Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-10-31
Food for Reflection.


citizen gu our county furnishes tho following
reflections which Involuntary rccnr to him
upon tho sad calamity which has bcfalIon
Chicago:
Tho recent distressing calamitics thathavo
befallen Chicago and other portions Of tho
Northwest, by destruction Of property by fire,
loss of life, &C., and calculated to Sudden the
friends Of tue unfortunate and feeling portion
OF tho world who sympatbiso with them, has
brought to my recollection similar cases of
distress, in which | was made to feel and re-
alize the same result, with thousands Of oth>
crs, aud am led to inquire within myself
Why is it, and for what purpose did the Great
Supreme Ruler Of the Universe suffer such
au ufflction to come so suddenly and heavily
upon usH In the midst of it all am grati'
fed and rejoced to sec tho magnanimity Of
spirit ofSouthern cities aud people in respond.
ing to tho necessities of the unfortunate. |
am distressed that cannot contribute much,
having within tho last ten years lost heavily
and nearly all possessed by the sad visitation
OF fire, by the brave Gen. Sherman-my house
and its contents, in far Southern city, to
which the torch was appIicd-aud poor man
and wife, with large family of children, who
but day previous possessed thousands, were
left homeless and penniless in u few hours,
and many others firing still worse. A NUM-
Der OF the mos! furnishing cities now DESC
lated South, and thousands Of once happy
souls in the country, were made miserable and
terrified blythe application Of tho torch to
dwellings, stores, barns &c, by order OF the
braves, such as Sherman, Hunter, Sheridan
and others. How many poor detected, heart
broken, homeless widows and orphans, we're
thrown out upon cold aud hcurtlcss world.
Great God, can it be that these present allie
tons upon us are loretaStG Of the retributivG
yisiations Of providcuccY God forbid |
would "pray that this sin be mol laid to their
charge am credibly Informed that when
the brave General Sherman laid one of the
most beautiful and fairCst Of the Southern
cities III ashes, Chicago fred 100 guns in cello.
bration Of the event. Can this be sol hope
not. Baltimore city was censured by the no.
bic braves for administering to tho suffering
South and prisoners during and since the war,
but where il she now As freely and iber.
allyibcstowing her charities upon the afflicted
Northwest. Her people arc the uoblcst of
earth, and God will reward noble Baltimore
too mugnnnimious to behold asufering fcl-
low. creature North, East, South, or West,
aud not administer what she is able and be-
yond what should be expected. The North
crn cities have done nobly in SO promptly
rendering aid to the cities Of tho Northwest
Will not the Government Of the great U. S.
take steps ut once to stop the suffering the
extortion, the mhuman und cruel actions OF
men, protesting to be loyal for the sske Of
gain, upon the poor dOwn,troddcn people Of
the South, lest God may open his vials Of
wrath, and the North may be made to feel
what others have felt? HUMANITY.
WHAT'S SpARED.-lhc Chicago Tribune,
roughly estimating the situation, says above
$4,000 people have left the city, $4,000
remaining. Five elevators were burned, with
100000 bushels Of grain; eleven grain
warehouses were left intact, containing s..
100000 bushels. 0ne.hali the stocks Of
pork produced were burned up, and about tie
same proportion Flour. There remain 24O,
OOO,O 900 feet Of lumber, 5O,OOG,OOO having
been burned focal there arC 70, 200 tons;
burned, $4,000. Leather to the amount Of
500, 900 was destroyed, comprising about one.
qumtsr of the stock. The quantities of gro.
cories, dry goods, boots aud shoes and really
made clothing were scarcely equal to more
than a three weeks supply, aud arc being
rapidly replaced. Finally, not more than ten
per cent Of the currency was destroyed, 30
600 houses are left standing, and the real
estate coald not burn up
a careful average shows that Chicago has
suffered no, less Than twenty nor more than
twenty I've per cent. on her total assets, real
aud personal. The ratio ofincreusc for thirty
four years has been ten and half per cent.
per nnnum, and this rate would restore the
status OF a month ago within three years,
Making every due allowance tho Tribune
thinks there eau be no doubt that five years
hence, at most, the population, wealth, com,
merce, &c, Of tho city will be greater than
month ago.
ISCESDlARY MANfA.-It would seem TINT