Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.Schaffer's first signal went out at 9:30. Several minutes later, Schaffer realized his mistake and ordered Box 319 struck. This was still seven blocks away from the O'Learys', but close enough that firefighters could see the flames and alter their course. Unfortunately, Schaffer's young assistant, William J. Brown, stubbornly refused to strike Box 319, saying he was afraid it would confuse the situation. Brown was so stubborn about his decision that even after the fire he was able to write arrogantly in a letter that "I am still standing the watch that burned Chicago."These errors had two fatal consequences. The most obvious was that a number of engines and dozens of firefighters were sent on a wild-goose chase and did not get to the fire for many minutes. More critical is that it kept fire companies located near De Koven Street in their stations. Several had seen the eerie, dancing glow beyond the rooftops near them and, even without official notice from Schaffer, prepared to respond. When they heard Box 342 rung, however, they assumed the fire was out of their territory and unhitched the horses. Only two fire companies were not fooled by the misleading alarm.
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.While this was happening near the fire, more errors were taking place a mile and a half away. Chicago had recently renovated its fire alarm system, making it one of the best in the nation. Each firehouse had a watchman who scanned the immediate neighborhood for flames or smoke during the night. Overlooking the entire city was a watchman in the cupola of the Courthouse, one hundred feet above the ground. If a fire was spotted, an alarm was telegraphed (either from the firehouse or from one of the many alarm boxes situated around town) to the Courthouse; the Courthouse watchman then relayed the location of the blaze to the firehouses nearest to it. For added security, the giant Courthouse bell was also rung. Because of the drought, special Insurance Patrols had been organized and Benjamin Bullwinkle was appointed to head them. These patrols roamed the streets at night, ready to put out small fires with chemical extinguishers and turn in alarms for bigger blazes. While this system sounds very cumbersome to us, back in 1871 it was considered quite speedy and efficient.
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.Most stood by watching the yellow-orange flames leaping from roof to roof and listening to the horrible crackle pop of dry pine being consumed. Fires were extremely common back then and thought to be as exciting and dramatic as a night at the theater.
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.As for Goll, he claimed later at the official inquiry into the fire that he had waited for Lee to leave and then turned in the alarm. Goll also insisted he turned in a second alarm when another man appeared ten minutes later to announce that the fire was spreading rapidly. Whether Goll lied about sending the alarms or whether the alarm box failed to work will never be known. What is clear, is that no alarm was recorded at the central alarm office in the Courthouse at the point when the fire was still containable.
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.Schaffer's first signal went out at 9:30. Several minutes later, Schaffer realized his mistake and ordered Box 319 struck. This was still seven blocks away from the O'Learys', but close enough that firefighters could see the flames and alter their course. Unfortunately, Schaffer's young assistant, William J. Brown, stubbornly refused to strike Box 319, saying he was afraid it would confuse the situation. Brown was so stubborn about his decision that even after the fire he was able to write arrogantly in a letter that "I am still standing the watch that burned Chicago."
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.Schaffer's first signal went out at 9:30. Several minutes later, Schaffer realized his mistake and ordered Box 319 struck. This was still seven blocks away from the O'Learys', but close enough that firefighters could see the flames and alter their course. Unfortunately, Schaffer's young assistant, William J. Brown, stubbornly refused to strike Box 319, saying he was afraid it would confuse the situation.
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.Several minutes passed before Schaffer looked up from what he was doing and saw flames leaping wildly into the black sky. The light was from a different fire after all; he'd been fooled because this new blaze was almost directly behind the still-flickering remnants of the Saturday October 7 fire.He studied the flames, trying to determine their exact location. This wasn't easy because of the distance and tall buildings between him and the flames. In addition, the moonless sky was made even murkier by the swirling, smoky haze. Schaffer signaled down the speaking tube and had his assistant strike Box 342. This sent engines rumbling through the streets — to a location almost a mile away from the O'Learys' barn.
Why does Jim Murphy begin The Great Fire by describing the interaction between William Lee and Bruno Goll?
Read this excerpt from The Great Fire.At the same moment that Anderson's hose stopped, another steamer malfunctioned and its water also gave out. A well-aimed rap of a hammer got the engine working again, but then, at about 10:30, an old section of hose burst and the flow of water stopped again. Two valuable links in the chain of defense were gone, and there was nothing to stop the fire in these locations.Williams rushed to get the water going and to reposition his engines, but it was too late. The wind had pushed the fire past his circle, a wind that was blowing directly toward the heart of the city.
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