The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1872-10-22
MEMORIES OF -cHIcAGos CALAMITY.

MEMORIES OF CHICAGOs CALAMITY.
On Wednesday the 9th inst, the people of
Chicago celebrated the anniversary of the
great fire. The newspapers devoted their
space to a review of the scenes and incidents
of the terrible night of last year, and there
was general formal occupation of new build
ings and impressive ceremonies.
The memory of the great calamity by which
Chicago was flashed out in single night
comes back in vivid colors at the news of the
anniversary ceremonies. From our Geographic
column of a year ago we quote:
"-The rain of fire and birthstone on
Sodom an Gomorrah can hardly be compared
to the devastating rain of the fire food upon
Chicago More than one-half the population
are now rushing through the streets in We
hicles which are obtained at enormous prices,
on foot and in every other way, with the
choicest household treasures in their arms and
on their backs, in utter confusion, not know
ing whittier to go. Full 10000
people are at this moment homeless, not know
ing where to lay their heads or get anything
to satisfy the cravings of hunger"
That was the word photograph of the instant
during which Chicago passed from the height
of her prosperity to ruin and ashes The
transition was as sudden as though it had
been accomplished by the gaping of the EARTH
Retrace time exactly year, and the morning
of Wednesday hung heavy with the smoke of
walls and streets and solid piles that had stood
perfect in the CLEAN of the evening sun. The
city of massive stone and iron had dissolved
like dream at a touch of the elements, and
theY,a ,ena mod h,,t tba th;oly ya,,o,c aud A.,
ing ashes of what had been Chicago During
that dreadful night the fire had swept along
five miles of the streets and structures, burn
ing out the very heart of the city, with its
public buildings, banks, hotels and palace
stores, and consuming thousands of dwellings,
whose frightened occupants were compelled to
seek shelter as best they could. When NOM
ing came Chicago had fallen.
Almost instantaneously the whole country
was wncing under the dreadful news that flash
edalong the wires, just as the human body win
ces under the announcement of the nerves that
some member has received a sudden hurt.
The calamity was national in its effect and
every large city East or West had some di-
rect interest in the ruined Chicago. Large
credits had been given to the merchants whose
sole assets were now comprised by heaps of
ashes. Two hundred millions of dollars had
been melted into nothingness, and the mer-
chants of every commercial city, from the Me-
the loss. But the recolections of that time
are worth the loss it occasioned, for it is a
memory rich in pride to every American.
There was no feeling of losses then. The
stripped and bleeding city did not even need
to ask for charity before it came like The
overlooking of a sea from the great hearts of
the plying cities
Without hope of reward, except that prom
ised TO "whomsoever giveth to the poor"
money and food were offered with spontauety
and lavisllness never paralelled in the history
of charity. II is pleasant to recall the Incl
dents of thatperiod. Hundreds of thousands
of dollars were raised in distant cities before
the flames had subsidized. Merchants who
were losers of thousands by the certain fail
ure of their Chicago debtors, handed over
thousands more on the instant and their purses
were even opened a second and third time to
swell the aid fund. Cities and individuals
We'd with each other in the good work and none
were laggald. Trains loaded with supplies
were hurried to the scene and everybody will
remember the "E.ie relief train +" and its un-
precedentedly swift trip to Chicago, loaded with
supplies, i'll which deed Fisk left white spot
upon his dark record In week, hundreds
of thousands Of dollars were ready for appli-
cation to the needs of homeless Chicagoaus,
and the city began her work of recovery.
1t would be tedious to rccapitulate the pro-
gress of her convalescence in the brief year
just ended. With uncxamplcd courage the
people began the rebuilding of the burned dis
tIicts, and, Chicago-like, they have built the
city better than before. Credits were extend
ed from all over the country. Goods were
shipped almost without question and the city
began to breathe again. A great portion of
the burned-out core is now rebuilt and recent
account of the progress of work calculates it
at ga house an hour" A few years more will
behold Chicago even more magnificent than
she was before the fire. Much as we may ex-
ult in the spirit and enterprise of the people
that can accomplish such things, there is still
greater cause for rejoicing and feeling of
tIuer pride in the memory of the "helping
hand that brought the shattered city to her
feet and the knowledge that among our ma
tional family there exists SO deep and quick
a fount of brotherly affection. OF Chicago
herself we can only say that, great in her rise,
great in her fall and great in her restoration,
her record has never been surpassed in history
and may justly lead the world to look forward
in amazement to her characterization.
COAL RISING FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE
SEA.-If the coal beds of the earth should
ever become exhausted, it possible that these
sources of supply may be replaced by new
beds rising from the bottom of the seas. In
deed something of the kind is now actually
occurring. The Island Of Newfoundland,
which contains 81, 600 square miles, and has