Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-10-14

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GREAT FIRES In ANCIENT HISTORY Fire
has ever been at once the greatest blessing and
scourge of the human race. While minister to
human wants, it has never failed to give to war
redoubled horrors, and invest peace with un-
certainty and dread. The. dreadful scenes at
the fall of Troy are invested with lurid, ghast-
ly splendor when Homer describs the demoniac
flames bursting from the devoted city, roaring
and battling with the clouds, while the Greeks,
frenzied with victory, and maddened by their
ten years absence from their wives and child
ren, rush through the blazing streets and
slaughter the Trojans in their ancestral halls.
When Alexander returned from the Hydaspes
aud entered Persepolis. the mysterious and
wonderful capital, he reveDged himself tor the
Grecian cities which had been rayaged with
fire and sword 10 years before by burning
that city, of which the sublime Chehelminar,
or Forty Pillars alone remain to bear actual
evidence of its former greatness. A century
later the world was appalled, by the conaagra-
,ion that swept Carthage into oblivion. In
her last melancholy struggle with Rome,
4EmiIianus, the besieging general, carried fire
10 be applied to the houses as the only means
of gaining footing within the walls. The city
was allowed to burn six days, when the flames
were extinguished. On her final subjugaGon,
Romes inexorable decree, Carthage delen-
da est" was carried into effect. The city was
set on fire, and in many quarters at,once the re-
uewed conhagration ragged with incredible fury
tnr II days. Here, unlike at Chicago, the flames
were assisted rather than resisted by man; but
50 vast 10 extent aud so filled with treasure
was the African metropolis, that for % days
the smoke Of her burning palaces and ware
houses assembled. ...
In time Rome herself was burned The
flames ragged for six days and seven nights, and
out Of fourteen quarters. only three escaped
ity is involved in doubt, although the frequent
occurrence of minor fires in Rome lends prob
ability to the assumption that it was due TO nc
cdent. So common were conhagrations in
Rome that Crassos amassed much Of his great
wealth by speculating on these calamities. =
When a fire broke out he would hasten to the
scene with gang Of slaves, and would induce
the affrighted houseiolders to part with their
burning property at considerable under its
value He would then employ his slaves in
arresting the flames, and afterward would have
the buildings repaired. In this way he became
landlord Of great part OF Rome.
Constantinople has suffered most of all places
from fire. Early in the reign Of Justinian it
was the scene of the, greatest conHaeration
known in history, ard to the present day the
Turkish capital retains its proyerbial liability to
the ravages of fire.
TEE CHICAGO TRIBUNE BUILDING was the
finest building OF the kind in the world. We
say this advisedly, aud with full knowledge
.p.l oy,St
Philadelphia Ledger. These are indeed mag:
ni6cent structures and admirably constructed
for the business; but neither is so fine, so
complete in all its arrangements, as was the
Chicago Tribune building. 1t was erected du-
ring 1868, at cost, if We recollect correctly, OF
about $375OOO, which sum. OF money was
made by the Tribune newspaper in period OF
nineteen months. The building wasof 9 beautl-
ful stone of light gray color, Of beautiful
bright lustre, but not glaring like white marble.
Itwas four stories in height, the press, folding,
and mailing rooms being in the basement, the
couuting-ro room on the ground foor,' the edito-
rial, proof-readiug, library, and composition
rooms occupying the whole Of the fourth story;
They we're magnificent apartments, supplied
with every convenience which can be conceiY-
ed. The pressrooms contained two eight.ey.
Under Hoe presses, one OF which issaid to have
been the finest machine Of the kind IN the
world. Its coast was $32, 1000 The other has
long been used in the Office, but was kept in
place so as to he used in case Of accident to
the one which regularly did the work Tor the
daily paper The greatness Of this establish
ment may be conceived when we state that the
expense of news editors, correspondents, &c,
is about SIC, 900 week. The profits from ad-
vertising alone, on single issue Of the Sunday
Tribune lit is printed every day and Sunday,
too,) have, on more than one OCCASION been IN
exees of 81 500 The daily sales of the paper
are about 40, 900 copies. There are also tri-
weekly and weekly editions, which have extern
sive circulation through the Northwest. ;,
The first Except the counting; room Sc
second, and third floors OF the Tribune build
ing were occupied as stores and offices. The
destruction of so grand and beautiful a build
ing must be regarded as great calamity, and
cannot be considered without feelings of fsadness.
-Wush. Chron.
LIKE CHILD LIKE MAN.-Itis told of Henry