The Great Fire Group

Question:

frenchhornislove
frenchhornis...
Student
High School - 11th Grade

Is there any proof that Mrs. O'Leary's cow did in fact start the Great Chicago fire?

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Posted by frenchhornislove on Friday March 6, 2009 at 7:57 AM and tagged with mrs olearys cow, the great fire.

Answers:


  1. amy-lepore Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    This question has always been such a point of interest for me.  There was a TV show on not long ago that was working on debunking the story that the fire was Mrs. O'Leary's fault.  The guys built a fire about where the Sullivan's house was and put wood chips in small boxed areas to see how far an ember might fly and fall in order to begin the fire (thus putting the fault on the Sullivans and their party rather than the milkwoman and her cow).  They came to the conclusion that it was possible for an ember to fly from the Sullivans and set fire to the thatched roof of the O'Leary's barn.  In addition, they explored the possibility of a spontaneous combustion in the hay of the O'Leary barn (not probable as the smoke produced would be detected long before flame ever erupted).  I can't find that link, but the story in the first link below reveals all the other options for the fire's cause.  Check out the following links for help in your quest.  Good Luck!

    http://www.thechicagofire.com/

    http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3945/is_200407/ai_n9408746

    http://www.ahherald.com/index.php?option=com_content&lang=en&module=1&month=09&task=archivecategory&year=2007&Itemid=2

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    Posted by amy-lepore on Friday March 6, 2009 at 8:47 AM