New-York tribune., 1871-12-26
CHICAGO.

APPEARANCE OF THE bURNED DIsTRfCr-Thh
PROBLEMS OF THE RELIEF SOCIETY-rHE
METHODS BY WHICH RELIEF WAS SUPPLIED
-RESULTS-TIIE INDEPENDENCE AND NELLY
RELIANCE OF THE APPLICANTS SUSTAIN NED
MANY NEED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE.
rfaoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRBCSE'l
Chicago, Dec. 15.-Pictures of current events
are valuable statistics great helps ana abic pens
have described the extent aud horrors OF tho N'hS"
fire but though had seen all the illustrations S"o'u
the statistics and read the picturesque letters OF horace
Whito aud Fred. Law Olmstcd. which remind 'nc OF Dc
foe the minutcncss Of their details wheh dro'' yes
terday the burned district fouhd ha" 'o' G"'"
from any or al, these sources Of Information Ythnf
like real impression Of the fearful terrible ""fh =" W.
great fire. The abest artist cannot give you at "''
tance an Idea of the vast space when mas oc'n "i"
over and on the greater part Of wlch ho' even r''
arc loft. but only insignihcaht aAn-"'I~ ""','
before whole blocks and miles OF houses stood
wb;o old landmarks. known to the occasional
visitor to the city. in many cases. ch'lreb
obliterated. OF the Sherman House. one "i INV
lare est hotels instance, not even vesge o' wan
loft In fact no description can take you III o'I' "
the burned city, impress upon your iinasalioh o'
sruction which extends not over acres. but mics; ana
tho ,mits ~ which your cannot take in from any
ouo roi,t in driving over the charrcd plain winch Sl
piycs ont that odious and Understandable sh'eh WHICH
comes from the burning and smoldihg runs Vi "up"h
| hlhitations.
WHERE AfTRR REVIEWING THt S'tNt'
Ityas q terrible blow; hut Chicago has not '"Ss"S
,rcs. nee of mind and when you have driven aho"'
ar,ong dreary miles of ash heaps when you nave seen
dozen, of costly churches and other public buildings
whose walls are still standing. with thor interiors 80
tnoroughly clcaned out that the fire has hardly left
trace of presence except III the hi'eieu III"
cracked outside walls: when have seen the ruins OF
| hl,ck fcr block the most costly dwellings III 'h
caco AT the North End where masses OF 'nngrh an"
b,meItcd gas and water pipes and perhaps the lsr OF
a heavy chimney stack. the only Ieuans except
caucd law H. in the midst Of which the house s0od "'
Won have passed huge piles of hardware melted oge'hor
and bt only for the furnace ana nave seen even Iho
burned fences and monuments in the old graveyard
which ia part of Lincoln Park and-wlat tourle'ih me
., much as any sight in my drive the broken pots and
kitchen utensils scattered among the burned graves
winch mark spots where the poor people brought 'hei
low house hold goods aud camcd among the giaVe ana
were driven away even from TINS iaSt pace
| of refuge by the relentless hie-wheh you
| have seen aud taken i'll all this, and return
| sad and discouraged to your hotel. n did, and
Owe, ,wlcrd with the prs Of the tremendous loss
and Ji,couri cement of this blow. advise YOU to do as
did visit the barracks where the homSecSs poor
are lodged. the relief stations where they are fed and
clothed, and the headquarters of the Relief Committee
in STANDARD Hall where the great work OF relieving want
and repairing loss organized. ana from winch II Is
direct ed and administered You wifi return encouraged.
brlgcncd clrccd, and proud that Aon are an Alncrl-
can The countryman OF these faithful and inionntahc
men and women. who have stood by the ship, and with
MANY sacrifices Of business, leisure and money are help
Ing the suffering and disabled and with the best kinl OF
| help. that which helps mcn t" help themselves
CHARACTER Of 1rIE RELIEF AND AID SOCIETY.
The administration of the large fund which has been
raised for the Chicago suff rcrs has fortunately fallen
INTO the hands society chartered and organized k"
the NcwYork society for the IIIlrf oi the Poo?-t'
Chicago Relief AMI Aid Society. This body, which is
required to make annual report I" the city Council
and which had years the charge of the suffering
poor city. had for si directors number "f the
ahlcs and ruhcsrritcd citizens 1t had small
body 0f trained tn the work of relieving slicrins
and II is now administering its large trust with, as
| mean to show in detail. remarkable ability,
| wisdom and thoroughncSS. II must he rcmcm-
| bercd that the fire left great population
over 10000 pcrSons-not merely homeless AMI without
shelter hut in the greater number OF absolutely
without food almost without clothing; thousands ar
ing time to dress themselves before leaving
their burning houses; without money.,or tools. en-
lOymrnt, the possibility Of getting them SO sudden
and complete was the deprivation that in some cases
Of great wealth compelled to ask the Relief
Committee for a shirt, coat. or meal OF victuals.
former member of Congress was was told, thus in
dchtrd to charity for and shirt. and heard Of
other cases equally strange. or course. food cooked
| and uncoo,:cd. and clothing came almost AT once,
and out the suffering without loss OF time,
hut the money which WAS 1" provide for the
futui,-for IL" Winter which stared lOo,W homeless
| poor in the face.
After some hesitation the Mayor Mason. handed over
the relief fund and the whole business Of administering
it, TO the officers of the Chicago Relief and Aid Society
which promptly accepted the charge. IL Will give you,
PERHAPS idea of the confusion which existed when
this was done, to mention that when the Mayor sent
to standard Hail. the headquarters OF the SOciety. the
sum Of bet wccn 500 OD and S,oooO which had been sent
on III bank notes-clccks drafts being Useless at first
a. all the banks burncd-Mr Geo. NJ Pullman the
inventor OF the Pullman who had been appointed
Treasurer of the fund.- had this Pile OF money deposited
hastily established itself and Win other members
mounted guard IT, until alter some search, safe
| wa, found to lock up in.
ORG ,NIzATION FOR THE GREAT EMERGENCY.
| The work of Administrations put into the hands Of
| an Executive COmnittecIof which Writ Dexter, PROM
| nent lawyer il Chairman the other members COL
| Pullman Henry W. King. N. X. Fairbank Dr. H. a.
| Johnson and j. McGregor Adams Committees on shell
ter. receiving supplies, distributing food aud clothing
furnishing employ yment and transportation. sanitary
measures correspondence. &c, formed; and thus
the work organized
Supply and relief stations to the number OF eight.
think up In the proper quarters, rude board
structures waterproof and sufficient the burned dis
trct was divided into subdisricts and posters and
handbls In German and English Informed the people
where they should apply fonad. The following handb
will give you example Of this subdivision:
RELIEF AND AID SOCIETY.
DIsTEIcT No ].
TIIB ENTIRE NORTH DIVISION.
!. I. CHAMBERLAIN Superintendent