Is it true that Mrs Oleary's cow started the Chicago Fire?

A Feminist Newspaper called "The Revolution" written shortly after the Chicago Fire of 1871, read as follows: "Mrs. Leary denies that her cow kicked over the lamp that set fire to the straw that burned the stable that caused the destruction of half of Chicago. Which is rendered exceedingly probable by the well-known fact that Chicago cows never kick, and Chicago kerosene is a non-combustible fluid, and Chicago hay is gathered from marshes and is so saturated with salt that it will not burn, and that Mrs. Leary's shed was built of fire-proof materials, and that the destruction of Chicago was in punishment of its sins, and, moreover, is a great blessing for which those who were not burned out are exceedingly grateful. The cow must be exonerated."

Answer

In regard to the newspaper "The Revolution", for those who may be interested, see Women in American History" http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Revolution_The.html

Also, reliable historians say there is no doubt that the Great Fire did begin in the cowshed behind the home of Patrick O'Leary.

Answer

Nope, that's just a urban legend. It is said that Daniel Peg Leg Sullivan started the fire accidentally, though it may have been intentional. One theory is that he was smoking and one of his ashes fell in to the hay and started a small fire that eventually became the Chicago Fire. One reason is it is said that he was the first to see the fire and try to put it out. However, he said that he saw it from his porch even though there was a whole bulding blocking his view and making it impossbale for him to see the fire from where he was sitting.

Answer

Another theory is that a group of neighborhood toughs were playing cards, drinking and smoking by lantern light in the O'Leary's shed. They knocked the lantern over, and blamed it on the cow later. The question you have to answer is. . . why was a lantern there in the first place? Cows were milked before dark, so what was the cow doing? Reading the newspaper all alone by lantern light?

Answer

The cow maybe got scared by something and then they when wild?

First answer by ID1168299667. Last edit by Hyunjee55. Contributor trust: 10 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 102 [recommend question]