1853, March 3rd, Fire Starts at Mr. Sheriff Bradley's Stable, Chicago.

On Thursday night, between 10 and 11 o'clock, the city was aroused by the cry of fire, which proved to be occasioned by the burning of a stable belonging to Mr. Sheriff Bradley, situated in the alley [in the] back of Madison Street. A quantity of hay in the building was immediately consumed and set fire to the Cabinet Shop of Mr. T. Manaham, which was severely damaged before the firemen could get the fire under [control]. We understand Mr. Manaham was insured.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

1853, February 16th, the United States Hotel at Randolph & Canal Streets Fire, Chicago.

A Destructive Fire on Wednesday, February 16 night, at about twelve o'clock, the United States Hotel building on the corner of West Randolph and Canal Streets, took fire and was entirely consumed, together with all the out buildingsNorth on Canal Street, to the extensive Plow and Wagon Factory of A. Pierce, and on the East, all the buildings except two on the corner of Water and Randolph Streets. The fire was first discovered in a small tobacco and cigar shop adjoining the Hotel and had made such headway at the time that the whole block of buildings was in flames before the alarm could be given and the engines got upon the ground. There was a fresh breeze blowing from the West at the time, which swept the flames through the dry wooden tenements with great rapidity.

In the stable and yard of the U.S. Hotel, nine horses—belonging to farmers—were burned, together with a wagon and load of wheat.

The Hotel was owned by the estate of the late John Murphy and the Hon. Hugh T. Dickey and was occupied by Mr. D.L. Roberts. It was one of the oldest public houses in Chicago.

Besides the Hotel, there were three small stores and dwellings east of the Hotel, and beyond the alley, a blacksmith shop totally consumed, and another small house nearly so. A portion of lumber in the back part of the premises was partially consumed.

The clerk of the Hotel had his mouth and throat severely burned by a spark of fire. On several occasions, the firemen experienced narrow escapes—one, especially, caused a general shriek, and was as near as possible, causing the instant death of a man directing the hose. 

He was considerably elevated on a ladder in front of the mouse when a large and heavy parapet with a tremendous crash fell directly across him when, however, within a few feet of his head, one end shunted off and just escaped his head. The night was bitter cold, from which the firemen seemed to suffer much. If the wind had blown from the north, nothing could have saved the buildings on the South side of Randolph Street.

The Hotel and buildings were insured for $5,000, which was should think will not be much under the worth of the property. Mr. Roberts was insured for $1,900, and Mr. Davis' fruit and toy store for $500. Most of the furniture was removed.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

1849, June 5th, Woman Sets Fire to the Watch House, Chicago.

A deranged woman who had been wandering about the streets, followed by a troop of thoughtless boys and heartless fellows, was confirmed Monday night in the Watch House [1]. As she said, she set fire to it in order to get out. It is a pity, indeed, if there is no more appropriate place in the city for a poor lunatic than a Watch House.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

---

[1] A Watch House in 1840s Chicago was a small, wooden building that housed the city's night watchmen. The watchmen patrolled the streets at night to prevent crime and fires. They would also respond to any emergencies that arose.

Two State & Lake Street Stables Burn in February, 1853, Chicago.

Early in the evening, the city was generally startled by the cry of fire, and the eastern part was soon illuminated. The first impression was that the Tremont [Hotel] was on fire, but it proved to be two stables on State Street between Water and Lake Streets.

The firemen were quickly on the spot, and the flames were soon extinguished. Three horses were burned. Property loss was slight, as the buildings were small and [in] poor [shape].

The barn was owned by P. Coffee.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D. 

The 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois.

The World's First Parliament of Religions was a historic interfaith gathering held in Chicago, Illinois, from September 11 to 27, 1893. It was the first large-scale gathering of representatives from the world's religions, and it helped to promote religious tolerance and understanding.

On the platform of the Parliament of Religions 1893 (left to right), Virchand Gandhi (Jainism), Anagarika Dharmapala (Buddhism), Swami Vivekananda (Hinduism), G. Bonet Maury (Christianity).

The Parliament was organized by the World's Congress Auxiliary to the Columbian Exposition, which was a world's fair held in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. The Parliament was held in the Art Institute of Chicago building before the Art Institute moved in, and it featured over 700 delegates from over 20 different religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism.

1893 World's ParliamenWorld'sligions, The Buddhist High Priests of Siam.

The Parliament was a major success attracting over 750,000 visitors. It helped to promote religious tolerance and understanding around the world. It also helped to inspire the development of new interfaith organizations, such as the Parliament of the World's Religions, which still exists today.

1893 World's Parliament of ReliWorld'sDancing Dervishes.

Here are some of the key speakers and events from the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions:

• Reverend John Henry Barrows: The general chairman of the Parliament, Barrows was a Unitarian minister who was passionate about promoting religious understanding. He gave the opening address to the Parliament, calling for a "world faith" that would unite all people of all religions.

• Swami Vivekananda: A Hindu monk, Vivekananda was one of the most popular speakers at the Parliament. He gave a passionate speech calling for a "harmony of religions" and a "brotherhood of man" His speech was a significant turning point in how Hinduism was perceived in the West.

• Mohammed Abduh: An Egyptian scholar and reformer, Abduh was one of the leading voices of Islam in the 19th century. He gave a speech calling for a "reinterpretation" of Islam to make it more relevant to the modern world.

• Henry Steel Olcott: A co-founder of the Theosophical Society, Olcott was a leading figure in studying comparative religion. He gave a speech in which he argued that all religions are essentially the same and that they all aspire to the same goal.

• Bishop Charles Henry Brent: An Episcopal bishop, Brent was one of the most vocal advocates for religious tolerance at the Parliament. He gave a speech calling for a "new world faith" that would unite all people of all religions.

The 1893 World's Parl"ament of Religions was a landmark event in the history of interfaith diaWorld'sIt helped promote religious tolerance and understanding worldwide. It inspired the development of new interfaith organizations. The Parliament's legacy continues today, encouraging people to work for peace and understanding betParliament'snt religions.

1993 World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago, Illinois.

The 1993 World's Parliament of Religions was a gathering of religWorld'saders and scholars from around the world, held in Chicago, Illinois, from September 4-10, 1993. It was the second World Parliament of Religions, following the first in 1893. The Parliament's theme was "A Global Ethic: Building a Just and Peaceful World."

Over 8,000 people from over 100 countries attended the 1993 Parliament to celebrate, discuss and explore how religious traditions can work together on the critical issues which confront the world. They repreWorld'svarious religious traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, SikWorld'saoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Baha'i. Each area had a series of workshops, panels, and lectures. There were also performances by artists and musicians from different religious traditions.

2023 World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago, Illinois.

The 2023 Parliament of the World's Religions will be hosted from Monday, August 14 through Friday, August 18, at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.