Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-09


The fire at Che 20 bA. sen the H. III
by which many previously unnoticed 81 +
have been di.covertd. The Golden Agc
in mentioning thia, says:
Zone of the most striking facts illus
trated by the fires which have destroy d
50 many cities and dosolated such vast
districts of country, il the close c@mruu-
nifty of our interests and relations - =
people. Scattered over great contip.t.t,
covering forty states, with all varieties Of
climate. soil, productions, with as many
nationaities represented in our popula-
ton as there were colors in Joseph's coat,
yet we are one people, with almost alb
aolute identity of interest, spirit and aim
This process of unifieation goes on 50 81
lently and steadily that we fail TO notice
it, until soma signal circumstance tilts
society on end so that we can see what
the deposit is made of, and means.
These appalling coEh 'gratious fl sh
their lurid lights across the country, and
down through all the strata of our
world, revealing the fact that, in spite of
all the diversity of our pursuits and the
rivalries of our cities and the clash of our
corporations, we are already one people,
and every city and hamlet in the great
Northwest has its place end function in
the industrial and political organism
Financially. New York, Philadelphia,
Boston, St. Louis and San Francisco have
been burned in the Chicago furnace
There is hardly business firm in either
of these cities but was scorched, if not
crippled, by that confagration. New
York, it is on Lake street and Madison
street and Chicago avenue, as well as on
North River and Broadway. There is
not a counting-room in this city whose
books were not singed and whose re.
sources will not be taxed in consequence
of that disaster there is not a family in
the nation but will feel the effects of it
perhaps for years to come. And yet this
tangible result of these coDf4grations on
ly hints at their wonderful revelations of
personalities and human sympathies.
Who has not friend made bouseless
and poor by these burnings? II
not a relative or personal acquaint-
ance, the losses and sufFerings
and untold calamity fall the less in
tensely only to weigh upon the whole
mind and heart with a general burden of
grief, and press the tenderest and costli-
est SYmpatnleS out IN contributions. Inc
losses of one are the losses of all, and the
ashes of these Western cities have sprink k.
led the continent with sorrow. America
is one. Politicians may declaim as much
as they please about the dangers of con-
solidation. We are consolidating every
day into nationality, a unity, life.
Even enterprise binds us moro closely
together. Every railroad is new bond of
fellowship. Every book brings our minds
into communication. Every lew social,
moral movement develops this wonderful
humanity whose thoughts and sympathies
embosom millions, making each share the
experiences, and dilate with the joys, and
throb with the hopes, and sink with the
sorrow of all the rest. One life ripples in
all our veins, and beats in all our hearts,
and leaps TO all our lips, and sinks and
rises in the strains of despair or exulta-
ton. And not entirely wasted is the
costly oil of the lamp which has shown
us how strangely we are knit and COM
pacted together as nation and peo-
ple."