Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-10-17
The Chicago Calamity.

1t to the great sums raised Tor ChlcaSO ID OUT
own country, in Canada, and in Europe, during
the last week. we now add the bOuntcOus con-
tributons made in thousands Of churches on
Sunday, we shall probably reach an aggregate
Of money, Of food. Of clothing and other sup |
plies turning ten millions Of dollars. lu this
prodigious sum hot the least grateful element |
is the generous subscription from Europe
They have remembered Ireland, Manchester
and Paris.
The irrepressible euergy of the west is L great
help to the ruined city. The waste region al
ready resounds with the stroke OF the hammer.
All the contractors all the carpenters, all the
masons, brickaycrs and other craftsmen Gu
Gagged in the trade Of house building, are al
ready crowded with orders for work. The day
laborers, too, are probably all taken up with
the demand for digging, for removing rubbish,
for carting material and so on. thus the very
extent of the disaster itself, coupled with the
energy which is displayed in repairing 1t, Will
insure to nearly every laborer, and to nearly
every mechanic connected with the larger num-
Der of trades, constant work at good wages.
In the next place, We find nearly every store,
shop, factory, printing office, and 50 on, re-
Sll'hiiIe us lappiH' i''L''I 80 CAV
erected; holl5'S are hlred ana turned 1to sloles'
the most curious devices are elnPioSe" iol gu
rving I'm business One Of the papers contain
ed twrnty-une columns ui' business changes in
cnll,c,,,lenca of the fire; and that very TACT
shows how hravrly the business men are bear
ng up. Now. while these cXcrtonS viii not
wipe out past losses, they are at least guar
antce OF certain things III the future. They
show US i'm the first place, that the thousands
OF statesmen anu sa'eS"o'i!c''' VI c''!NI' po''I's'
err'hu p 10y are u e'n'li.' !" n m .ni'''!
ineh'' Inv! :uo" 49, "@"''' ."'' NV 49,,
o! Manufacturing - 10 ~ "' :" i,e" Nj ~ a"H'
al me hiecl1an'ca VI various o'uS WA .Ti,
ana piol'f.S ga nI'" Ion'4I' '''Dt ',,',
show Us. hlflIiy' tha' lhv la'''"''H' '"il o -:
agents. teahlSterS' anu alt 'll''ac tnSaReu III
transporting goods VIII !" At steady wotH' :,
hose VINO are Wt"I'y "'P'h"en' vi lIiel, utiy
labor, VIII probablI br III "hcc H"Pp''e" Will
work anu wages
he great burden "l loss Is ,nHlall''" 'S '""'''
w'In i;''' airraaF accumulated ""'o =,
w'Ii'li'-"n lhr property "Wn'I>' ii'''' '''o
@i'aI 'h 'ieHr many are lulnct'' Willie '''''S
others nav" I laFS' snare "i ''lc'r l'oi''H
swept away. Fortunately however, Il Hreal
p''lt'" 81 the loss 'I"'s not 1a!i upon tl1aGo,
hml UPON many other cities II! Nmcri" ana
| l.Mnlr, among whom Is d!'"lrl VI, 81 Is |"
lessen IT, weight: Nin'lS upon nli"h' 81
capita! r r"b"IitinS The city must How III once
into thI'i9" from TINS source alone: -.
Take the situation. however Us II Is. ara It's
details arc ulcaulnl anu "l't'cHn'hS - -
| ,r"hahlr that l1o.N'o people were h"'ii'''>S oi
! that terrible Monday night OF last week. J! Is
probable that seventy-ve Thousand ut these
will continue IL require food AMI shelter from
charitable hands ~ ~c"KS. and. LrrhaIS Tor
months To cul.r. ,;,'iu.* the need /, over No
ycibrr vii! have set IN --perllap> l'rcellbcr.
An early ana severe winter. a@gravatin@ the
| horrors al famine and exposure, would make
the pruhrul serious; and this possibility the
charitable must guard against. .
! Again. Is tn" nuns arr investigated, and hu
man remains ,ii'r"'vrr'rl from day to day. IT be-
comes certain ri.al The loss I" HE iii the Chicagt
fire WIS great. Probably more than nun
| .Ircd dead bodies have been recovered. 1t IS as
serted that the total number lost TOR the bodies
ni many must have been utterly consumed
in the fierce heat is at least five hundred. IL
Now 1t is >a!i. to say that: while Il considerable
part of these unI''rlnnat" beings we're the weak
ami SIX. who could n,t move themselves or DC
moved by others While good part were stray
| children anu reckless persons: hoI iG" Illus;
have been the heats OF families, the able pouieo
husbands, sons, brothers, who were caught pS
the flames while endcavoornS to move the'