Great Boston Fire of 1872 few minutes in the absence of the horses. In 1871, Chicago suffered massive destruction and an estimated 300 casualties due to a massive fire. Damrell, along with fire chiefs from various large cities, traveled to Chicago after the fire in an attempt to learn from the city’s mistakes. Like Boston, Chicago buildings were made primarily of wood and building codes were not enforced, making the densely developed neighborhoods susceptible to fire. General Phil Sheridan, in charge of military relief in Chicago post-fire, did not condemn the city's use of gunpowder to blow up buildings to create firebreaks. In theory, a
Great Gale of 1871 Great Gale of 1871 The Great Gale of 1871 was a severe storm in the North Sea which struck the north east coast of England on Friday 10 February 1871. Shipping near the town of Bridlington was severely affected by the storm, and, in an attempt to rescue seamen, the RNLI lifeboat RNLB "Robert Whitworth" was put out of action and the fishermans lifeboat "Harbinger" upturned with nine locals on board, killing six of them. A memorial obelisk in Bridlington Priory Churchyard commemorates 43 burials there. 28 ships were wrecked on the north east coast, and total fatalities are estimated