The Great Chicago Fire Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Continue
Chapter 1: The Fire Begins Sunday evening, October 8 th, 1871, 90 W Jackson. Shortly after 11pm, you are woken by the sound of bells sounding and chaos in streets outside your apartment. Thoughts of last night s fires fill your head and you see the glow of red in the sky. Quickly putting on clothes, you dash out of the building into the hot night air. Flames can be seen in the southern sky, and the abyss of Lake Michigan is to the east. The fire appears to have jumped the river and will most likely reach the center of Chicago by midnight. You decide to: Flee north or flee west. I write this from memory, after the lapse of over eight years. But the events of that memorable night were so burned into my mind and heart that they are seemingly as fresh and vivid today as when they were occurring. -James O. Brayman (link)
Chapter 2: Heading North You decide to flee northward, but the fire keeps spreading behind you. Tired and overheated, you reach the pier at the mouth of the Chicago River. Some folks have congregated in hopes of catching a boat away from downtown. While waiting, the lapping flames in the distance grow closer and soon trap everyone on the pier. Thankfully, the conflagration appears to continue north without burning the pier. It is apparent that Lincoln Park is no longer an option as fire continues to eat its way through Streeterville. You fall asleep listening to the clanging of church bells and exhausted fire brigades. Hours later, the chaos has subdued a bit, but without a home, you wander back toward downtown. Passerbys mention how the fire is still burning farther north, but small bands of people are gathering to keep order and rebuild. Do you: Continue walking and take up rebuilding your life or inquire about joining the civil patrols?
Chapter 3: Heading West You run down Jackson Blvd, fleeing westward, but it is apparent that the fire is spreading well beyond your original estimates. The heat and flames push your direction northerly and you end up across the river in the rubble of the previous night s fire. Taking shelter, with nowhere to go, you bear down for a few hours while the conflagration moves north. Soon, others begin to search through the area and you discover the fire is still burning in the distance. Starving and looking for leads do you: Begin scavenging or begin begging for help? The Great Calamity of the Age! Chicago in Ashes!! Chicago Evening Journal-Extra
Chapter 4: A Chance Encounter Deciding to walk toward where your home once stood, you find the road is treacherous and full of debris. The air is still dry and hot. Hours pass and soon you find yourself coming upon three shadowy figures on the road. They appear to be armed. One turns toward you. Do you: Approach the strangers or flee into the shadows?
Chapter 5: Joining the Civil Patrol You inquire about joining the civil patrol. Sure, it doesn t pay, but you want to help and it may yield something for work in the future. After all, you have nothing left. Within the hour, you find yourself with many others in the same position. A small group of you head out into the streets to aid those in distress and keep what order there is. Soon, you encounter a disheveled man on the road. He begins to run away in panic. Do you: Chase after him since he s probably a thief or let him go since he s done nothing? For nearly two weeks, General Sherman oversaw de facto martial law of Chicago and organized the First Regiment of Chicago Volunteers. This band, along with regular troops, militia units, and police patrolled the streets, guarded relief warehouses, and enforced laws/curfews. (link)
Chapter 6: Scavenging The rubble does yield some items, but they are mostly useless. Burned and melted wads of former items clutter the streets. While rummaging through what used to be a store trying to find some food, you are spotted by a civil patrol group. Do you: Plea to join their group and hope they help or flee into the shadows to avoid them? On Monday morning, Mayor Mason met with a group of elected officials and prominent citizens at the First Congregational Church, now the temporary city hall. There, they laid out a plan to preserve order and relieve suffering, including forming the Relief and Aid Society. (link)
Chapter 7: Begging Swallowing your pride, you begin begging for help like many others. Soon, a gentleman gives you a few cents and you begin talking. He tells you of the civil patrol in the neighborhood. Maybe they could help? You decide something is better than nothing and seek them out. In the months following the fire, relief poured in from all over. Cities like New York, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and even London donated goods and money to help Chicago.
Chapter 8: Civil Relief The group turns out to be civil patrolmen. You quickly ask them about ways to get your life back on track like so many others displaced by the fire. After helping them for a few days, you find out about relief efforts in town. Money and goods are pouring in from all over the country. Thanking the friends you have made, you seek clothes and food from the waterfront. While there, you meet a land speculator and a railroad operator. Do you: Ask the land speculator for a job or ask the railroad operator for a job? Former Lieutenant-Governor William Bross, part owner of the Tribune, later recollected his response to the arrival of Sheridan's soldiers: "Never did deeper emotions of joy overcome me. Thank God, those most dear to me and the city as well are safe." (link)
Chapter 9: Panic You flee into the shadows and stay in hiding for the rest of the day. Fearful of being branded as a thief, your waiting has caused you to miss some initial relief materials downtown. Eventually venturing out of the rubble of the west of town, you meet two gentlemen who seem to be looking for workers. Do you: Ask the land speculator for a job or ask the railroad operator for a job? All of the Public School Buildings, as well as Churches, are open for the shelter of persons who do not find other accommodations. When food is not found at such buildings it will be provided by the committee on application at Head Quarters."
Chapter 10: Lost Cause Unfortunately, you weren t fast enough. Caught up in the rubble covering the streets and admitting defeat, you return to the patrol. Days pass and soon you meet a gentleman asking around about people willing to work for land redevelopment. Do you: Tell him to try down by the waterfront or ask him for a job? Relics of the fire became collectable and eventually a Relic House (link) was created at the foot of Lincoln Park. The Chicago History Museum s largest relic from the fire is called the blob. It is a 48,600lb chunk of molten metal from the fire (link).
Chapter 11: Helping Hands You decide to let the man go and focus on patrolling. Days later, relief efforts arrive in the city and you go to lend a helping hand. Two gentlemen notice your eagerness and offer you paying work. Do you: Work for the land speculator or work for the railroad operator? "Chicago had a weakness for big things, and liked to think that it was outbuilding New York. It did a great deal of commercial advertising in its house-tops. The faults of construction as well as of art in its great showy buildings must have been numerous. Their walls were thin, and were overweighted with gross and coarse misornamentation." -Frederick Law Olmsted
Chapter 12: Running Away Although you chose to flee before, you soon find yourself face to face with three more patrolmen. Do you: Plea for help and hope they don t arrest you or flee again?
Chapter 13: Speculation The land speculator gladly gives you a job and soon you find yourself with enough money to rebuild your home. Years later, you continue to sow your good financial fortune into the growth of Chicago, and by 1893, you attend the Columbian Exposition. Riding the train down to Hyde Park, there is barely a trace of the fire, buildings rising in every direction. A Second City. END
Chapter 14: Rail Baron The railroad operator gladly gives you a job and you soon find yourself unloading goods for relief each day in Chicago. Rails are made of steel and therefore didn t burn in the fire, so the railroads quickly begin to carry the bulk of goods to Chicago. Soon you have saved up enough money to rebuild your home. Commuting home one evening on the elevated lines, you look out the windows and note a completely new city, rising out of the ashes. END
Chapter 15: Disbanded You stay at your post and work for a few more weeks in the civil patrol. However, your company is later disbanded as the city recovers. You now need a paying job. One day while down by the lakeshore aiding in the relief effort, you meet a railroad operator looking for help. You take a job with him.
Chapter 16: Relief Work You are thankfully not recognized and are sent to work relief down at the lakeshore. While there you meet a land speculator and ask him for a job.
Chapter 17: Second City Elsewhere Fearing being marked as criminal and having nothing but the clothes on your back, you take advantage of the free train passes being handed out at the makeshift City Hall. Soon, Chicago is behind you, the conflagration too much for you to bear. Perhaps there are jobs in St. Louis END