[The Great Fire]
Illinois Staats-Zeitung, October 13, 1871
Mr. Gustave Drassler, who had a shop on North Clark Street, and his whole family died in the flames; likewise his older brother, who used to carry dispatches at night to the Illinois Staats-Zeitung, and his niece, Miss Richter, who was a member of the Germania Female Choir. Mr. Henry Lamparter lost his wife, Mrs. Louisa Thielemann whose house burnt down two years ago, and who, only a few days ago, started, at great personal sacrifice, a German theatre on the North Side, has lost everything, and now faces the future more bewildered than ever. The maid of Mrs. Thielemann, and the maid of her neighbour, Mr. Barthold Meyer, Ontario Street, lost their lives in the fire. Brother Moody has not been able to abstain from inviting the people in to pray. Mr. Hermann Raster has found a domicile with his colleague, Mr. T. Konig of the "Union", 386 W. Taylor Street. Ernestine Schmidt is being sought by her husband, Christian Schmidt, in Ditmars' Pharmacy. Mr. Henry Hochbaum and L. and R. Berlitzheimer whose shops on the North Side were burned, have, with their characteristic energy, already reopened their shops on Milwaukee Avenue. Henry Schollkopf, Groceries; Bauer and Company, Music Instruments; Gale & Blocki; Knauer 2Brothers and many other Germans are feverishly busy with the arrangement of their new shops. The Germans don't take second place after the Americans as to energy. The Thursday meeting in the Vorwarts Turnhalle could not take place, because the Turn Hall is being used as a hospital. Mr. Wilhelm Levy, formerly of the Staats-Zeitung, is now a special policeman. Mrs. Julia Butz, fortunately, is well, so that the contrary rumors dissolve into naught.
