# Chicago Tribune, 1871-11-25, page 6 -- Session of Friday 24 Nov. 1871 (second day): William Musham (foreman, Little Giant), William Mullin (foreman, steamer Illinois), Mrs. Catherine O'Leary, Catharine Sullivan, Dennis Regan, George Rau, and others
# Source: Library of Congress, Chronicling America, lccn sn82014064; page URL https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82014064/1871-11-25/ed-1/?sp=6
# OCR full text from https://tile.loc.gov/text-services/word-coordinates-service?segment=/service/ndnp/dlc/batch_dlc_clark_ver03/data/sn82014064/no_reel/1871112501/0006.xml&format=alto_xml&full_text=1
# Lines 1-449 of the page OCR (uncorrected OCR, column order as delivered by LoC). Fetched 2026-09-14T06:25:57Z.
# STATUS: newspaper report of the testimony, mostly in reported speech with some direct quotation -- NOT the stenographic transcript.

6
THE GREAT FIRE.
Continuation of the Investigation by
the Board of Police.
Sirs. O’Leary, the Owner of the
Cpw, Bite., Examined.
Testimony of Foremen of Steam
era, and Citizens*
Ttbo Board of Polio©, yesterday, resumed the
investigation of the origin and' progress of the
fire. Commissioners Brown, Sheridan, and Chad
wick, and Marshal Williams and Assistant Mar
shals Walters and Benner were present.
WILLIAM HUE CRAM,
foreman of the little Giant, testified that tho first
intimation he had of the flro was from the watch
man in the tower on the engine house. He hitched
up his horses, and was about leaving the house,
when Box No. M 3 was struck. He paid no atten
tion to but went directly to tho fire,
and took s ping on the corner of Jefferson
"-and HeKoven streets. Ho led hla hose up
DcKovan street into an alloy running
north, and commenced throwing water on tho
fire. Beromamed In this position until about
half-past U o’clock, when he was ordered to go to
the river at tho foot of Taylor street. He re
malned there working for a long time and until
ho was ordered to go to the South Side —to the
corner of Jackson street and Michigan avenue,
where, with the assistance of another engine,
water was drawn from the lake basin. Tho Water
Works had been burned down at that time, and
no water could be obtained from tho hydrants.
It must have been after 3 o’clock. His engine
worked at tho comer mentioned juntil the men
were driven away by tho heat. He then went to
the comer of Congress street and Michigan av
enue, and played on tho fire there—which was not
vciy long time—until ho was ordered to return
to tho foot of Taylor street by Assistant
Marshal Benner. Ho took up his old position,
and worked on the Chicago Hock Company’s
building. When at Michigan avenuo and Con
gress street the stoker left the engine, and eamo
back while the engine was at work on tho Dock
Company’s building, having becnnbsent about an
hour and a half. He accounted for bis absence
by saying that he had been assisting somo men to
blow up buildings. The engine remained at the
foot of Taylor street until ordered to go homo.
None of bis men were drunk on Sunday or Mon
day, end there had been no whiskey In the en
gine home on Sunday. Ho saw only ono of the
Marshals—Benner. He wasalmoataltogether on
the south line of the fire.
mbs. o’leaht,
{he owner of the cow, which, it was claimed,
kicked over the lamp and started the fire, testi
fied that she and her family—her husband and
five children—were in bed, but not asleep, on that
Sunday night. They know nothing of tho fire
until Mr. Sullivan, a drayman, who Uvea on the
south side of DeKoven street, awoke them and
said their bam was on fire. She took a look at
the bam and saw tliat It could not bo saved- She
became almost crazy on account of losing all her
property—a bam, wagons, harness, six co ws. and
a horse—and was very much excited. There
were thiee barns—two besides her own—oa tiro
at the same time. A family named McLaugh
lin lived in the same house with her.
and she understood they were having a ‘‘social
time” on that Sunday night: that they had an
ovster supper, and a Mrs. White had told her that
one of the family went Into the ham to milk one
-of the cows. She had no knowledge of it, and
could not soy whether it was true or not. The
first idie saw of the fire engines was one playing
on Turner’s Block, on the comer of Jefferson and
DeKovcn streets. She thought it was a good
while between the time the fire brpse out and
when she saw the steamer, but It might have
4>een working some time before she saw it. She
was so excited in looking after her family and
property that she didn’t take notice of much cl=e.
WILLIAM AIULLKS,
foreman of the steamer Illinois, testified that lie
heard the gong ft like 343, and started for the lire,
lie Trent to Cnnalp6rt avenue and Hdlsted street,
•where that box is located, but, being unable to
find any fire there, he k«*pt on to the place where
he saw a blaze. He took a plug on the corner o!
Dcsplalncs and Taylor streets, and worked on the
burning buildlugs until he was ordered to go
un th of the fire, Ha took a hydnuu at the cor
ner of Van Burcn and Clinton .streets. The lire
on the east side of him was somewhat in advance
of whcie he stood. He led out 500 feet of hose
south on Clinton wroct, between a
largo and a small building. The heat be
came so intense that he was obliged to
move, so he uncoupled the branch pipe and went
hack a hundred or two feet, and, after uncoup
ling, screwed on the pipe again. Some citizens
helped him gather up the hose as ho retreated
back tothe engine, lighting the flro all the way.
He remained on the corner mentioned until Itbe
eamc so hot that he became oon vinced if he didn’t
move his engine she would be burned up. After
the block wlimh run from Canal to Clinton, on
Van Burcn street, was destroyed, he moved his
engine north on Clinton to the corner of Jackson
street, and was then ordered to go to the elevator
at the foot of Adams street. Adams street
bridge, ho found, had been burned down,
tro drew water from the river, and throw it on
the Tbit Wayne freight depot. The buildings in
the locality where the fire broke out were mostly
of wood, and the tiro went through them rapid'y.
lie was ordered to go to the elevator by Marshal
'Williams. The structure caught tiro on the roof,
and. be could not save 1L The flro had crossed to
the South Side before ho took a position ut the
foot of Adams street. Ho did not know what
time it crossed the river, ns ho did not see it. ITo
thought there were vessels In tho river, but did
not know whether they took tiro. His engine
wo« in good order daring the lire, hut
tho flues got choked up, and had
to be cleaned out. He und his
men worked from the time the Are broke out un
til Tuesday morning, stopping only when they
chunked the position of the steamer. lie toot
up then and went home. He worked on the Sat
urday night lire until 8 o’clock ou Sunday morn
ing. AH his men were on duty at both tires. He
had plenty of bos'*. He had part of a reel at tho
engine house, hut. did not have any occasion to
eend for it. He lost about 300 feet of hla best
hose while changing on the corner of Clinton and
Van Bonn etxect*, but picked up enough ou tho
street to fill hla reel. lie siw all the Marshals
around the flro attending to business.
None of his men were intoxicated, and
ho had no liquor in his engine house
on Sunday- H uny of them had been drunk ho
would law known It, He did not see an olQcor
-or a tire-man In i n intoxicated condition. Two
ht ltiisof ine usul two of older were given to
liini fur!.!.* men while they were working on the
ni-uht Brandy was offered ttnni. but
tl t y *],a«l:ji had »«u> thing to eat for so long they
j. p;-vo t-.? take iU He. uad i rci lvcd a donation
f fj«-us site IVjt W'ayn- Iltihoad (lomp-uiy
,-r. del'll B
i-,- 1— Ith the r*v»ip ::i". add d;d p-dvro*’:
vulM't- rr*u n t.f md; ng onyriiing Ho
I ii,., I;. im-u*-> l>«: Hg •OIOn d l«i til i'oVO
lid. 1. t«* c/ariie ii\<‘ locutions of
U.vh •J _ c
•v r t-c*
*U> ti-5 «»is ••tiur-rn f"
Uj.U.u s?tn;> u*. 110
u.-lU-t: v.;rm that
f**r ft
CM-:, v. i j J n't N
iU
v. tv.l i
H* --'.l' tu*raU of
IV. :\W. :i i U Oia.il strmit,
rd !n‘ h n i.«i n .-tiln en
i?«n«- wrr s -h» lUe litter with
i.. m 'ti fur s «u lirn.*, ml.-v.-re
f. it ;t« it .»f i'*u m;?n>o
1m;*!. ‘rvy tcuk Mili m oa tar
v :;.i r t.f w:: ,r ;.iUc r::l r;;:*hu* ir.-o*, uu«l
rr ft.•»it*: n»;l he '.vr« or;trnMl «ut. The
l.t ihm<c% in th.. i v ..r tixn dm broke
,uiv t.• jii* «»j ami \v; r cmuUn«t.M’». AU
•;1 v r sh It 111•• \\\*r. oldt JtU.l ftvnt to tho
fct ul. Side. Ho found plentyof water In tho phur
l i!: tv, log /rem up to 1* o'clock
»ii Viui?:-y punning. ihr Rrluu, «ti{i.»n'*d at
Uit vunn'vt Cuiv.il »nd Taylor flrwt*, co«M n>»t
t T.alci telly la the m.raiag. fia.v .-.11 tho
Ji:» JJi.i'L:.:?*,'—\cr; J- V.’.*i!c;s, .»l too lire. His
«r.*;i:.c v:::> :!i “ood worhlug order, mil all hl3
T: V r-a tin* v Xu o'.K; left online until
sW ..n‘. H*'D n m them were into r:i sated.
i:m iiidJi* fit? nuv firemnn or officer who was
-<la*iil:. IU knew *.f no .u who left lus post dor
:hcli:e. A very dmtig wind prcv.Vdrd. and
l;,uur:.r.r,.' t f *aud .-mall sparu.s wore Mown
over Id? i ji.lnc. Kvcry thingw.i? vary dry- When
-.tie wroderi port of a roof would Imrn, tho Hrmd
iavor i'n it would 1m loosened, and tho
viud would take it op und carry it along until
it fell on some building. Between Bate
han;*« mill, which caught ili*o after
*st IVmVfi Church, roi nor of Mother iud Oils ton
Greets, had burned. mil the river, there were
nundotrs of «vipon find blacksmith shops, planing
u.illf, shctlfi. and frame dwellings, all a* dry as
punk. lie did not ate tho lire cross to tho South
Sale. When hlr engine gave oat. ho was drawing
waterfrriu thcrlvrr. lie worked on Saturday
nteht'i* lire until 3 o’clock on Snnday afternoon,
und did not gi*t nny icst thntday. After he ro-
Itnncd fioin supper, Box Ko. US came In. and
when he returned Irom that. Box Ho. 5« was
ttim k. While lie was on Swing street, Sunday
pichl.hc was offered n»«noy If ho would play on
certain Imildlnp*. Some offered ?ioo. others
*;oo, and again fl,«on» if ko would save
•Ccitnlu hunUiugfl Ml Canal street. J»o
money was shown, but the people said
they would give it. lie told them ho couldn’t do
it, as he wns working under orders. He did not I
Joiow of any money oeinc paldto any one. After
the lire s3<e was paid to Ms company by tho fore
man of Ryereon’s lumber yard. Ho had not been
promised anv money while be was working. Tho
money was divided cquallyumong his men. It
was the first money be had received for Ms sor
■vlcGfi. There was no understanding that ho
£bonld get It. Ho did bis best to save the prop
erty of every one. His plpeiuon wore cooling off
Duo building on Cliuion street, near Foniuar,
when It caught fire from the inside. HU men
went in and found a Jot of straw and beddiwc
ablaze, and pul it out. Tho outside of tb© baud
inebsdnot oeenonflro. Ho had a full reel pi
bdee at the fire, and there was about 300 lect in
reserve at tbo engine bouse. He sent for the
reserve on Monday, as bo wanted a longer lead.
But one length was bursted on Sunday evening.
Some company gobbled” about 100 feet of big
hose.
ojiTnxßws firLLrvxy,
who lives on Dckoven street, east of Jefferson,
was washing dishes when she saw a-bright re
flection on the window panes of her dwelling.
Bhe ran into the street, and saw that O’Leary's
barn and two others east of It were on fire. She
had hoard that tbo O’Leary* were asleep at tho
time, and that somebody awoke them. Her
house caught fire several times, and oifisens
threw paUsfull of wa’er on it. Her sou and.
Dennis Bogin woke the O’Learys. She did not
know, of her own knowledge, where there was a
•narty in O’Leary’s dwelling, hut she had heard
that there was. Pat McLaughlin, tho fiddler,
llTod In the front part of O’Leary’s house. Ton
ifjpword” she could not tell how long a time
after ehe saw the fire until the en
gines made their appearance.
DKWiH Boom,
of Ko. 112 DcKoven street,was in O Leary a SSSS?
aitniit imlf-nast 8 o’clock on Sunday night.
O’Leary anfhie wife were In bed. He asked the
woman why she went to bed so eariy,/md shoaald
it was because she had a** sore fut. He wont
home) iS after he had gone to bjd-sometlms
after fl o’clock—ho heard a neighbor say that
O’Leary’s barn was on fire. Ho jumped up, and
tan around to the bam and tried tosavc a wagon
that was there, but ho could not. The heat drove
him away. There was company ot MoLaugu
iin, the fiddler’s,” and he heard music in the?©.
He did not know who was present. It was a quar*
ter of on hour, he thought, before the engines
came. There was a high wind at tho time,
and the sparks were blown away some distance.
CIIRISTOrnER SGIU3CMELS,
foreman of the steamer Chicago, said tho drat he
knew of the flro was the striking of the gong. Ho
thought it was about 9:30. BozNo.ma was struck.
This box Is about a mile southwest of where tho
tire was. Be went directly to tho blaze, and took
a hydrant on the center ci Forwr J«2oraoa
streets, and led the hose south. His was the only
stream there. After working from Hires to itv.l
minutes the engine was ••shut-down,” Uni, upon
making inquiry as to why It was done, the engi
neer Uml him that a spring In the pump had bro
ken. He told the engineer to start up again, and
run the risk of breaking the pump to pieces, lie
did not see the Marshal or the assistants, and
he asked tho foreman of the Illinois, which had
come up, which side of the tire be would take.
Iforepned “north,” so Schlmmol* remained on
the south lino. He worked thereuntil Assistant
Marshal Bonner ordered Idm to move and one off
the die in the rear of some buildings. The next
thing ho knew*, a row of buildings on Jelferson
street, a little south of Taylor, were on tiro. Af
ter working on them ten minutes, orders oamo to
move and put on two streams An order subso-
qucntly came to go further north, and try to out
off the lire. It was impossible to go up Jefferson
street, so he went over to Halsted and up to Har
rison, and took a ping on the comer of that street
and Jefferson. Me led the hose south, but
was driven from hla position by tho heat,
and ncarlypost his hose In retreating. He at
tached another lead of hose to the engine, and
kept the ground near her cook Ho then started
lor a plug on Jefferson street, between Harrison
and Vafißuren, hut tho Titsworth was there, and
he went around to Jackson and Jefferson streets.
Alter being there three or five minutes he saw
that tho lire was not coming that way, so he sent
his men over to the South Bide. He went to his
engine house, as he was completely played out,
having had no sleep for thirty hours. He had
worked eighteen hours on tho Saturday night
fire, and four of his men were nearly blind.
When the alarm came, in those men, who had
been at home, ran around to tho engine house,
but as they were useless on account or tho condi
tion of their eyes, betook three volunteers and
started for the lire. None of his
men wore intoxicated. They all worked
faithfully. He did not know what time the
lire crossed to the South Side, but thought it was
about 3 o’clock on Monday morning. His engine
was in good order at the Saturday night fire, but
they had to kno’k her suction from a plug to pre
vent her being burned up, and, tho “goose neck”
being out of order, she could not draw water
very well on Sunday. He was short of ho.se.
Two lengths wore lost on Harrison street, and
there was none in reserve. There were eighteen
lengths In tho engine-house on Saturday night,
but some companies had taken* it all oat. His
engine was also on the North Side. The engineer,
who bad charge, came back to tho house about 7
o’clock on Monday morning, and said he came
near losing her three or four times. Ho mot the
Chief Marshal about 11 o’clock on Monday morn
ing, and told him he had no hose, Ho was tuld
that there was some expected at Che Milwaukee
depot, and went there to get IC,
but none had come. When ho returned to the en
gine house, s small boy came in and said there
was a Springfield steamer at the foot of Taylor
street, and the men with it wanted to know
where to go, as they cohid not eoo any fire. He
brought them up to the house, and asked them
Tor half of their nose—they had 1.000 feet—and the
foreman said ho would lot him have it, if ho
would bring his engine out and work with him.
He said all right.” and hitched tho truck horses
to tho Springfield engine, and, with his own
steamer, started for the North Side, crossing Di
vision street bridge. Tho two engines worked
on the g&a works from 6 o’clock that
evening until 7 o’clock on Tuesday
morning, when tho Springfield steamer gave out.
The lire was then so as it would not spread any
more, and they retained to the house. Hading
two strange companies in possession when they
arrived. The steamer was fixed up, and ho slept
until noon, when orders came to go to the foot of
Taylor street and throw water on smee coat He
was not offered any money to play on any build
ing, and did not think anything more could have
been done to stop tho fire. If thero had been
plenty ofhoso on at tiret it would have made a
difference. Coal was scarce, and tho citizens
tore up the sidewalks to furnish his engine with
fuel- All tho hose ho had had for three months
previous to the lire was very poor.
Commissioner Sheridan stated that 2,500 feet of
the best hose had been distributed, but no oao
seemed to know where it had gone to.
Tho witness* said tb he had not received a foot
of it. All his hose. No. 3, und wouldn’t stand a
very high pressure. At every flro‘from one to
three lengths bunted. He did not see any Mar
shal to report to when he lei t bis engine and went
to lb© bouse. Ho supposed they were ou tho
South Side. Betiuer was tho only ono ho naw
during the whole night.
GEORGE RAU,
foreman of Truck 2, said ho received a still alarm
for the lire, and was leaving the house wheu tho
cong struck. lie stopped lua truck ou JclTo.-son
street, opposite the alloy on which O'Leary's
bmn fronted. Ho went into the alley and ho had
hia men commence tearing down the fences, so
that tho pjpemen, when they cam«; could "Zt
the fire. Only iao burn was ou fire then. No'
pipe-men Vi-retl-dbls, nur was uuy water put on
tho ham for several minutes after he got there.
When water was put on, two other buildings
were on lire. He put up a ladder on a bulhliug
nortli of the fire, and Ids men put out two fires
on the roof with a Babcock. A ladder, which
ho found In a yard, was put Hg linst
St Paul’s Church, corner of Mather and Ciiucon
streets, ami two of tho men, thinking it would
burn up. In attempting to take it down,let it fall,
nnd broke it. He saw there was no use lor lad
ders, so he assisted the pipomen, and at different
limes bad hold of several steamers’ branch wipes.
He thought the fire was about a block distmt
when the church ignited. He did not know what
time tbe-flro crossed to the South Side, as ho did
not see it. barn was about twenty feot high,
and there were not men enough urouuil to pull it
down. It could not have been dune anyhow
on account of the heat. When the West
Side was safe, ho went to the South
Side, and helped tho Chicago’** pipomen. Ho
did not sec liny of the Marshals on tho South Side.
The Chicago’s men took up by order of Williams,
and he must have been around somewhere. He
subsequently went over to the North Side, and at
Market and Kiuzic street met the Coventry.
Water was very scarce there. At Weils ami Cal
cago avenue some men came to Idm and said ho
wus the first fireman they had seen and asked
him to tear down two or three blocks. He told
them he could get no men, and they said plenty
could he found to help. He told them to ••fetch
them along” and he would direct them howto
work. Several men were obtained and they com
menced at n building on Franklin street, but
afur working a few minutes tho men lert. H i
saw all the Marshals at the place where
Iho lire Mnrtnl, and rceclred or.lo»s*
from Williams, Sobank aud Benner. His mou
were in good condition aud on duty. Ho had
slept but five minutes during Sunday. None of
his men were Intoxicated, aud ho did not see a
fireman who was. lid saw several engines that
were, nut working. Ue thought they were wait
ing for ho>e. ami that a good deal of hose was
lost on account of the engines moving so quickly
to escape destruction. Ho did not know of any
firemen who received money for services. He
had board that one company, which was sta
tioned on Jefferson street, hud been paid 915 for
saving a building.
AU.JOURSMKMT.
Tbo invest Jgalimi was then postponed until 10
o'clock ibis xuovnlug.