THE GREAT FIRE,
Costinmation of the Investigation by the
Board of Police.
Testimony of Firemen and Citizens—Jfothlaj
Important Elicited.
The Board 01 Police and Fire Commissioners
yesterday resumed their inquiries into the cause
of the spread of the fire. F. T. Sweeny was the
first witness called. lie was foreman of tha
Hook and Ladder No. 1, and arrived at the seen*
of the tire in answer to the second alarm. Even
on Ids arrival he believed tho fire could have boon
stopped. He asked Assistant Marshal Schank
why Bob Williams did uot move the engines to
the north of the lire. Sohanck said he had made
the suggestion, but Williams told him to go to
h—ll.” No engines were to the north
of the lire before the third alarm
had been given. The wind was blowing very
bard when he arrived. He could not explain tho
luck of hose that prevailed. Mr. Chadwick
thought it might t>e occasioned by tho rapid
change of situation by the engines incident to tho
fixe. Swcmysaid tho engines uovedmore rapid
ly than they had reason. Several of them left a
wmm place before there was any necessity for
doing so. The Wabarsla moved from the corner
of Taylor and Clinton street; the Sherman and
Long John returned to tho same place
and protected each other. Tim Coventry moved
away from the ping on. Polk street, and the Uuud
from Bateham’s null, before there wis any occa
sion for so doing. Tho management of the list
engine was as good as could bo expected, and its
loss was on ing to no Incompetence on the part of
the foreman, us there wore no Marshals in the
neighborhood, and no head to a Hairs generally.
The lire did not move rapidly across Monroe
street, cor until it had been through the Armory.
When be readied me ties tbo.ro were four streams
plaving to the south of it. He onlv saw Williams
once; that was on tho corner of Mather ami Ca
nal streets.
The Fire Marshal then cross-examined the wit
ness. The replies tended to show tlut there was
very little affcctiou wasted between the
WILLIAM FUAZEK,
a citizen, was the next witness, but beyond stat
ing that Omnipotence could not check the tire,
and that ho rode down to it ona hose cart, he
informed the Commissioners of nothing.
A recess was hero taken till 2 oclock.
CHARLES G. KUO?r, A _
of the Insurance Fire Patrol, stirteu to tlio
tire when it reached Van Burenstreet. Aid. Hil
dreth went to him to get soois powder. Ho too.:
a Babcock to extinguish awnings, etc.,
■which caucht tiro from the sparks.
The powder was in kega aud
tin cans, and was covered by <ftnvaa and tar
paulins. Ho save a brief account ot the blowing
up of buildings, not differing irom that of ex-
Aldeiman Hildreth. Commissioner Sheridan and
Mat. Benner seemed to be directing things. Ho
did not know Hildreth ve.y veil, nor did ho
remember seeing him. nor coild ho .ecouect
hearing citizens express any des.ro to blow tuo
church down. He did not knowwlmt was done
with the powder after he gave it up to Commis
sioner Sheridan.
HENRY J. ItITTORFF.
watchmaker and jeweler, was next called. lie
did not know anything of the progress or origin
Of the fire. But he endeavored tosavc the steamer.
Fred Gund. Tfthe firemen had oiiyonscrewedtha
hose from tho plug, they could have saved her
easily; but no effort was made to do so. There
were only three firemen arpua4tUssil£ttfcJ£ atl
they were hiding from the heat behind it. They
had plenty of time to remove it. It rtm under a
burning building, and it was too hot t* save her,
and she burned up. It was fully hal! an hoar
after Williams gave orders to remove her. He
(Williams) went away soon after. He called on
citizens to help move the engine. Th« firemen
w ere working all the time. As he was net in their
heads he did not know whether they thoight they
could put the fire out or not. He did not think it
bravo in them to continue using their
She did not run down the grade until
her hose burnt. The budding burnt half an hour
after she ran toward it. They did not save any
thing, except they ran a way. M The hose caught
fire from the sidewalk; tho men were driven
away by the heat of tho coal-yard fire.
HENRY nULWINKLE,
Foreman of tho Insurance Fire Patrol, took tho
chair. The third alarm was given at 9:15. He
started out with his men at the third alarm. Ho
took the Gund’s stream from some citizens who
were using it on Bateham’s mill, and carried it
until they shut down and pulled off. The tiro
broke out under the Gund, from a lumber pile,
and she was moved to a place of safety. Ho pro
posed doing some blowing up, and Williams told
lam io go ahead. He then met Mr. Hildreth,
from which point his story was substantially that
of the gentleman named, till tho unloading of tho
powder. Ex-Alderman Hildreth Ihttl a con
versation with Williams previous to tho latter’s
sending him for powder. Later, he went to
The Tribune Building and dlscliarged sixtecuor
eighteen -leharges of tho Babcocks, but without
success, into the basement. Me dicker’s Theatre
then caught from the basement. He turned his
attention to saving trunks. He got 510 for doing
so, though he did not go into die business with
the anticipation of making much money.
GEORGE S. DORSET
was driver of the fire escape. He did not know
much about the lire, except that it was a pretty
big one.
The board listened to him and adjourned till 10
o’clock this morning.
ST. ANDREW’S SOCIETY.
Twenty-Fifth Annual Assemblage of theAsso
cimion— Elccticn of OUlc»?rs—Banquet nt the
Briggs House—Toasts anti Responses*
We do not remember who If was, it it was not
Prncd, who said shut the Fee vh were always
leaving their native land, and always singing in
lier praise. The last part of tl.e statement is un
doubtedly true, and the first does not admit of
much question. The land of the lake, mountain
and heather is well remembered by her sons, no
matter what partof the world.like their own thistle
down, chance may have blown them. That
pleasant memories might not he allowed to fade,
and good-fellowship uot bo forgotten, tho Il
linois St. Andrew’s Society held their 26tU an
nual reunion last Thursday evening at the
Briggs House. Mr. William Smart called the
business meeting to order, llcsolutions wore
adopted thanking brothers elsewhere for
eleemosynary contributions. The fund so col
lected was placed under tho control of tho
Board of Managers The various reports were
received and approved. The oflicers whose
names follow were duly* elQCted.
J'YetiJmt —General John McArthur.
J-’ir.st I 'ire Vre-Utent— William Stuart.
Second Vice fve-idejif—AWx. Ti 'uapsoa.
Train'nr —William M. Dale.
ScaeUn j— John Stuart.
Before silting down to meat, each member
adorned himself with a sprig of heather, imported
from Scotland for the occasion. The dining-room
was bare of ornament, a return to first principles
caused by tho conlbgratiou, but the hospitable
hoard was covered with the us*ial luxuries, "hot
Scotch*’having honorable prominence as afore
time. The address of General McArthur, tho
President,■touched upon the ordinary topics, and
especially inculcated charity and generosity.
After some teiegrapluc greetings had been
read, Mr. George Anderson was called upon to
recite Tam O’Shanter.” He declined, saying
after the great calamity he had no heart to recite
a poem abounding In such tenler associations.
Ho took tic occasion to present a ram’s horn,
handsomely mounted, and ornamented with
many Scottish devices.
After the customary toasts and response?, tho
assembly broke up, having spent a delightful
evening.
REAL ESTATE.
Instruments Filed for Record on.-Friday,
December 1.
CITV I’KOPURTV.
Sub-lot 13 of Block 11, Section j, li, dated
Nov. 21; consideration SIOO,
El-2 of Lots 15 and 1« in Block 1, Ogden’s Addi
tion, being on Hubbard st, between Green and
Hoisted sts, dated Nov. 1; consideration $6,000.
Noble st, ICO ft n of Cornelia st, c f, 25x125 ft,
dated Oct. 1; consideration Sl.ooo.
West Adams st, n w cor of Hamilton st, sf,3lr
ICO ft, dated Nov. 16; consideration $3,600.
State st, between Thirty-first and Thirty-second
sts.w f, 25x170 ft, dated Nov. 27; consideration,
53,000.
SOUTH OF CITY LIMITS.
Lots 15 and Itf in Block 11, Ravenswood, dated
Nov. 8; consideration, $2,500.
SOUTH OF CITY LIMITS.
Frederick place, 150 ft, e of Oak »t, e f, laixns
ft, dated Oct. 1; consideration, Stf.'tto.
Lot 11 in Block 2, Rawson «fc Akerly’d Subdi
vision of n el-4 See. 4,38, dated Sept. 10; con
sideration, SOK).
Loaning Supreme Court Records.
State of Illinois. i
Supreme Court, Northern Grand Division,
Clerk’s Office, Ottawa, Nov. 2 0.
To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune
Sir: I enclose herewith a copy of a letter ro
ceived from Mr. Chief Justice Lawrence, in an'
swer to a letter of inquiry written by me respect
ing the propriety of loaning for any purpose
whatever, to parties or their attorneys, any of
the records filed to this office.
Many applications have been made tome to
permit them to go from the files, and for various
reasons- assigned. This letter, I hope, will bo
seen by many, if not all, of the members of the bar.
in Chicago, and settle the question raised, and
render ir unnecessary for me to refuse to comply
with any further requests of this kind; “for'lis
not mg nature to ßespectfully, yours.
W. M. Taylor.
Galesburg, 111. Nor. 27.
Major IT. W. Taylor* Clerk Supreme Court:
Dear Sir I have received your letter of the
23th, in regard to applications made to you to al
low records to bo taken from the office. You are
perfectly right in refusing. During the late ses
sion, the Court was several times asked to permit
records to be withdrawn in consequence of the
destruction [of papers by the Chicago tire. We re
plied that the Courtncver allowed the records to
be withdrawn, and that it was now more than
ever important to adhere to the rule. In order
that all persons interested in a record might find
it in your office, and bo able to’procure copies.
They cannot be withdrawn, even by consent of
parties, as others than the parties are interested
in their safe-keeping. Yours very truly,
C. B. Lawrence.
The Summit Level.
To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune
Sir: Navigation on the summit level of the
Illinois Michigan Canal will be temporarily sus
pended on and after December 9, for the purpose
of removing obstructions. William Thomas,
General Superintendent.
—TheNorwich (Conn.) Bulletin says a rumor has
been current for a week past that tho Pennsylva
nia Railroad Company is now reaching out after
tho Boston, Hartford Erie.