I found these websites:
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/the_gr...
http://www.havemilk.com/article.asp...
I'm confused. What really happened? Was it the cow, the gambler, the meteor, or the thief?
2007-02-13 08:36:13 · 13 answers · asked by *~SAMI~* 2 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Chicago
Late last night, when we were all in bed, Mrs. O' Leary hung the lantern in the shed. The cow kicked it over, she winked her eye and said: "It'll be a hot time in the old town tonight."
2007-02-13 08:42:47 · answer #1 · answered by Big D 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't think anybody really knows for sure. The cow, two guys sleeping in a barn, whatever... The cow story stuck around so long because it's weird enough to make a good legend. if it was just some guy smoking and tossing a match, it would be a boring legend. But they held a "trial" here in Chicago a few years ago using real lawyers and judges and aquitted the cow of any wrongdoing...
2007-02-13 09:38:38 · answer #2 · answered by bodinibold 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Now if you want the truth, here goes. Mrs Oleary's Cow was blamed for many years of kicking over a lantern and starting the fire. However, after many years of review it was revealed that the so called witness say this happen from his window. It was discovered that at the time of the fire there was another building between his window and view and Mrs Oleary's barn, and he couldn't have possibly seen it. He did not like her and accused the cow. Mayor Daley exonerated the cow and freed his erronous charge.
2007-02-17 03:38:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was a meteor. The same day their was a giant fire that destroyed a town in Wisconsin. Because of Chicago burning the news never carried the Wisconsin fire. Sorry I can't tell you the name of the town. It was the largest fire ever in Wisconsin. The thinking is that a meteor shower covered the midwest and both fires were the result. Bet some history guy in Wisconsin can tell you more.
2007-02-15 08:08:15 · answer #4 · answered by gvh 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Never turn your back on a cow, sure, they may look niave and innocent............actually they say it was akin to scapegoating the Irish immigrants the same as Nero blamed the Christians. The very real cause of a lot of fires was a big insurance policy, or just plain stupidity/carelessness. That said a girl I went to school with kicked over a lantern in her grandpa's haymow, and burnt the barn, so it could have happened that way.
2007-02-13 08:42:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The cow tipped over the lantern in the barn and started the hay on fire.
2007-02-13 08:39:47 · answer #6 · answered by ઈтєlly 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It was colonel Mustard, in the ballroom with the candle stick. Who knows. Does it mater? OOPS, I just looked at the answers and said the same thing as Slappy Mcwhoever that was. Sorry Slappy, I like your answer lol.
2007-02-15 00:49:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
noone knows for certain. there are no photos of the fire in progress known to exist! how about that for super trivia.
2007-02-14 14:27:00 · answer #8 · answered by cadaholic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The cow did it. The O'Leary Cow.
2007-02-13 08:39:09 · answer #9 · answered by lifesajoy 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Colonel Mustard, in the study, with the candlestick.
2007-02-13 08:39:11 · answer #10 · answered by I hate friggin' crybabies 5 · 6⤊ 1⤋