The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-16

THO RebuiIdfng Of Chicago-EIists for d
Futaro Security Of tho City Again
Fire.
In the rebuilding of Chicago the first d
OF the local authorities and of all parties
cerned Is to respect the lesson and to avoid
causes, as far a. possible, of this late dis
trous fire. The city should be laid out
new plan, embracing number Of wide boz
wards running through the city in vari,
directions, like those Of Paris or like th
broad avenues Of Washington named after
States. We like the plan of Washington
safety against fire. The city is laid out, I'll
on the Philadelphia rectangular plan, and
streets Of moderate width. Then, from N
gardens Of the Presidents house, the Can
and several other points those broad avenl
radiate through the city in various directioa
and intersecting each other and the ri
angled streets at various points they form
merous plazas or open squares. which, wi
the building lines shall be compactly built
with elegant houses, will make Washing
the most beautiful city and the safest agaia
fires of any city in the world, from the prot
ton given to its different divisions by tho
broad avenues and those numerous o..
plazas.
Baron Haussmann's improvements Of Pr
under the late empire, which have contribu
much to make that city freproof, as it
been proved in the late vain attempts of j
Commune to burn it down, are simply q
adoption of the ground plan of Washingtot
and the Baron, we are inclined to suspect,
the idea of his system of boulevards frol
map Of the plan Of our national capital.
all events, this is the plan for the reconstI
ton of Chicago-these radiating, broad a.
nues and the open plazas which they Gre
at the points Of intersection with each or
and the regular streets. Thus, with tn
avenues, you will have broad barriers of D.
lection against the spreading Of fire in Il
direction, and In these open squares
points for great reservoirs Of water and
cure places for the storage of goods and no,
hold effects in the event Of a threatening
in the neighborhood. For purposes Of ira
too, and Of health, the plan Of these radia
avenues has it's advantages, which should
be overlooked in the rebuilding Of Chicago.
The other securities suggested against (
leaving the plan of the city as it is
houses Of brick and stone, the prohibi
of roofs Of shingles, plentiful supply Of W
in reservoirs at various points, and an efic
paid fire department, such as we have in I
York, which is as good as that of Lone
Since our paid Fire Department with
active men and powerful horses and st
engines, has been in full operation we
magazines of combustibles, such as BARN.
Museum, and surrounded by combusi ,
buildings, and yet, such is the eficienc
orr firemen, with their new engines, that
seldom indeed is any building beyond
first attacked destroyed. Some sections
our city, such as that around the Five Poi
are conglomerations of rookeries CT the
inflammable materials, and yet fire in on
these rookeries, at two o'clock in the morn
is seldom permitted to reach the next sha
even in dry season and high wind.
Here, then, after all, in an efficient
department, like that Of New York, is
best security for Chicago and all other c
against disastrous fires. Still, the impro,
ments we have limited at in the plan of y
cago, considering not only the securities
will furnish against fire, but their con-
fences to trade, their sanitary advanti
and their ornamental effects, ought to
adopted in the rebuilding of the city.