New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-15

Boston, Nov. 13.-Our great fire, which Is
full Of warning and instruction TO the underWrler 'ne
architect tic builder furnishes also abundant ma
tera for TIE consideration OF the philosopher and the
student of human nature. II demonstrates especially
and in the most interesting and refreshing way the fact
that energy pluck and Chocrulness under oyerwhem-
ing disaster ere traits OF the American character and
not OF any particular development OF the American char
acter. Our Western friends Will ind that rhey
have been premature in the idea which they
have cherished with ignorant good nature that the
GENERALIZATION of the East has grown little stih
on its knees aud a little shGky its pins. The repre-
sentative Ice turcr Of the West when called on to person.
y Chicago and Boston. has had his figures ready TO his
hand. Chicago is 1.-THE young giant OF the West"-a
broadshCudcred decpchested, cleareyed young Titan
IN short EccvC VITAL elastic and strong In every bone
and snew; Boston he would be very likely TO compare
to az elderly merchant OF tho older regime, man OF
routine and CUSTOM with "level head" for ordinary
affairs, but somewhat nervous in great emergencies
with eyes sharpsighted enough but comparatively nee
less without gold tpectecles and with mind overanx
ious about the purity OF his ruicd shrt-eosom The
history OF our fire demonstrates the folly Of such no.
tiOns. Boston merchants have moro than risen
TO the needs o. the II Macbeth himself were
enthroned in the city Hall he might proclaim ana Gu
force his proposal TO hang those who talk OF Tear
without alarming n single soul finding single victim
nerCy vigorous life, courage. and confidence seem TO
Nh the very atmosphere. wish could give your read
ers an idea sufficiently vivid and picturesque to convey
the real truth OF the way In which these old buffers -
as they have been irrevcrenty caled-heso venerable
m erehants who have known nothing but good fortune
for q half century, and whose theories were supposed
still TO something Of tie pigail and lneebrecches
cpoch-aTe buckDg TO The work Of rearrangng ana re-
constructing their greatly impaired fortunes. Some OF
them WHO used TO be cTOuly and sDuly seem 10 nave
become gOOd-natured and cheerful for the first time
within the memory Of man, and some who have croaked
like dismal ravens all their prosperous lives through can
bogy Int
yersity. These men are of the marrow and fiber
with those Of whom Charles Morris sung IN his famous
satirlcal poem Of the Revolution:
"sord men OF Boston make no long oratIons;
Solid men OF Boston, banlsh strong p0tatOns.'
They neither talk much drink much now, but ad-
dress tho mseves TO their work like their young COM
peers OF whom, utterly ruined they are In 80 many
cases. foTtude and zeal reasonably expected
because ot their youth And yet shall have occa-
sion show in another Part Of this letter. tho situation
is hard, aud In some aspects almost melancholy.
The pictures give aspects Of the calamity which have
been 1ued entirely 10 the scenes among the ruins
Many Of lhese-especiay at night, they have been
disclosed by moonlight slowly sfcd through the over
hanging yail OF smoke, or by the deep, sulen glow OF
tho great heaps OF burning coal upon tie wharyes-haye
been Of most weird and impressive character and have
been wildly described already by skul correspondents
Of TIE TRIBUNE But think the unfortunate city IT.
self ell dispense With the element of the picturesque
In the details of its calamity. The picturesque as
acknowledged in art very often corresponds to
SIM suffering and disease in real lte and
almost always to dirt. thank God
that that feature has been LEFT out
Of our trials. The terrible fire OF Chicago PIC
turceque indeed; and what heartTonding groups OF
frantic wives and weeping children, without food With
cut home and without shelter; what an lnnitnde
OF scenes where death and despair. masqueraded in
grim fantastic shapes combined To produce the artistic
Cfect From nearly all of thiswith Of course, few
sad exceptions-our city has been spared.
A mild quality Of Interest, however, which cannot be
digned with the OF the picturesque, is discovered
In the sights and situations connected with the establish
ment OF old burnedOut firms 10 new quarters. Boston
yyas the most compact aud crowded OF cities before
the fire. and now It's streets and buildings are
crammod 10 their utmost capacity Old lofts and ware
houses which the receding current o! trade had left to
rot in dsuse Grandy into service again. and their
lately decaying already show their new pros
pery IN the gloss Of their hats aud the freshness Of their
coats OF course all the old groupings and "coucatena
tions" as Tony Lumpkn says, are entirely broken
up One week ago the principal departments OF business
we're In Boston, more completely set together In
unbroken sections than in any city IN America Pearlst
aud Highst and the lower end Of Congress and Mlksts
were nothing but leather and its manufactures solid
square made by portions " Congress and Federalsts
and fapked by Ch8nnng-st. was, the famous Scotch
dealer used to say Of his fabrics, "a oo,-which sup
rose must translate into an WOOL" and the long
ranges Of magnificent warehouses which abutted on
square and the other noble avenues between those
stIeets we're devoted almost wholly 10 an immense
trade In dry goods ASK for either OF these three great
forms Of BOstOn business now ana VINO can ten you
where to go On Monday morning scarcely pound
was left in the city, outside tie bags OF housewives and
exactly dry goods jobbinshouse OF Importance was
standing upon is foundations All tho dealers IN these
articles Lave scattered TO tie four quarters OF the city
and have found new ioothoCs in such places as were
or could be made available The misery OF the fire ae-
ouants many Of these solid old firms with strange bus-
ness bedielows,H may use the expression. We near
OF one great firm OF wholesale dealers in domestic fab
rcs who have established their headquarters In the new
Reception Room Of the Music Hail. and Of another old
house which taken Of the Directors Room
OF the same estabshmeut-an act in the latter OF
sad and rather singular Significance when II Is remem
bered that the lately deceased senior OF the rm
passionate lover OF the divine art aud himself dree
tor In the Music Hall Corporation. Another firm OF
the highest standing dvertsc that they may be found
at No 2Arlngtonst wit, IN Of the most elegant
residences of the Back Bay regoni while with more
proprety and fitness the single jewelers. establishment
which suffered from the fire has been transferred, with
saved stock-large IN quantity, II somewhat furnished
in lustertO the shop lately occupied by the Decorative
Art Company, which itself removes into chambers TO
accommodate its unlucfy neighbors. Old associations
as said, are all broken up; and In the new combna
tions lions lambs calves and wolves lie down together
the oldschoo merchant Of unsoied fame jostes upon
the stairway the dubious broker shyster who 10 be
his peighbor for the next twelveInonth lawyers and
leatherdeaers share the suite OF offices, and
trait painters and wool sellers cheek by Jow In
the process Of eectng the necessary removals the poor
marrow little thoroughfares Of Boston have been thrown
into state or chronic lam for these three days and
the snarl Of teams passengers upon Tremonts
which s now main avenue-is almost uncomfortable
even by New-Yorker who does business the lower
part of Broadway.