New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-27

NEW Z,
A City That Can Keep a Hotel.

w men at last the flames klnuleO Dy tuo
sinister hoof of Mrs. O'Leary's cow had
subsided, the great city Of the lakes was
the most disconsolate spot IN the civilized
world. The city that only three days
before had promised, in the sight of its citi-
zens, to be able to rule the commercial
world, had almost ceased to exist. Ruin,
utter and irremediable, seemed to have
overtaken it. Preachers enlarged upon the
pride that must have fall, and drew COM
parisons with the aid of the fiery rain OF
Sodom. Other cities, while pouring forth
their generous contributions in aid of the
homeless and destitute, had many moral
reflection on its ruin. There was pity from
the sympathizing, and pleasure to the en-
vious. But none of these ideas occurred to
any Chicagoan. Each had single idea,
and it left no room for any other. They
had made Chicago once, they would do it
again! They had no thoughts of new
election, forgot political parties, didn't
want any interference of Uncle Sam.
wished Phil Sheridan would kill Piegan
Indians instead of bothering them, didn't
organize tax resisters-in fine. forgot all
about the past except its inspiration. and
went to work.
Before the breeze Of the lake had cooled
the ashes tie feet of the merchants were
tramping over the ruins Of their wealth.
In these early days there was no thought of
insurance. The widespread desolation
forced the conviction that help from that
quarter must be scanty, if any came at all.
They had nothing but their strong wills
and the land they had made. With more
than the pride Of McGregor in his native
heath, they commenced on the ground they
had rescued fvOM the marsh to build Chica-
go again.
And they have done it. While Jove
looks with unsympathizing eye on the su-
pine cartman, there is nothing SO sure 40
help to those who help themselves. The
insurance companies paid the greater por-
ton of their losses. New capital by the
million flowed in. Strong armed and brain
skilled labor by tens of thousands rushed
to the new field. To-day Chicago is one
hundred thousand stronger in population
and one hundred million dollars richer than
she was the day before the Hibernian milk
maid supplied the preachers with that red
hot text.
One of the best illustrations of this enter
prise is the building of the Central Pacific
hotel. This immense structure was nearly
completed when the contlagration destroyed
it. The loss to the builders was S40O, 900.
1t was Immediately rebuildt on , better
scale than before, and is now the largest
hotel in the world, and represents q value
of $3,OO0,000. 1t occupies whole square OF
10000 square feet and is six stories high.
1t has 500 rooms for guests, the largest din
ing hall in the country, elegant tea and
breakfast rooms and parlors, and the most
complete system of intercommunication
that was ever devised. Every precaution
to prevent fire 10 taken. The kitchen and
elevators are fire proof ami the stairwaye,
seven in number, are arranged so that they
can never become shafts for flames. Be
sides this, if in any Of the 500 rooms, q fire
should occur. the mercury in a little bulb
will rise and just at the right point touch a
wire which will set a bell ringing in the
office. Then the disciplined fire brigade OF
fifty men, belonging to the hotel, will come
up and put it out before the occupant
wakes up.
All of the furniture and fixtures were
supplied by the manufactures Of regen
Grated Chicago.
Now, this little, account of one enterprise
of the burned city is not particularly de-
signed to stir New Orleans up to building q
hotel like it. Indeed, that would be Of
little use, for from two or three specimens
there is a reasonable doubt whether she car
keep hotel. But it does teach lesson Of
energy which can be applied to every hand
New Orleans has never been brought SC
low as Chicago was in the fearful Gays Of
September. and if she possessed tenth OF
the will and enterprise of her sister city
there would be no complaints of hard times
lack of work, immigration or money.