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Two books were published immediately after the Chicago Fire, both were written by Chicago Tribune reporters. The first, Chicago, and the Great Conflagration, by Elias Colbert and Everett Chamberlain, was reviewed in The Chicago Tribune in December, 1871.
Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1871
This work is just issued from the press. It is a book of 528 pages, besides 36 illustrations,—the latter including a first-class map of the city, which not only shows the burnt district, but also the parks and boulevards. The work comprises a well-written history of Chicago before the fire, with full statistics of growth in the commercial development of the city., and her manufacturing progress; a full description of the city as it existed before the fire; a graphic and ample account of the fire, with its attendant and succeeding incidents; a very carefully-prepared statement of losses; with an appendix, giving sketches of the great fires in history, the documentary history of the fire, contemporary opinions concerning the event, the relief work, etc. The well-known ability of the authors had led the public to expect from their hands a standard work on the subject, and the readers of the book will not be disappointed.
The second book had a similar title, The Great Conflagration of Chicago: Its Past, Present and Future and was written by Associate Editors of the Chicago Tribune, James W. Sheahan and George P. Upton. It, too featured detailed maps of the North, South and West Divisions of the Fire District. Mr. Sheahan wrote the descriptive copy of the 14-issue Chicago Illustrated that was published in 1866-67.
