas to escape except through the man-holes, and that was not done. If there was a smell of gas after the order had been given to tot off toe gas, he would say there was a leak. The gas was not shut off from the consumers. No eas escaped into the air from the holders or the sewers. The effects of sending gas through the sewers, should it encounter the fire, would be very dangerous. CHABLES ANDERSON, foreman of the America hose cart, was the first man to have a stream on the blazing barn. A still alarm bad been given at the house, and he bad fixed the hose to a hydrant and thus threw a " plug-stream." The wind was blowing heavily, but not sufficiently so to prevent his thro wing a good stream on the barn 20 feet away. Ia five minutes twenty or thirty buildings were on fire. JOHN C. SMITH, foreman of the Lincoln Hose Company, situated at Webster avenue, was called. As he did not reach the fire until nearly an hour after the third alarm was given, and as beyond stating that when he did reach It he began to took for hose, his testimony was valueless, except to give Mr. Sheridan an opportunity to remark that, though all the carts took a fall supply of hose, they all appeared to have devoted the greater part of their time to looking for hose. EX-ALDKKJIAN HILDBBTH. It was stated that this gentleman was to the sergeants' room, and a messenger was despatch- ed to find him. He had considerable objection to be interviewed by the city authorities and report- ers. The Commissioners told him that thay were accused of hearing only the Fire Department, and would like to hear his statement He said if there ws* any liability be would speak out. Hews* tnen sworn, and male the following statement: It was somewhere about 9 o'clock when be heard of the fire. Seeing the light, he dressed and went to the place. Itwas then in four or five buildings. Ho stood aad raw the firemen work. He had an Idea at the time that the fire was going north faster than the firemen were cheeking i t Ha remarkea to Mr. McClelland that he would like to see the Marshal or Commissioners. He found Williams and told him he must resort to some other measure or there was no knowing where the matter would stop. Williams replied that he was doing his best. Mr. Htldreth sug- gested moving the engines to the north of the Are. The Marshal then went about his business. HI] dreth then met Mr. Locke, Assistant City Engt- nt er, and said he believed there was going to he the biggest fire the city ever saw, and suggested tearing down or blowing up buildings. Mr.Looke had some conversation with Williams about blow- ing up the buildings, but the Marshal said he did not understand bow to doit, neither had he the wwer or the means. Bfldretb said he would fuinlsh toe powder, and IT he (Williams) would £ve him authority, he would tear down the hidings. He then started for the powder, the fire act yet having reached Bateham's mill, and secured the insurance ex- S rese wagon. The Gund (he believed) was caught 1 some plank* on Canal street He asked Bul- wbikle, Captain of the Insurance Brigade, to let him eo for powder, and broke to the powder magazines on both sides of State and Water streets. The man in o£»rge refused to give them a fuse, and delayed them 6onadCr*Plf. When he got back the fire was on the South Side, and he went to the Court Hones, and put the powder in the trial-room of the Police Department. He looked round everywhere for the Commissioners or * Marshal. He had seen Commissioners Sheri- dan and Brown. He went completely round the fire, and crossed on Indiana street bridge. There was a rumor started that the gas works were about to blow up, which created a general stampede from the locality, in which he joined. He returned to the Court House, but failed to find any of the Commissioners or the Mayor. On going out, however, he encountered the totter. He then told him something must be done to check the fire, the engines being useless. He asked the Mayor to give him authority to blow up toe buildings, sad the order was written. Judge Miller happening in, the Mayor asked him if the order would do. Judge Miller thought it ought to give authority to the Fire Marshal. His amendment was to add " under the orders of the Fire Marshal, adopting such measures a* he might direct" The Mayor then wrote toe amend- ment, and then copied the document Finally he took paasosston of it and ran out to find the Fire Marshal (Williams). He found him on La- Salle street between Madison and Wash- ington, and read the order to him. The Marshal said something about looking after his engines, and remained where he was. He had endeavored to hasten the Mayor while the latter was writing the orders, so as to begin the work of blowing up buildings before the fire spread beyond the south side of Madison street The Mayor wrote three orders and copied the third. He returned to the Court House and found the Mayor. Mr. Williams inquired if at this time the Ori- ent al Building was not on fire. Mr. Hildreto did not know. He went back to the Mayer and said the Marshal was attending bis engine* aad something; must immediately be done. Judge Miller said, " For God'a sake do something." The Mayor reiterated the request. He suggested beginning at the Union National Building. The difficulty was to obtain men to carry the powder. He met Sergeant Loll, who ordered a squad of policemen to carry the powder - to the building. Having taken the powder there. he kicked toe kegs open with bis boot, laid it, and touched it off. It blew through toe building without doing any good. Powder was then placed in the basement of Smith GbamraT Logan, and General Sbnidan. to brtog his powder to Harrison street He replied (not very respectfully, as be should buildiBM. Thepastet'e bafftftegto the rmr ot the Methodist Church came down beaotrtoUy. There were al* kfg* there. Two kegs la » Ctofet were asnseful as five to a room. He could not •ay how many buildings were bfown up-thirty or forty. There were no buildings blown up south of the line be bad acted on. There was no one else blowing np buildings In the South Di- vision. Genera) Sheridan wanted to get some powder to blow np the buildings a block in the rear oi where he wa». but could not g»t any. Commhwioner Sheridan said there was • talk of suing the city. Mr. Hildieth remembered that he (Sheridan) bad told him not to blow up any building whioh was not necessary. Mr. David Gage, aad Cum- mifcetoner Bheridun were the only persons who gave him eneonjragciueBt Contniksioner Sheridan said the utmost care was taken not to blow down a building unless it waa abuolutely necessary. The i*re»T difficulty was to restrain the crowd iron, blowing up the chuich. Theyaaid: "Let her rip," " blew ber up," »G-d it, don't burn the town down." The order was imperative to take the powder out of the chnrch. and It was more reluctantly obeyed by the orowd. Mr. Hlldrefh said Mr. Hough would testify that be (Hildreth) had prevented his destroying hi* own house. He saw Hough oa his own roof. General Sheridan and Mr. St arns went to M*- boncy. who had charge of the powder, aad asked for some. He said the General could not have it They tried to take it by forc*>. and Mahoney drew a revolver and said he woald have to wait until the pistol was emptied before he got it. Gen- eral Sheridan asked if he knew who he was, and Mahoney said " he didn't care * d—n, but he couldn't have the powder." Afterward he told him he could eirry the powder If he wanted to have anything to do with it, and, on the General's refusing, he abused him roundly. The board then adjourned until 10 o'clock to- morrow morning ^ BUILDING MATERIAL One ef the Impertaft* Elements re the atre [B] Mahoney, a man employed in elevator, Driscoil. • policemaa. and other* Commissioner fib of probabilities, many of the totter expressing toe opinion that [C] yed L D*1.^? 05*^* t o^ t oJ ,»^ t t'. M , f l ft aBTeedto let it stand for awhile. It get on fire, but with Commissioner Sheridan's advice it was al- lowed to stand, aad «as net rutoed. That ended the blowing up on the South Side. He then went to North avenue, en Clark street* and made an effort to blow up buildings there, but ae one could be prevailed on to stop, and be was wearied out The word "powder''put them to flight The explosion in the first frame buildings had no effect to stop the flre. There was not system enough to blow them up effectually. It would take an hour to lay powder to blow np a house. Even when he car- ried i t red hot coals fell upon him. He wrapped his coat around the kegs. At Harrison street they could blow up a building every five min- utes, and men became careless about the ganger. If they had been as slow in blowing up on Harrison street as on Washington the fire would have overtaken them. In the building on the northwest corner ef Wabash avenue and Washington street he made a fuse of paper sprinkled with powder. It was dangerous work. If the Harrison street buildings had not been blown down 1M had no doubt that the fire would have continued. It could not be stopped on Congress street by the levelling of the buildings. He didn't see ho w the Michigan Avenue Hotel could have been saved without it. There were? no persons bk>\ m up in the buildings—the word "powder" au&t them away quick enough. When powder wa« put in the Basajment it did not hare a good effect After three or four explosion* he put it on the flcxr above the basement, and in that case the building would fall right In together. There w *s very little brick even oft toe sidewalk. He did not know what the effect would be on wooden w herever convenient, their material coming -jipaliy by rail, and dockage not be- fog, therefore, essential to their exist- ence. The two branches of the lumber trade are never connected. The principal kinds of wood utilized for building and mechani- cal purposes are white wood, a species of poplar, bass wood, oak, ash, maple, cherry, black walnut, and white waln