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Evacuation and further aid
The Chicago relief and aid society helped evacuate over thiry nine thousand people and had aided thousands more with donations. The mayor had supported the use of the Chicago relief and aid society as the primary means of helping the people of chicago, because of it being run by bussiness elites as a political move. However, the organization provided homes for homeless, food, and evacuation if needed to the citizens of Chicago and was very succesful. -
The events leading up to the fire
The fire department had been fighting fires constantly. They had attempted to change the city to have more fire hydrants, fireboats to patrol the rivers, and more men to fight the growing fires. However, the city rejected due to the fear of increased taxes and it's possbile effects on bussiness growth. A fire started on October 7 taking much time of the one eighty five firefighters and leaving them exhausted and unable to fight this burning conflogaration as effectively. -
The Fire Starts
The Chicago Fires starts on October 8, 1871 near the O'Leary's house raging out of control. It had been a very dry summer and a drought had preceded it as well. The fire had started near the O'Leary's estatate and the firefighters were already tired beforehand by a fire from the day before. The houses were made of wood, because the city had spread outward and very quickly and was a rising city within the U.S. -
The Fire Ends
The Great Fire ends leaving three hundred people dead, and over a hundred thousand people homeless. The fire had burned through seventy three miles of Chicago leaving the city devestated as well. Anarchy spread throughout Chicago with the city lying in ruins. Homeless were were wandering the street and nothing had been set up yet for emergency situations. -
General Sheridan moves in to aid the city
General Sheridan moves in to aid the city and place Chicago under martial law, patrolling the streets to keep criminals and the citizens safe. He moved in quickly and declared with the support of the mayor of Chicago. Governor Palmer did not support this and worked hard against Sheridan's use of martial law and it became a state against federal government. Sheridan was eventually forced to stop the use of martial law. -
Aftermath
The city immediately attempted to rebuild and start using other materials like stones or rocks instead of the wood that was being constantly used before. Anarchy flowed through the streets with Sheridan for example having a gun pulled on him within the city. Troops were called in to give aid and protect the streets from citizens who attempted to use this to their advantage. Also, people attempted to leave Chicago as well and were eventually were forced to stay to keep the city from dying. -
Sheridan suffers under declaring martial law
When General Sheridan declared martial law in 1871, he suffered blacklash from his decision. Governor Palmer had opposed him from the very start and the Illnois courts ruled out that Sheridan's actions had not been legal. The bigger concept was the strength of the military and the fears that had corresponded from it especailly with after the civil war. -
Root and Burnahm form a partnership
John W. Root and Daniel H. Burnahm form a partnership to create the first skyscraper in Chicago. The imporance of this monument is that it aided in the city's reconstruction to prevent fires and to be fireproof. Hollow tile was place within the building to add the building's goal to fireproof the buildings. This would be shift in the right direction to aid and stop the previous easy spread of fire. -
Relief and Aid Society
The Relief and Aid society aided Chicago homeless and citizens throughout the city. They provided shelter, food and divided the city into three districts to be able to provide better care for the citizens. They first started in 1850, but were a key component to rebuilding Chicago. They provided shelter for the homeless and food for the people and the Mayor had placed them as the premiere organization to help the people of Chicago. -
The second fire of chicago
The second great Chcago fire was on july 16, 1874 and lasted throughout the day. The reason was that the rebuilding process was instead of using rocks and stone which were more expensive wood was used again. The fire had quickly spread and was started in a barn right next to a oil factory. The changes to the city were now ferverly enforced due to this second fire.
