Did Mrs. OLearys Cow Start the Great Chicago Fire

Popular legend has long held that a cow being milked by Mrs. Catherine OLeary kicked over a kerosene lantern, igniting a barn fire  that spread into the  Great Chicago Fire. The famous story of Mrs. OLearys cow appeared soon after colossal fire that consumed much of Chicago.  And the story has spread ever since. But was the cow really the culprit? No. The real blame for the enormous  fire which began on October 8, 1871, lies with a combination of  perilous conditions: a long drought over  a very hot summer, loosely enforced fire codes, and a sprawling city built almost entirely of wood. Yet Mrs. OLeary and her cow took the blame in the public mind. And  the legend about them being the cause of the fire endures to the present day. The OLeary Family The OLeary family, immigrants from Ireland, lived at 137 De Koven Street in Chicago. Mrs. OLeary had a small dairy business, and she routinely milked cows in a barn behind the familys cottage. A fire did begin in OLearys barn at about 9:00 pm on Sunday, October 8, 1871. Catherine OLeary and her husband Patrick, a Civil War veteran, later swore that they had already retired for the night and were in bed when they heard neighbors calling out about the fire in the barn. By some accounts, a rumor about a cow kicking over a lantern began spreading almost as soon as the first fire company responded to the blaze. Another rumor in the neighborhood was that a boarder in the OLeary house, Dennis Peg Leg Sullivan, had slipped into the barn to have a few drinks with some of his friends. During their revelry they started a fire in the barns hay by smoking pipes. It is also possible the fire ignited from an ember which blew from a nearby chimney. Many fires did start that was in the 1800s, though they didnt have the conditions to spread as quickly and widely as the fire that night in Chicago. No one will ever know what really happened that night in the OLeary barn. What isnt disputed is that the blaze spread. And, assisted by strong winds, the barn fire turned into the Great Chicago Fire. Within a few days a newspaper reporter, Michael Ahern, wrote an article which put the neighborhood rumor about Mrs. OLearys cow kicking over a kerosene lantern into print. The story took hold, and was circulated widely. The Official Report An official commission investigating the fire heard testimony about Mrs. OLeary and her cow in November 1871. An article in the New York Times on November 29, 1871, was headlined Mrs. OLearys Cow.   The article described the testimony given by Catherine OLeary before the Chicago Board of Police and Fire Commissioners. In her account, she and her husband had been asleep when two men came to their house to alert them that  their barn was on fire. Mrs. OLearys husband, Patrick, was also questioned. He testified that he did not know how the fire started as he had also been asleep until he heard the neighbors. The commission concluded in its official report that Mrs. OLeary had not been in the barn when the fire began. The report did not state a precise cause of the fire, but mentioned that a spark blown from a chimney of a nearby house on that windy night could have started the fire in the barn. The OLearys After the Fire Despite being cleared in the official report, the OLeary family became notorious. In a quirk of fate, their house has actually survived the fire, as the flames spread outward away from property. Yet, facing the stigma of the constant rumors, which had spread nationwide,  they eventually moved from De Koven Street. Mrs. OLeary lived out the rest of her life as a virtual recluse, only leaving her residence to attend daily mass. When she died in 1895 she was described as heartbroken that she was always blamed for causing so much destruction. Years after Mrs. OLearys death, Michael Ahern, the newspaper reporter who had first published the rumor, admitted that he and other reporters had made up the story. They believed it would hype the story, as if a fire that destroyed a major American city needed any extra sensationalism. When Ahern died in 1927, a small item from the Associated Press datelined Chicago offered his corrected account: Michael Ahern, last surviving reporter of the famous Chicago fire of 1871, and who denied the authenticity of the story of Mrs. OLearys famous cow which was credited with kicking over a lamp in a barn and starting the fire, died here tonight.In 1921, Ahern, in writing an anniversary story of the fire said that he and two other reporters, John English and Jim Haynie, concocted the explanation of the cow starting the fire, and admitted that he afterward learned that spontaneous combustion of hay in the OLeary barn probably was the cause. At the time of the fire Ahern was a police reporter for The Chicago Republican. The Legend Lived On And while the story of Mrs. OLeary and her cow isnt true, the legendary tale lived on. Lithographs of the scene were produced in the late 1800s. The legend of the cow and the lantern were the basis for popular songs over the years, and the story was even told in a major Hollywood movie produced in 1937, In Old Chicago. The MGM film, which was produced by Daryl F. Zanuck, provided a completely fictitious account of the OLeary family  and portrayed the story of the cow kicking over the lantern as the truth. And while In Old Chicago may have been completely wrong on the facts, the movies popularity and the fact that it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture helped perpetuate the legend of Mrs. OLearys cow. The Great Chicago Fire is remembered as one of the major disasters of the 19th century, along with the eruption of Krakatoa  or the Johnstown Flood. And its also remembered, of course, as it seemed to have a distinctive character, Mrs. OLearys cow, at the center of it.

Explain the Physiology the Cardiovascular and the...

Explain the physiology the cardiovascular and the digestive system in the body in relation to energy metabolism in the body. Discuss the role of energy in the body and analyse how those two body systems interrelate to perform a named functions. For distinction analyse Energy it is the ability to do work. Energy cannot be destroyed but it can be changed to another form. Without energy we would not be able to growth or move. To stay alive we need regular and permanent supply of energy or else we would die. Without energy our body would not be able to carry out processes such as: * Growth and reconstructions of new cells and tissues as energy is necessary to supply biochemical reaction that then is building larger organic molecules†¦show more content†¦Break food into tiny parts, so that the useful elements of food could be absorbed into out bloodstream and sent through our body. 2. Get rid of useful parts of the food that our body can’t use. Digestion starts in mouth and it is going through several steps. Teeth which are a Mechanical digestion start tearing and crushing the food down into small pieces so that the food will smoothly run down our throat. The salivary glands are located underneath the back of our tongues and that’s what is creating our saliva. The saliva is the Chemical Digestion is helping soften the food in the mouth so it is easy to swallow. Also saliva is the first out of several chemicals that is breaking the food into smaller bits. The tongue is the muscle that works with the food and saliva to form something similar to balls that can be swallowed. Also tongue contains taste buds so that we know if the food is salt, sweet, sour or bitter. Esophangus is a simple transportation tube that is joining the throat with stomach. When swallowing we are closing a trap door in our throats called the epiglottis. By closing this trap we are preventing the food prom going to trachea and into our lungs. Also Food moves down the esophangus using muscles not gravity. Stomach is the first stop after the Esophangus. When the food gets into stomach the stomach uses chemicals to try to make the food smaller. These chemicals are called gastric juices and they include hydrochloric acid and enzymes. (Enzymes areShow MoreRelatedAssignment Brief to Break Down Unit 5 Health and Social Care Level 11545 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Extended Diploma Level 3 in Health and Social Care Unit : 5 Assignment Title: Anatomy Physiology Scenario/Vocational Context: This unit introduces core knowledge of cellular structure and function, and the organisation of the body as a whole, and then builds on this to develop a more detailed knowledge of the fine anatomy and physiology of the systems involved in energy metabolism. Functional Skills Development: This assignment will give you the opportunity to develop skills

The Haunted Resort (English Creative Writing Coursework) Free Essays

It was one o’clock when I finally arrived at the Marigold’s Mansion Resort. I am so excited to be here, to get away from home and the office for a few days, even though I so am spooked out to be staying in this haunted hotel. But, like Susie advised, I can’t keep writing websites about haunted hotels without actually staying in one and experiencing ghosts. We will write a custom essay sample on The Haunted Resort (English Creative Writing Coursework) or any similar topic only for you Order Now So, this is it. My first haunted hotel. I was horrified at the sight of the man at the desk. His bushy eyebrows and grey, shaggy hair made him look as if he might be a werewolf. He told me that the hotel was originally the home of John and Mary Marigold, but it had to be rebuilt after it was burned down. Apparently, Mary decided to leave John and locked him out of the home and, furious, set fire to the house. I guess he thought burning the house down would force her to come out and see him, but she got stuck inside or something and couldn’t save herself. He had to rush in to try and save her and they both died a â€Å"flaming agonizing death†, as the check-in guy said. The hotel was rebuilt to look like the original, with a steep roof and fancy architecture. The room is old-fashioned. Most of the furniture is wooden, like the doors, windows and even the toilet seat. It makes me feel at home, with blankets and pillows scattered around the room. Some old family photographs have even been left out on the desk, including a man with dark, sad-looking eyes and a weird fringe, hugging a laughing blonde, young girl. I quickly turned them over. It almost felt as if they were staring at me. Anyway, have to go to bed now. Hope I can find more evidence for the existence of ghosts tonight so I can finish writing the website and want to get up early to tour the hotel tomorrow morning at 8am. Report # 105 Date: 15th November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Arrived at the resort at 1900 hours. The man at the desk looks like an actor from a bad horror movie and would not be surprised if he puts on a white sheet and runs around trying to scare guests at night. He gave me the background story – wife wants to leave husband, husband gets jealous and burns down house, and dies in romantic attempt to save wife. How scary. Looks like they have rebuilt the house, to look like the original one before it burnt down. It’s Mock Tudor with steep pitched roofs and mullioned windows, looks quite pretty. This feels like all the other ‘haunted’ hotels I have investigated – isolated, in the middle of nowhere, always ready to scare people. The room looks as if someone knitted it, with blankets and pillows everywhere. A pile of photographs on the desk – a bunch of smiling people. I guess it was designed to scare us, and give us the feeling that someone is watching us, but why chose cheery people, grinning to the camera? They look way more joyful than my own family. Pictures of a blonde, laughing woman, being hugged by another man who looks so gloomy seem way too happy to be in this gloomy, ‘haunted’ room. Diary – 16th November, 2008 Last night was the night I had prepared myself for! Heard continuous knocking, but was too petrified to get up and open the door. The knocking grew louder but I just tried to ignore it. Pulled the covers over my head and that was when I heard a creak. I saw the door open and close. Questions formed in my mind. â€Å"Was the knocking the knocking of the man? Is he in the room?† Wonder if it was a fight between the ghost couple – the man trying to get in and the wife forcing him back out. Should add this to the website. The hotel is immense, with photos everywhere, nailed to the walls and doors. Got the creeps when looking at them. There are a lot of rooms in the resort, and all, except one, have wooden doors. According to the tour guide, the room with a steel door used to be the couple’s bedroom, the only room not destroyed completely in the fire. After the disaster, no one has slept in the bed ever since. So, went in to explore, and since it was daylight, couldn’t sense any ghosts lurking around. The bedroom is twice as big and neat as my own room back home and the walls inside are painted white, the bed looks very comfy and a cover white in colour with small pink roses sewn on was lying on top of the bed. It didn’t seem as if John and Mary had slept in this room before. Report # 106 Date: 16th November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Something that sounded like knocking could be heard last night. Was typing up the report when situation occurred. Immediately went to check whether the check-in guy was tapping on the door. I looked for hidden knockers or any gadgets that might be placed to produce the sound of a knock on a door. Found out later that it was the heating system with air trapped in it that was making the noise. Doors seemed to be opening and closing as well. It could be either the open window that caused the door to slam shut or the wood expanding and contracting repeatedly, not quite sure which. Old buildings often creak, and only superstitious people find it haunted. If I was meant to be scared because there was a ‘ghost’, I was never afraid. Went out for a walk this morning, and enjoyed the bright sunshine. Breakfast was scrambled eggs with toast and there was cereal as well. Drank orange juice that tasted more like water. Next to the dining room was a door made of steel. Seems to be the only door that is not wooden. Opened it and saw a king-sized bed with two pillows and a duvet that looked as soft as silk. In the corner of the room was a wardrobe as tall as me. Could not open it. On the left side of the bed, there was another room. This door was made of a different type of wood – walnut wood, I’m assuming – than the other doors, which are made of old cherry wood. I opened the door and inside was a bathroom. It was like a proper hotel. It had a proper toilet made of shiny, white plastic and a shower, with a gold handle. The tap was gold too, and as I admired its beauty, I saw the word ‘Marigold’ carved in the gold. Rich people†¦ Diary – 20th November, 2008 Yesterday night was one of the most horrifying nights I have ever experienced in my entire life! When I was in the shower, I saw a tall shadow outside, pacing backwards and forwards. It made me jump, my heart nearly leapt out of my body. I was so shocked I could feel myself shivering, and hid myself behind the curtains in the shower. Then, just when I was about to fall asleep last night, I heard voices. These voices sounded like someone was crying, not out of agony, but out of grief. The sound made every single piece of hair on my body stand upright, and for a few seconds I could not move or even breathe. I hid myself under the covers, panicking. Many pictures popped into my mind, ones of a man feeling guilty, trying his best to save someone. The voices never died down until the sun came out. Went out for a walk this morning, trying to forget last night’s shock. When I reached the garden behind the resort, I saw a statue of a man. It felt as if he was staring at me, watching all of my moves. I dashed away immediately from the artificial man, kicking the scary feeling out of my mind. I walked towards the pond in front of the resort and saw some pretty ducklings as well as many fish swimming freely. Looking at these happy animals, the hotel did not seem as scary to me, in the day. Report #107 Date: 20th November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Found it hard to sleep well last night. Saw shadows strolling outside. When I opened the door in curiosity, wanting to see who it was, no one was there. I looked left and right only to see that the shadow there a few seconds ago, had vanished. Looked for gadgets that make people hallucinate, to achieve the ‘haunted’ effect. Thought over the scene in my mind – no one can run away as fast as that. Perhaps it was the shadow of a vehicle passing? Soon after, the wind began to blow really hard. I got up to shut the windows but the wind just blew harder, banging on the glass used to make the windows. Woke up at 1000 hours today. Noise finally died down at around 0535 hours. Lunch was spaghetti bolognaise which tasted quite diluted. There was a lot of spaghetti but a very small amount of sauce on top. After lunch, went upstairs for a look. Nothing interesting upstairs, just 13 identical guest rooms. Went outside for some fresh air and saw fish and ducks in a pond nearby – looks joyful, outside a ‘haunted’ resort. Diary – 21st November, 2008 When I first arrived, I hoped to see a ghost. What a foolish thing to wish for! My dream turned into a nightmare last night. At midnight, suddenly a bright light from the old lamp on the desk began shining into my eyes. Seeing such an ancient lamp turn on unexpectedly, I screamed the loudest scream ever. I was so afraid. The sudden flame produced shadows across the room and for a second I saw a face, the face from the photographs. Was the ghost angry again, and trying to set something on fire? Then, I heard a heart pounding. It could’ve been mine, but it seemed quite far away, yet gradually getting louder. The lamp light grew brighter and a tall man with dark eyes was suddenly in front of me, holding a bright lamp. He dropped the lamp and a fire spread across the floor. The man moaned. He had a special fringe that I recognized from then photos on the desk. The fire began to burn the walls and I must have passed out because the next thing I remember that happened was waking up to a sunny morning, in a clean room. Report #108 Date: 21st November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Am extremely puzzled. I need to get out of here. Went to bed at 2330 hours because I felt exhausted. At exactly 0000, a bright orange coloured light suddenly shone into my eyes. I opened my eyes, thinking it was the sun coming out, but the light seemed to be coming from an antique lamp. I checked before and there was no battery or electric cable supplying the lamp with electricity. Had to be honest I was frightened and could not understand what was making the lamp brighten? I was confused. This time, I had no answer to this situation. A moment later, I heard a loud and deafening scream. I know the noise could not be a gadget in this room because the sound seemed far away. Suddenly, the lamp fell on the floor and it seemed as if a fire was spreading. In the sudden bright light, I thought I saw a woman appear in front of the desk. She had blonde, wavy hair and was wearing a dress. I recognized her from the picture on the desk. Why was I imagining such things when I know ghosts do not even exist? Was I drugged? The more I think about it, the more confused I get. The woman in the picture must have sneaked into my room and set the trick up. But how? Something must be happening to me. Why can’t I find a good explanation for this? Need to leave now and see a doctor before my condition gets worse. How to cite The Haunted Resort (English Creative Writing Coursework), Papers