Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-02-29
THE IOWA VOTER.
KNOXVILLE, IOWA.
Letter From Dr. Duncan.
CHICAGO, Feb. II, 1872.

yet much speculation in the minds o.
the people, as to the length OF time
| it will require to rebuild Chicago
and make it its former self. | have
heard it variously estimated at from
two to twenty years, or even to the
end Of time. OF course this can only
be matter of speculation; but OF
one thing | am sure-it is being re-
built very rapidly considering the
weather that mechanics have had to
work in. On all these wet days,
when it appears tome that can hard
ly stand it to go from my boarding
house to my office, / see on every
hand the sturdy mechanic at work,
on walls of brick, and walls Of stone,
which are even now being reared to
a giddy height; and the streets are
crowded with teams removing the
debris and replacing with new mate
rial to assist in rebuilding the struc-
lures, so beautiful formerly to look
upon, which were in one short night
laid in ruins by the fiery fiend. The
work Of preparing for building fine
structures in the Spring is still go
ing on rapidly; and looking over the
whole ground, l cannot but conclude
that in ten years Chicago will be a
more powerful city than before the
great fire.
The health of the city is good;
smallpox on the decrease. The SAN
itary measures Of the city are good;
and ] think there is comparatively
little suffering among the poor, who
were made more poor by the fire.
The relief Committee is now well
organized force, and the Police force
of the city is energetic and intelli.
gent.
But word as to myself might not
be Objectionable to my friends, if you
should deem this worthy of inser-
ton; and if / have any enemies they
need not read it. / am for the pres
ent located at I6l South Clark Street,
in a comfortable office, where l will
Of course be glad to welcome any of
my Iowa friends. / am laboring
hard to make myself useful, and help
build up this western Institution,
with which | am now connected,
the Bennett College of Eclectic Med
icine and Surgery. The College,
which was comparatively in its in
fancy but making good start, was
burned, together with books, apara.
tus, and in fact everything that be-
longed to 1t. Under these circum.
stances matters looked very gloomy
to the friends Of the Institution Bit But
by the indomitabie perseverance of
a Garrison, Jay, a Cook, Clark,
Whitford and Young, with other
friends Of the cause, in one short week
rom the great fire the College was
again put in running order, and a
very respectable class of students was
being taught in a rented building.
But this did not satisfy these ener-
yetic men, and they began to cast
about them for better quarters. For
they boughta suitable prop
,rty on reasonable terms. Since the
purchase the location of the II. S.
Custom House and the Court House
IN the immediate vicinity of our
College building has greatly enhanced
It's value. 1t is now fitted up ingood
style, and we have all the apparatus,
&C., necessary to impart in
to the young aspirant for
knowledge, or to the older
who is plodding his way
the world withontth requi-
site requirements, as is sadly the case
with too many of our western physi-
clans.
The Faculty is composed Of thor
ough, energetic men, with probably
out one exception. Prof. JAY, the
Dean, is fine surgeon and No.
.eacher in that branch; he is SO kind
IN assisting new students to find good
quarters, and looking after their in
.erests that he is popular and highly.
by all.
Prof. Young, on Anatomy, is said
% be one of the finest teachers on
hat branch in the Western country.
He is we'll liked by the whole Class.
Clark, Prof. of Obstetrics, is special
avorite with the Glass. lie is now a
of the Legislature, and if he
AN exert suchan influence and make
as clearly understood in that
body as he does with the Glass, on
lis favorite theme, l should like, If !
lad pet measure to urge to passage
before that body, to get it into his