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.

1854, January 29th, The American (Rail) Car Company Foundry Burned, Chicago.

At 9½ o'clock on Sunday forenoon, smoke was seen issuing from the one-story brick building attached to the Works of the American Car Company and occupied by the Brass and Iron Foundry, Blacksmith, Cleaning and Moulding Shops. 

sidebar

In the 1850s, Chicago was home to several large railroad car makers, including the American Car Company, the Eagle Works, and the Union Car Works, which each employed about 300 men. The American Car Company of Chicago had begun building passenger cars, freight cars, and baggage cars in November 1852. It carried on an extensive manufacture of railroad cars in 1853/54. The company was located on the Lake Shore at the foot of Rio Grande Street (26th Street today). The section surrounding the American Car Company works became thickly settled and was a village known as “Carville,” which was annexed by Chicago on February 12, 1853, the second extension of Chicago's city limits (green sections).

The fire is supposed to have been taken from a stove in which a fire had been kindled an hour previously. The flames spread to all parts of the building, and it was only through the utmost exertions of the immediate neighborhood. Several of our active citizens gathered together on the alarm being given that the extensive machine shop (a wooden structure) was saved. 

The interior of the Foundry, and the West wing of the building, occupied as a Blacksmith Shop, was all burned on the inside, and the roofs fell in; but the brick walls were saved and can probably be used in rebuilding. The East wing, occupied as a Moulding Shop, was entirely destroyed—being a frame structure. 

Bucket Brigade. This illustration is a visual aid.

Through the untiring exertions of those assembled on the ground, the flames were confined to one building, although they had nothing but buckets of water with which to fight the fire. After the engines had arrived on the spot, there was a serious difficulty in procuring water, and № 7 was fed by lines of men passing pails of water from the cisterns [1].

The entire loss is probably about $5,000 ($182,000 today)—but the damages to the Company in having their Works kept inactive will be much greater than the amount of property destroyed. About 150 workmen will be thrown out of employment by this conflagration. However, the energy of the Company will doubtless have the building reconstructed and at work again in about four weeks. most of the workmen saved their tools, but about all of the patterns, etc., were destroyed. There were fortunately, no cars injured.

This fire will be a serious inconvenience to many of the Railroads in the vicinity, who were relying on the American Car Works for their running material, It was fortunate that the conflagration was not more disastrous. Insured for $3,500 ($141,000 today).

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

---

[1] A cistern is an artificial reservoir or tank for storing liquids, especially water. Cisterns are typically buried tanks made of brick or metal that are designed to capture and store rainwater. Cisterns can range in capacity from 100 gallons to several thousand gallons.