The Great Chicago Fire

By annapoll

  • Before the Fire

    There had been many fires in the week before the Great Chicago Fire so all of the fireman were exhausted. Their requests for more men and better equitment had been denied.

  • 8:30-10 P.M

    The fire starts at the O'Learys barn at 9 P.M. The watchman tell firreman the wrong location at first and when they finally get to the real location of the fire, its 9:40 P.M. and they're to late to stop the fire.

  • 10 P.M.- Midnight

    By 10:30 P.M. the fire was reported out of control. A strong, dry wind from the southwest pushed the fire towards the heart of the city. The fire has jumped the southern branch of the Chicago River.
  • Period: to

    The Great Chicago Fire

  • 6 P.M. - Midnight

    Rain starts to fall and helps extinguish the fire.

  • Midnight - 2 A.M.

    The city gasworks explode and leave most of the city without power. All of the prisoners from the courthouse are evacuated. The fire engulfs Conley's Patch and many residents can't escape in time.

  • 2 - 4 A.M.

    Just after 2 A.M the fire reaches the courthouse. The bell was reportedly heard tolling over a mila away when the building collapsed. At the same, the homes of the oldest and most prominent families were being burned.

  • 4 - 6 A.M.

    People are forced to the edge of Lake Michigan by the fire. Many of them start to wade in the water when Michigan Avenue catches fire.

  • 6 -8 A.M.

    A huge lumber yard catches fire along with Illinois Central railroad complex and McCormick Reaper Works.

  • 8 -10 A.M.

    Although the ground is still to hot to stand on, men start rumaging through the ruble after the fire past looking for personal items and people. The only route left into the city was 12th street.

  • 10 A.M. - Noon

    In an attempt to slow down the blaze, troops are ordered to blow up buildings in the fires path, thinking that the fire would die out if it had nothing to burn.

  • Noon - 6 P.M.

    The North Side Continues to burn. The West Side is safe from the blaze, but is inaccessible to all of the people running from the fire so they have no choice but to stay in the fires path.

  • After the Fire

    73 miles of streets and 17,450 buildings have been destroyed. 1/3 of the population is homeless. Only 125 bodies are found, but 200 - 300 die. That is a very low number concidering how bad the fire was.