Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-10-19
A letter From Chicago.
CHICAGO. Oct. II.

CHICAGO, Oct. II.
Editor Rutland Herdld:- Our beauti-
full city has been swept from the world,
its business palaces, its immense ware
houses. its public buildings, and its mag
nifcent and costly residences are nearly
ell gone.
1t is utterly impossible to realize the
stupeudous desolation the fire has
wrought here-none cannot even those
who stand amid the smoking ruins and
gaze on miles of blackened stores, for it
seems more like hideous dream than a
dreadful reality. 1t is enough to say that
hundred thousand people are left with
no roof but Gods sky above them, and to.
day are wandering up End down the
desolate streets frer zied by grief and
anxiety. Families are separated and
frantic with suspense while blackened
and dismembered corpses are hourly being
discovered amid the ruins by hundreds
and carted away unrecOgnized-to
burial.
Sunday night l stood at the western
approach of Lake street bridge, and gezed
upon a thousand acres of seething, NOV
ing fame. Buildings that might have
stood for centuries were swept away like
straw, and the broad sheets of e tme in
angry surges, swaying amid the thunder
of the orumbling walls was the most ter
rife and grand sight human eyes have
over beheld. Onward swept the fiery
food over and through the Hottest struc-
lures across the river, then through the
northern part of the city, until everything
was consumed and the open prairie in a
blaze of light for miles beyond. The
world was light as day, the skies. like
blood, the air hot and unearthly, and the
very distraction of the world could rot
have been more frigttful and sublime.
All of our hotels are gone. The Sher-
man, fremont, Bigelow, Palmer, Briggs
and the Grand Pacific, just completed at
the cost of one million dollars. The very
stones are reduced 10 lime. The Court
House, the Post Office, and all our public
buildings. Six of our greatest elevators
All of our leading business palaces, Far.
WE'LL, Hamlin's and the mammoth estab-
lishment of Field, Letter & Co., contain
ing over 100000 worth of costly mer-
chsndise, are included among the num-
Der.
ALI of our tei k, all of our principle
railway depots, everything has been
swept away. Human language oannet
exsggerate the gree tuess of the desolation
and ruin here. All are poor. All are
beggars. All are reduced to a common
level, famine and want are present ID i'm
partially to all. People are flying from
the city by thousands TO avoid the sicken.
ing scenes that mutt necessarily foil Nv
this great and unparalleled calamity. We
must have help from abroad, AID that
speedily, or there will be such scenes here
as are seldom witnessed. The city is full
of roughs and plur derers from abroad,
who are pouring in here by thousands,
and several have been caught setting fire
to the few buildings remaining here, that
their plans might be more readily con-
summated. Troops have been sent for to
protect the city and one regiment is re-
ported to have already arrived. Martial
law will necess'r ily he established, and
some org u2,;Ion 81 ee perfected for
the unfor'uu~te nj tor the impartial
distribution OF TODD to the hungry.
The storm of FIRE has swept by and
there is a great calm, an awful stiffness.
All seem as if paralyzed, not knowing
what they do. The spirit of the people
is BUNDLED and broken, and strong men
weep like children over the ruins of one
the most marvellous and beautiful cities
Of the world. E. H.