New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-27
MUNICIPAL AID FoR BOSTON BUILDERS.

LETTER FROM MAYOR MEDILL OF CHICAGO
The Hon. Joseph Medill Mayor of Chicago,
writes letter to Mayor CASTOR Of Boston in response
10 the aters request for his opinion upon the "propo
son 70 authorize the City of Boston to make loans Of
municipal credit to persons whose buildings were de-
stroyed by fire." In opening his letter Mayor MediU
says: az - 80,
tO not feel al liberty TO express an opinion as to
what the City OF Boston should do in the premises but
have hesitation in saying that should deem it un
purpose stated The city could not afford TO make gift
of It's credit 10 those who lost buildings by fire. for that
would be equivalent 10 cOnfscating large portion OF
the property Of those not burned for the benefit of
those that were. Nor would it be proper for the mu-
nicpal government 10 mortgage the property OF tie
citizens for the enrichment Of real estate owners whose
structures were destroyed or damaged by nrei In
SJopety was ncum6ered for their pecuniary gain And
then why should such municipal relief be restricted 10
the VI buildings and rot also extended TO the
tenants whose stocks OF goods were destroyed
aud certainly less able to bear ~ Tor the latter
aSSe I n Bv fire and the ground Of city is
known to be worth much as the buildings thereon,
cult question would arise the apporOnment of the
bonds 20 be loaned The proportion OF insurance TO loss
would have be taken into account IL ascertain the
amount OF aid each person should receive IL might be
found that the insurance covered great portion OF
a anne wS really not needed Real estate in the Boston
burnt district" is so exceedingly valuable that mort,
gage OF Onequarter One-third onehalf its worth will
furnish abundant means for covering 1t with excellent
structures, and capitalists IN all the mOneyed centers
would gladly make loans TO the owners on such superb
security at the lowest market rates for money The
Chicago fire of Is months swept over 600 acres OF the
business part OF the city, and 800 acres OF the residence
portions including the spaces occupied by streets and
alleys. You have witnessed what year has done
toward restoring the edces then destroyed More than
half OF that 600 Is now covered by massive and
beautiful business blocks, many of them covering an
area Of each. Every dollar OF the money re-
Qured to the thousand new blocks you saw was
procured by individual effort Not penny of municipal
or State aid was given.
Mayor Medill says In deciding TO reject the plan "
granting municipal aid 1t is generally perceived In
Chicago that the city has escaped calamity hardly less
IN magnitude than the fire itself He thinks the whole
thing would have been blunder and Of regret
for a generation TO come IN conclusion he says:
You ask for my views 10 the benefits derived from
the remission OF duties materials for rebuilding
Chicago or Boston, so far this city 10 concerned,
we nave derived but little benefit therefrom. Lumber
was excepted from the bill through the strenuous oppO
ston OF the members from Michigan, who insisted upon
exactng the pound OF flesh from burDedout people.
They so the fears and the sehshness OF
the higharn members from the other states that um
Der had 20 stricken from the list Of rebatabe articles
The sudden in the price Of iron In England caused
by the successful conspiracy OF the British coal dealers
70 double the price of that commodity has precudod the
importation OF iron for building purposes except In
very limited quantities Our builders have derived more
benefit from remission OF duty on French plate glass
than anything and perhaps everything else In the
list embraced la tho act.