The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-14

II
the destruction which at one time threatened
| 10 tear its flaming way directly through the
city, from side TO side, after eating out the
| heart Of trade and commerce and beyond
the vista Of crumbled and smoking ruins the
eye rests with qualification upon business
blocks, warehouses, and banks still standing,
| sturdy witnesses that, great az the loss mud
vast as the anxiety has been, the blow has
by no means crushed, much less destroyed,
the commercial enterprise which finds exter-
nal expression in lefty blocks and densely-
built streets. Even while the amount of de-
structi0n appears for the time incalculable
| from the absence Of complete LASTS Of com
| putatton it is not too early to indulge in en-
presSions Of thankfuIncss that it has been 10
greater, and that the disaster was stayed
within its present bounds.
With the demolition Of brick and granite,
and The instantaneous destruction Of ware
| hollSes full Of merchandise. there is yet re-
| naming even to the greatest sufferers an
energy that will wrest benefit from the fiery
| trial.
Among the causes Of tllankfulness dis
coverablc even in the midst Of such trouble
| Is the comparative immunity from personal
| suffering that has been experienced. The
| fire was so closely confined to the business
| portion Of the city that while eating up the
millions ofproperiy, with every adyantagcin
| its favor, il touched few dwellings and turned
out few families into the streets. Such rs
campcd with their goods under the sky will
very generally be able 10 return to houses
still standing. Tie terrible details ef The
rise and progress and final defeat of the con.
| ilagIatlon tell Their own story without con-.
ment. II is Il tale Of the loss OF the fruits %
| 4 lifetime Of labor in III hour, Of for.uucs
| sweep: away IN 4 moment, tut, Fortunately.
| of nothing like the widespread misery ;i!at
| Chicago has experienced, or Of such coE.urC-
| hcnsiyc dcS0!atlOn. The calamity blal.chrd
| many checks among those looking OIL III the
| resis;lcss sweep OF the fumes, but il HI,
weakened no hearts or Inflicted any dSi.Liy
upon tic enterprise that secs III acres Of ruins
| only tic foundation of new effort and HcW
success.
Ros.1g,'s yrooI, Root aHd Shoe, aZ,a
Leats.nr 'Trai2c.
Boston Advertiser, November -.
Tbs lie came at most Fortunate tiMo for
the boo! and shoe trade. \ month Garlic or
later-slI more, twomonths earlier or Inter
the stores Oh Pearl and High st!cc,j would
have been crammcd with goods. - Il N;i-,
the disaster comes between Two SCISSORS; and
not Only 50, but finds the stocl; UNUSUALLY
light for the season. In SOME Ct Tic ware
houses OH Pearl street the stock Oh hand was
worth Only from five to ten thousand dollars
where The average stock would be two, three
or i've time. rs large. There were portions
OF great many stocks -avcd-iI some in
stances. too, very considerable portions.
Nearly NIL the firms on Pearl street were very
strong, and it is believed that almost none Of
them will be compelled to suspend payments.
The running power OF the factories Is OF
course unilnmircd, the raw material Is ample
in amount, and there is plenty Of time to re-
stock before the spriag trade opens lii Janu-
airy. If tic Struggling customers who usually
anticipate by few weeks the regular open
ing Of the trade will but postpone their visits
until the time Of active trade, our boot aid
shoe dealers will be prepared to meet them
with aS good an assortment and WthaS large
supplies Of goods aS ever. Already tie
wholesale merchants in this line Of trade
have taken combined arti3n ioCkin" to ten
p0lrry accommodation, and ii Tie general
prospect is not bright it is at least moi one 10
catlSc great depression.
The stock Of wool in Boston WAS, il is csti-
mated, worth nut FIR from tolir and 4 halt
million dotar-. But tic tou-rt$S-S,rcct
stores were largely commission ho!!scs, alH
tit ip-S NDhT NIX i'iii NV va ''"lDi'
Something will hc saved from Tie insurance,
even where the wool was owned here, aid tie
amount of insurance is uudcr>io God 10 be very
large. When ali deductions have been made
it will be found that the destruction OF pro-
pertv in this department, although very great
and calamitous. is hy no mCaES certain TO do
more than cripple the trade. The amount Of
wool in store Was 4 full average. however.
and the article bears high price. frlctl-
cnIv. none OF it Was saved. The Singular
condition Of orr WOO! market We have re-
marked upon quite recently. The price here
WIS 50 much below that for which il could
be replaced! hv purchases III England tia!
sc have bean exporting to E''r@pr. It TO-
! laws. Of course, that the new stock Will cost
More, not only because Of The Li-,hrr price
abroad, iut ~ reason O.: the di!niutl;irr OF
| tho supply in tic n'rkG!s .. He world. STU
we do u0 learn that anr Of tie wool houses
urr respondent. Oh tie contrary, they arc
cncrg"t;cai!y preparing to &c forward again
! 20 resume a soon ~ !t"-aih!". ANA t. li.ic
over Tie temporary in>onyeHi"itcr> "i lhrS!t-
| lltion with Il cheerful spirit.
The loss in tho dry CnoG.. trade has hctu
fearful. There WAS n.t Cno !jiliTI: .ia1''ii:.:
house IN the cily untouched. N"Arl> all Ia"
Wholesale houses, anal thr i;o!>c- closely coli
necled with thraI il thC Wholesale clothing
business, without aHy exception, have been
swept away. Tie warehouses. too, were
rather fuller than usual a this tine OF the
wear. TE6re .was IN immense amount OF III
Surance on the property destroyed, but Of
course only fraction of it viii he paid over.
The merchants in the dry goods trade have
not yet completed their arrangements, nor
even aScertancd how they fire likely to stand.
They are compelled to wait Tor each other, 10
look over their books, 10 learn what percent
are of their insurance policies Will be paid,
and test the trmpcrof the market. But even
while they are uncertain what will 10 their
future, they are, one and all, piuThy and de-
telrnined. Very many Of them Will certainly
sand the shock without wayering; many
more will come out Of tic difficulty safely,
bit seriously crippled. Some, perhaps, will
not be able to withstand Tie shock. But the
strong can and undoubtedly will exert them
selves To protect the weak. II is their interest
10 do so. and fellowship in misfortune AZ.
peuls 10 them 10 afford Ill the a>Si:'!u;!cc Ill
their power. On the whole. While we can
not think the situation Of the dry goods trade
50 hopeful a. that al The other: we have con-
sidercd, We are pleased and encouraged hy
the pluck and energy displayed hy the losing
firms, and we gladly believe thHt they who
know SO much better tan any one else bow
hopeful view they do ol the present s.atc OF
affairs.
a flea-Eita 40 the Heather Trade.
On visiting Mes IT'S. Palcn & Wilson, the
leading leather brokers i'll New York, Il
! W0rld reporter inquired OF Mr.. Palen what
he though: Of the state OF affairs. Mr.. Palon