Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-10-15

uiation. Lest this might pass for Boosting
we give few stubborn facts. There has
been an increase of nearly 8 SOC, 900 bush
els In the annual grain trade Of the city;
or 100000 head in the live stock; Of
4o,ooo,0o0 feet in lumber, and in grocer
les OF $4,000, 600 The Increase In the
clothing trade is set down at 10 per cent.
in dry goods at'20 per cent. and in boots
and shoes at % per cent. These estimates
are fully justified by the quarterly state
ments of the banks since the fire.
The insurance companies which were
not ruined have met their liabilities with
promptness and fullness. The home COM
panies lost nearly all their capital.
The total risks in the burnt district were
800, 22G, 900. Of which losses were claim
ed to the amount OF 500, BOB, 720.9l. The
amount paid up to June lst was &37 ,99S,-
$50, or an average OF 80 80 per cent. Six
ty-eight companies were ruined. The
property uninsured is set down at about
$50 100000. But for the relief afforded
by the insurance companies The city could
not have arisen from its ashes rs il has
The journal says: The area burnt over
WAS something more then three miles
square; the area built over is fully one
mile square. large proportion OF the
1880 buildings destroyed were cheap
residences ia the northern portion Of the
city. and in that region one would now
hardly see either relic or change.
Modest cottages stand where they did be-
fore, and the streets are full Of children
as formerly, Near by is what was called
almost as desolate us it was the day after
the fire. The poor made haste first of all
to rebuild their homes the rich bent all
their energies to replacing the business
portion of The city and keeping the wheels
OF commerce in activity. That explains
the great gulf between the two sections Of
the North Side. What is true of palatial
residences is of the churches. The era of
their rebuilding has not fairly begun Re
| ligious, like domestic homes, must give
precedence to business houses. It is for
this reason that the fret post-fre year is
| almost wholly commercial III its charac-
teristcs While restoration is eminenty
material in general way, the moral eff
| feet of the fire was quite rs notable as It's
material. 1t taught men the insecurity
Of earthly wealth and the value Of higher
things Family ties were knit together
the more closely, old grudges were burnt
mp. and the gold Of spiritual riches shone
all the brighter for tLe furnace ordeal.
} The browning feature Of the year was
neither pluck nor energy, bnt charity. The
first loaf OF bread sent hither to relieve the
necessities of the stricken population LAID
the cornerstone OF New Chicago. The
, abundance of the relief and the matches
fidelity with which it was dispensed link
ed this city with Tie whole civilized world
as the focal point of the grandcst work OF
Charity ever undertaken. \ few cent,l-
ries ago Christian sentiment found iii vent
in Il crazy crusade to wrest an empty hole
: in the ground from the Moslems and
: what that madness was to mediHval civ
ilization, the raising Of &c, 900 900 for the
relief of Chicago was to the civilization OF
to-day For the worlds bounty which
saved Chicago last winter from extreme
suffering, our entire population is under
an inexpressble obligation, and the feel
ing of gratitude is deep and acute"