The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-31

Jim HEhALD, SAIUkDA
ton from fires. Their great burning of 1866
was partly due to an exceptionally dry season.
The distinguishing popularity of the eli
mate OF the United States, as compared with
that of the British islands, is its dryness, and
In proportion to its dryness and its strong, dry
winds, here or there, are our dangers aud our
losses from fires. Of all the cities Of the
fifth month Of its long dry season, and with
its powerful indriving winds, over the hills
and through the gap of the Golden Gate from
the Paciic-Chicago, as was proved in her ter
rible fire of 1871, is the city most liable to de-
structive confagrations; for Chicago lies with
in the area of those prairies and great plains
over which the strong and whitening winds of
dry Autumn render even the green timber in
the forests as infammable as the dry boards of
prairie cabin. But throughout the jurisdic-
ton of the United States, excepting Alaska
Where 1t rains or SHOWS always
our cities, from the peculiar dryness of our
climate and its dry westerly winds, are ex-
posed to dangers from fire that will not apply
to the nations of Europe, from which we have
inherited our languages, our institutions and
our ideas even of the seasons
We congratulate the people of Boston on
their brave and successful efforts yesterday to
arrest and subdue within a few hours fire
which in it's terrific outbreak threatened an
other general calamity. We congratulate the
brave and industrious people of Chicago on
the prospect of a July Jubilee which will not
be married by the Intervention of any great
public misfortune. We hope that from the
representatives Of all our leading cities at this
Jubilee, while rejoicing over the mar
vellous reconstruction of Chicago, the consid-
GRAFTON Of safeguards against remorseless fires
will result in substantial advantages to all con-
cerned, from the Atlantic seaboard in the East
to the Golden Gate of the West.
For full details of this Boston fire Of yeser-
day, with an illustrative map, we refer the
reader to another part of this paper.
The Celebration OF Decoration Day,
Yesterday dawned auspiciously for the cere-
monies by which the nation gracefully marks
loving appreciation of the devoted heroism
and valor of her sons who, in the late terrible
struggle, gave their lives for liberty and the
country's integrity. Brightly beamed the
fed the heat which had made the preceding
days oppressive. From earliest dawn the city
showed preparations for the work to which the
day was dedicated. In almost every street
were seen contributions Of floral offerings
borne towards the headquarters Of the associa-
ton having the decorations in charge and
by eight o'clock Union square was thronged
by a crowd eager to assist in or witness the
proceedings. Tributes Of flowers and laurel
leaves decorated the monumental statues of
Washington and Lincoln, testifying the venera-
ton and love with which New York cherishes
the memory of the Father and the Saviour of
the Union. From thousands Of buildings
hoated at half-mast the Star-Spangled Ban
ner. At ten o'clock the procession formed
to march down Broadway, making a
more imposing display than any of
its annual predecessors Most places Of bust
ness were closed; commercial and official
transactions were generally suspended for the
day. As the cortege passed, accompanied with
music and bearing the battle-scarred flags
under which our hero brothers fell, it was
alphabetically greeted by one OF those i'm
mense gatherings Of the people which can be
seen on this Continent only in New York, and
which can be matched in but few cities in
the world. At Trinity church the column paused
to mark the graves Of gallant Phil Kearny
the intrepid Lawrence, whose dying words,
Don't give up the ship" will never pass
from patriotic remembrance, and others,
whose faithful service claims perpetual COM
mendation. AT Whitehall the procession en-
barked on steamers for the several burial
grounds in which the remains Of
our heroes repose, where, with appro-
pirate exercises, the solemn and touch
ing offices Of the day were completed. In
all the adjacent cities and in the great
number of cities, villages and smaller places
throughout the broad domain of American
freedom, similar scenes testified eloquently
nations sentiment of grief and
local pageants will be found in another part of
to-day's HERALD, while our telegraphic de-
spatches report the manner in which the
day was observed in other parts of the coun-
try. From all it will be noted that while the
mass of our people cherish the legacy of glory
left by the dead, the animosites which marked
the war are rapidly passing away and, &C
cepting the glorious results of the struggle,
we are willing to forget and bury the differ
ences which arrayed men Of the same blood
against each other in mortal strife. Each side
has learned to respect its antagonist All
should now strive but to glorify the Union and
bear part in its unparalleled development Of