The Republican journal., 1872-11-21
After the Fire.

on the lower side OF Washington street,
and towering up 10 the dim light the front
of the elegant Transcript building, from
which the rear had been burned away.
The stern command ''halt!" showed that
things We're not just as they were in that
locality, and that military rule prevailed.
picket of blue-coated soldiers occupied
the corner of the Old South, and patrolled
the street to the opposite side. No one
was permitted to go further unless pro-
vided with q pass, and then only on the
most urgent necessity. A lieutenant COM
manded the picket, who gave courteous
and consderate attention to applicants.
Those whose appearance was suspicious
and who could give no satisfactory account
OF themselves, were turned away. In other
eases the command was given Sergeant,
let a guard go with this man, and the
applicant went off with soldier at his
side, to see that he went as he had repre-
scented. Every avenue to the burned dis
trlct was thus guarded, and it was a wise
ana necessary measure. The calamity
had drawn to the spot hundreds of des-
perate characters, thieves, burglars and
rutlans of all grades. 1t was necessary
to impress upon them that no lawlessness
! would be allowed, aud that any outbreak
would be quelled by powder and ball.
Next morning, having procured a pass,
we went beyond the guard and through
| the streets along which the fire had swept
IFS scorchng, devastating way. The sight
was sad enough. From Washington street
| the waters Of the harbor could be seen'
| over what had been towering mass OF
ground. Here and there stood walls too
| soidly built to fall. in some cases rising
| to the height of five or six stories. In
| one case we noticed a granite front wall,
the blocks Of which. between the window
| spaces, had been split and cleaved off by
, the heat, until the remains looked like
| apple-cores on end and yet this frail pile
stood against the furious gale of Tuesday
| night. Gangs of laborers were clearing
| the bricks and rubbish from the streets,
| and had so far progressed that they were
mostly passable to carriages, The smoke
| still rose from the ruins, and here and there
wicked tongues Of flame darted through
openings in the fallen walls, showing the
intense heat that still glowed beneath.
The cellars revealed tangled masses of
water and gas-pipe, partly covered by
fallen walls, and mingled with the remains
OF incon,bustible goods. Blackened iron
that had once been valuable machinery,
and the ruins of elegant printing presses,
We're here and there seen. Firemen with
hose connected to the water pipes were
cooling the spots where valuable safes lay,
columns of steam showing the intense
heat that still fingered around them.
Along the southeast margin Of the burnt
district, close to the harbOr, n light by
night and columns of steam by day shew
where huge piles of fuel in the coal-yards
were burning themselves out-tor no
water could suffice for their eXtineush-
mcnt.
The fire acted strangely upon different
classes Of goods, fusing together glass
ware, nails and sand in some localities,
and IN others but slightly scorching the
ends OF rolls OF cloths. There We're cellars
from which undressed hides were being
taken almost uniniured
Almost every business man had erected
Il board on the ruins of his store stating
where he might be found In some cases
that ;he spirits OF the late occupants rose
superior TO fortune. Says one-"Fire,
smoke, water and gunpowder caused me
to move" Another says-"Up and dress
ed at 4 Liberty Square" Another perpe-
trates grim Joke, saying Concluded not
occupy these premises, as we had intend
Boston Type Foundry, from whom we
have long had our printing material, look
ing down upon the ruins of one of the
finest Duntries in the country The brick
safes had fallen into the cellar, and their
valuable contents were destroyed, togeth-
en- with nearly I'll else that the building
contained. The firm has already started
again at l2l Washington street.
The tiremen, who had worked like
hnrons Iurn .r III con la ur.t ion ct;ll ooau
pied the scene in large force-stalwart,
determined looking men, resting around
their machines, or awaiting orders. One
company had erected Il tent, among the
ruins, with y table literally set ont with
backcned crockery CLEANED from the
debris OF Il store, Near by a huge eel
that had come through water pipe was
displayed with the accompanying sign
'Fish market" Photographers had al
ready established themselves at favorable
points, and were taking views of the ruins
for stereoscopes Most visitors desired to
carry away some relic, and boys who saw
the opening for profit, established them
selves rs DfohclS, uSllS liIt ttP VI % NV
eaten safe as a counter, and offering
burned cutlery, melted glass vessels, &c.
The great interest centered about the
sales which were still in the ruins. To
the tancied security of these iron guar
dams were entrusted money, bonds, bills
and books. 1t was terrible question to
many - merchant whether or not these
had been preserved. White-haired old
merchants in their terrible anxiety toiled
with the laborers who were removing
brick, mortar and cindcrs to get at their
repositories. In more than half the cases
they turned away heart-sick from mass
of blackened ashes when the safes were
opened, and saw that they would have to
begin life anew.
As in all great fires, cinders, papers, &C.,
were carried to great distances. Frag
,,ont, Of I,nrn;n,r bcorJ, ,,l ox,o,, h;i, Of