New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-10
THE REBUILDIYG OF BOSTON.

THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE TIE GREAT FIRE OF
LAST YEAR-srREErs wIDgNED AND IMPROVED
SPLENDID STRUCTURES BUnDING-TRADE RE-
TURNING TO THE BURNED SECTION.
This being the anniversary of the Boston
fire. Is interesting to observe what progress has been
made toward rebuilding the burned district. The fire
which began on the Saturday spending to this
year ago. In summerst and burned til the evening OF
the next day. laid waste district OF destroying
nc buildings assessed at value OF 0Oo and
suming merchandise aud other property estimated ar
than $0oooO0 causing total loss OF not far from
s5,o0),0W Tue insurance on the property destroyed
amounted to s5eOOOo. OF which about $4,000 900 has
been paid ahordng capital 10 continue the work OF
construction. Twenty-six Massachusetts companies
were however compelled TO close their doors and have
since been In the hands Of receivers. The
rebuilding OF the burned district promptly begun,
care being faken to widen and remodel the streets
There were In the burned section 81 streets squares
eight places, ana one court In rebuilding It, II streets
have been wdened four xtended, and large square
has been laid out, at total cost the city OF about
5000 600, Two streets have made iO two As dye
So six co. and one 100 feet wide The general plan OF the
streets has been but slightly changed, with the exeep
ton Of the extensions OF Franklin Arch. Pearl and
oyer-sts bpt the widenings will facilitate travel in
the highest degree There hayo been about 200 houses
rebuilt In place Of the 77G destroyed. Many OF these
more ground than those they replace, and COM
prise splendid structures in which all modern improve
rnents have been introduced The modern gothic APP
pears TO be the favorite style OF architecture, and
majority Of the structures OF pretenson of this
order though many buildings OF great beauty aSe IN
other styles. About three-fourihs OF the new
buildings have hat roofs, aud the remaining one
fourth Mansard there being few pitch roofs Great
skill has been shown in the construction OF the naroof
buildings so as to avoid the squstty. unfinished look
which an aor'lptyending FACADE always presents. The
Mansards which cap many Of the rebuilt strnc-
lures fully safe tho fiat roofs every prccauoh
being taken to make them against fire. Many OF
them entirely OF iron, who style that's now popa-
lar construct the upright patt OF the Mansard Of
brick and TO this with slate metal but IN some
Instances the brick work II left exposed
None Of the buildings erected thus far are aDso
utely reprOo The great cost OF such struc ures pre-
Guiding such construction for ordinary mercantile edi'
contemplated which will be thoroughly hre-rroot,
though owing to the extreme that has To De ken
planning such structures must necessarily he
slow. Among them viii be prominent the three great
life insurance buildings 10 be erected on Mkst; that
of the New York Mutual Life at the corner Oh MlK ava
Pesrl-sts., with the New England Mutual Life next
door. ana the Equitable Life Insurance COMPANY OF
New-YoIk at the corner OF MIX and Deyonshfe-
sts. These buildings Will 10 thoroughly breproofy
and with the new PostOnce and tie Ratio
building VIII form an eteetual barrier sgalnst me
spread OF a cOnagratiOn I'm that direction me sears
estate ~ building two magnificent structures III Tue
burnt district one being banking ana mcrcah'lle
building OF white ana gray marble, with fronts on
Devonsbre. Franklin aud the extension Of Arcn SIS
and the other grand mercantile structure OF tuc ihe
material. SIX stories high with Mansard roof az the
Of Summer and Chauncy sta. Then there i tno
magnificent mercantile structure OF Gardner bIS
fronting on DeyOnshre. Franklin. and feueral
sts, one OF ue Htin1eest anu most eoS'y u u,
~ the Guy. Equally notable y the pohutIui
building OF George g. richardson with fronts on Devon
shire aud Federalsts and the new structure for tho
Simmons estate 10 ne pu AT the corner OF natcr hu
ConeTesssts Last ana greatest Of all there Il the new
Post-Oiice extension, which Will face on the grand
square made by the extension OF Pearl TO Watcrsts,
aud which will form OF the most perfect ana costly
Government buildings m the country. Facing on this
SQUARE will be OF the finest buildings in the city
hut owing to the late day which the Improvement
decided or, O ntte Il known OF lhelt cuataeefls
The trade of the burned district happily survived
uerhap, severely than any othor branch OF trade
by the fire. destroyed every warehouse and The Ell
i've dealers and nineteen brokers burned out ana
although their stocks were fairly insured the failure
Of tue trade ToT 10 sa nd a0f or%arS he
tock bic, was in the INTERIOR So tnat tue Duscss Oh
Inc past wear not only been as large as ihat on
h cand for thls market. and the sales OF tho four
preceding the Let OF October were larger Than
those ~ the corresponding period IN any year III
the whole history OF the trade Most Of the dealers have
secured Warehouses In the streets occupied by then
pre- vons the fire, ana eyenluliy the entire trade wil
remove to tho locality. The boot and shoe trade,
like the wool dealers, was mostly carried ON In the
burnt district, ana he sample rooms or Warenpuss' 90
32 burned mp on the night OF the 9th OF No
vember Manufacturers have however, been able TO
retain their Oh customers ana many Lev onSa hh'e
Int goods the first time in this market the past
seasOn Already good many firms have stores on Pearl
and Uglsts and while houses who have secured
elsewhere viii remain In Their present
ouarters for year two. the trade generally VIII DC
fnd i'm the rebuilt district The leather trade suffered
more severely than the boot ana shoe Manufacturers ana
N estimated worth Of leather was burned
business been materially affected by the hre 40
their market l. naturally tine best for upper leather
in the country Many of the leading rms are now ia
new buildings aDd others Will be likely follow as soon
as the ready for occupancy The WOODEN
goods destroyed by the fire estimated 10 be worth
Ell OOo and that OF other descriptions Of dry goods
az nearly much more. Sixty commission houses rep
resenug nearly every large mil In Massachusetts new
York. and Maine OF the smaller mus III the
same States burned ont beside 80 tobhers COM
pri,ng every large house but one aud nearly al the
smaller houses. Notwithstanding the difficulty OF find
lug suitable stores the Spring trade OF 1873 was Very
one, and the present panic mas lonnd me
jobbers good position to stand up against any DC
pre- they likely to experience The new build
ings win be much better adapted TO the wants OF the
dry goods interest than those which were burned ana
with the general resumption OF business the trade Ia dry
goods vii, undoubtedly be very much increased.