Chicago Fire Research Paper
What started as a small spark , possibly in a barn, ignited one of the most destructive and largest catastrophes, in Chicago’s history. The Great Chicago fire of 1871 is still a mystery. MAny have speculated, pointed fingers, and taken blame for the devastating fire that destroyed hundreds of acres, took many lives, and charred the Windy City to ashes. The truths to what really happened on that late night on the eighth of October may never be unravelled. Many do however feel that the evidence suggests that it was an accidental or a freak of nature and environmental conditions fueled the fire into rage letting it get out of control. The raging fire of almost 145 years ago still has scientists baffled, and remains a mystery today.
The …show more content…
Horace says that because of the frequent fires the days leading up to October 8th, and the bells ringing so frequently he thought that it was just another fire that would be taken care of. He then goes on to explain that the fire was different from others that he had seen in the previous eighteen years that he had lived in Chicago. With the fire spreading, “I dressed myself for the purpose of going to the "Tribune" office to write something about the catastrophe. Once out upon the street, the magnitude of the fire was suddenly disclosed to me.” He here sees the amount of destruction that the fire caused. It is then he realizes the amount of damage to the city when he gets out on the roads. All of the accounts that Horace references are experiences that he had had. Many residents were scared and fled with their belongings. The whole city got whatever they could and made for safety. Horses, cars, and people were all in the streets, making for the outskirts of the city in chaos.
The Chicago Fire of 1871 has been just like many other fires. The fire could have started in many ways, but the real reason for the start of the fire is still unknown. Fires were not uncommon in Chicago because the city was made of mostly wood, the climate was dry and windy. All of these conditions led to all of the fires in Chicago starting and spreading. The fire that broke out on Sunday, October 8, had similar characteristics to those previously occurring in
The …show more content…
Horace says that because of the frequent fires the days leading up to October 8th, and the bells ringing so frequently he thought that it was just another fire that would be taken care of. He then goes on to explain that the fire was different from others that he had seen in the previous eighteen years that he had lived in Chicago. With the fire spreading, “I dressed myself for the purpose of going to the "Tribune" office to write something about the catastrophe. Once out upon the street, the magnitude of the fire was suddenly disclosed to me.” He here sees the amount of destruction that the fire caused. It is then he realizes the amount of damage to the city when he gets out on the roads. All of the accounts that Horace references are experiences that he had had. Many residents were scared and fled with their belongings. The whole city got whatever they could and made for safety. Horses, cars, and people were all in the streets, making for the outskirts of the city in chaos.
The Chicago Fire of 1871 has been just like many other fires. The fire could have started in many ways, but the real reason for the start of the fire is still unknown. Fires were not uncommon in Chicago because the city was made of mostly wood, the climate was dry and windy. All of these conditions led to all of the fires in Chicago starting and spreading. The fire that broke out on Sunday, October 8, had similar characteristics to those previously occurring in