, 1872-11-11
THE BOSTON CALAMITY.

Our yoiuminons dispatches elsewhere convey
the sad tidinss that the great wholesale busi-
ness centre Of Boston is in ashes. An area
nearly hyif mile square, containing scarcely 4
wooden building. built soldly OF brick and
granite. without the waste of foot Of ground,
and SO compact and massive that it seemed
capable OF forever defying both time and the
elements, has melted away in night. as rapidly
and completely as did our own more
combustible city, one year ago. AS nearly as
we can ascertain from the dispatches, the
limits OF the fire must have been Bedford street
on the north, State street on the south, Wash
iugton street on the west, and the narbor on
the east. In this area have been destroyed the
most massive and elegant business blocks in the
citv, the vast accumulations Of stocks with
wholesale trade; and many Of the old landmarks
for this district was rich in historical assoca-
lions. The principal streets traversed By the
condagration we're Summer, Chauncey,
Franklin, Pearl, DeTonshire, Milk, Con-
gress, State, Commercial, and Wash
ington. Each Of these streets repre-
scented special department Of wholesale busi-
ness. Summer, Chauncey, and Franklin we're
a1nost exclusively devoted to dry goods, and
contained scorea Of the largest establishments
in the city. Pearl street was the greatest boot
and shoe market in the world. There we're no
buildings on the street not occupied by mer-
chants in this special line Of trade except res
taurant for boot and shoe dealers, and news
paper Office devoted to the interests Of the boot
and shoe trade. On Congress street were clus-
tered all the dealers in wool. Deyonshlre and
Milk streets were devoted to
miscellaneous wholesale business, princi-
pal1y OF the great manufactures Of Low
ell, Lawrence, etc. Commercial street was
sohdly built with granite warehouses for the
eale of grain, ship chandlery, fish and other ar
ticles. State street Was the Wall street Of Bos-
ton. and contained its banks, insurance Offices
and great shipping and commission Offices.
Washington street WAS occupied by wholesale
and retail business, and in this thoroughfare
we're located some OF the most elegant stores
in the city. In addition to these the offices OF
the Transcript Journal, Globe and Herald were
on this street. The IraUelle1 and Post we're on
or near State street in the burnt district. The
Advertiser being located On Court street, out of
the line Of the fire, has escaped.
No place in the country can so keen1y sJmpa-
thize With Boston in this terrible afaictlon as
Chicago In the painful details Of the progress
of the flames from street to street, in this wide
spread destruction Of property, in the loss OF
what had been the pride Of the city, and in the
sudden and bewildering character Of the blow,
our own calamity comes up afresb, and ne seem
to live over again those days and nights Of ago.
nizing suspense. We feel her loss acutely. We
can appreciate the length and breadth OF
her suffering. and our hearts and hands
go out instnctively, praying God
to temper this fearful blow with his mercies,
and rendering q sympathy born of kindred
eorrow. And, as in cur own hour of calamity, Bos-
ton came to our aid SO nobly and generously, go
let US do unto her. and from the blessings in
purse and store, which God has vouchsafed to
us this year Of mercy. hasten to heal those
wounds ne have so lately suffered ourselves.