The Great Fire (Murphy novel) facts for kids
 |
|
| Author | Jim Murphy |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Published | 1995 |
| Publisher | Scholastic Corporation |
| Media type | Hardcover, paperback |
| Pages | 144 pp |
| ISBN | 0590472674 |
The Great Fire is an exciting book by Jim Murphy. It tells the true story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. This huge fire destroyed much of the city of Chicago. The book was even recognized as a Newbery Honor book in 1996, which is a big award for children's literature.
Contents
The Great Chicago Fire Story
The book The Great Fire shares the dramatic events of the huge fire in Chicago. This terrible fire started in the O'Learys' barnyard. It burned for thirty long hours, causing massive damage.
How the Fire Started
The first person to see the fire was Daniel "Pegleg" Sullivan. He was a wagon driver. Daniel quickly ran to save the cows in the barn. He also tried to warn the O'Learys that their property was on fire.
A neighbor, William Lee, rushed to a drugstore. He wanted to pull a fire alarm there. But Bruno Goll, the drugstore owner, stopped him. Goll said all the fire trucks were already out. Lee then went back home to get his baby and wife to safety. Goll later claimed he pulled the alarm after Lee left. However, no alarm was ever recorded at the main fire office.
Fire Spreads Through Chicago
The fire quickly began to spread. It moved from the O'Learys' barn to other parts of the neighborhood. It destroyed everything in its path. Fire trucks were sent to the wrong place at first. This allowed the fire to grow even bigger.
When firefighters finally arrived, they were very tired. They had fought many fires in the past week. They didn't have enough energy to stop this new, huge blaze. People grabbed their most valuable things and ran from their homes.
A brave firefighter named Dorsey ran to the drugstore. He pulled the fire alarm lever. Still, no one responded. The strong wind made the fire grow even faster. It burned more houses and hurt many firefighters. The fire was now heading towards north and east Chicago.
The fire became too big for the trucks to put out. Firefighters had to leave the burning areas. They tried to protect other parts of the city instead. People ran in every direction, trying to escape.
Escaping the Blaze
A young girl named Claire lost her family in the chaos. Her house was burned down. She found herself trapped between the fire and burning buildings. Claire bravely ran to the tallest house she could find. She jumped to the other side of the street. Then, she kept running towards the south side of the city.
To stop the fire from reaching the south side, firefighters took a drastic step. They blew up houses in the fire's path. This created a gap to stop the flames. They also helped residents escape to Lincoln Park. Many people spent the night there, safe from the fire.
After the Fire
As the fire continued to spread, something amazing happened. It started to rain! This gave everyone in the city hope. By morning, the terrible fire was finally out. It had destroyed many parts of Chicago. About 100,000 people lost their homes. Around 300 people died, and many more were missing.
After the fire, the people of Chicago began to rebuild. Other states sent help and supplies. The United States Army even set up tents for those who lost their houses.
Later, some people blamed the O'Learys for starting the fire. Because of this, the O'Learys had to sell their property. They left Chicago, fearing for their safety.
Before this huge fire, Chicago was a beautiful city. It was known as the "Queen City of the West." After the fire, much of it was just dust and ruins. But the people of Chicago worked hard to rebuild their city, making it even stronger.
Key People in the Story
Here are some of the important people mentioned in The Great Fire:
- Patrick O'Leary - He owned the barn where the fire began.
- Catherine O'Leary - Patrick's wife. She was unfairly blamed for starting the fire.
- Daniel "Pegleg" Sullivan - A wagon driver who was the first to spot the fire.
- William Lee - A neighbor of the O'Learys who tried to sound the alarm.
- Bruno Goll - The owner of the drugstore where the fire alarm box was located.
- Mathias Schaffer - A special insurance patrolman who saw the fire but didn't think it was serious.
- William Brown - Schaffer's assistant. He refused to send fire trucks to the correct location at first.
- Joseph E. Chamberlain - A young reporter for the Chicago Evening Post.
- Chief Marshall Robert Williams - The chief of the fire department.
- Julia Lemo - A Chicago resident who saved her children and parents from the fire.
- Claire Innes - A young girl who got separated from her family during the chaos.
- Alexander Frear - A visitor from New York who was in Chicago during the fire.
Awards for The Great Fire
The Great Fire received several important awards and recognitions:
- Newbery Honor (1996)
- ALA Best Books for Young Adults (1996)
- A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (1996)
- BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (1995)
- Jefferson Cup (1996)
