1854, June 22nd, A Drug Store Chemical Storage Room Fire, Chicago.

About half past five o'clock this morning, a fire broke out in a small building in the rear of J.H. Reed & Company's Drug Store, used for the storage of matches, ether, phosphorus, etc. 

This photograph is a visual aid.

A young man in the establishment, discovering the smoke at the back door, immediately gave the alarm and, rushing out, burst open the door and dashed in a few pails of water—all that he found at hand, hoping to prevent a general conflagration, caught up a large bottle of ether, which exploded while he was removing it, covering him with flames, though fortunately not injuring him seriously. He then closed the door for the purpose of smothering the fire, while "ever and anon" (now and then; occasionally) a bottle of ether would explode and burst open the entrance in spite of all endeavors to keep it shut. 

Engine Company № 1 was on hand very soon after the alarm and, by dint (as a result of) submerging the entire building, succeeded in arresting the fire. However, for some time after, the phosphorus grumbled and sputtered and smoked under the water as though loth to give up the business it had so successfully begun. The cause of the fire was the bursting of a bottle of phosphorus which being usually kept in water, ignited spontaneously in the open air; the loss was not very heavy, being covered entirely by insurance. We are happy to be able to state that the young man so summarily baptized with burning ether was not dangerously injured. He professes no great anxiety to repeat the experiment.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

1854, February 25th, The Eagle Hotel Fire, Chicago.

The alarm of a fire about 4 o'clock on Saturday morning was caused by the burning of the Eagle Hotel, a three-story frame building. on State Street between Taylor and Polk Streets. A barn immediately adjoining was also destroyed. The two buildings were owned by Mr. John Raber, and occupied by H.A. Caswell, as a Dutch boarding house. The hotel was insured for $800 ($29,000 today) and $250 ($9,000 today) on the barn. The furniture was mostly saved, though in a damaged state. A two-story frame building adjoining on the south, and used for a grocery, was considerably burned about the roof.

The fire caught from the chimney in the kitchen and was first discovered by a watchman, who aroused the guests. But for the difficulty in getting water, the fire might have been stopped. As was the case at the burning of a dwelling in the North Division last Tuesday morning, the hydrant proved entirely useless, and the firemen were obliged to obtain water from other sources. Unless the hydrants can be of some service in cases of fire, they may as well be removed for all the good they have shown themselves capable of doing thus far.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.