New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-01-11

was estimated at s55OO0OOo OF which sls.OJDOo0 VIII
the value OF the houses. The sre of London,
ragged for four days and nights and reduced tn ashes
hve-slxths of the city within the walls. The ruins
cred between 900 snd 400 acres macauay describes
the area, from the Tower to the Temple and from the
| river to the pureus OF Smhded. Four hundred
streets and more than 1000 houses destroyed. and
the loss was placed s1OO00Oo eI2OO0OO0 sterling.
according to the value q money at that day.
The territory burnt during the late Boston fire
was ABOUT sixtyhve comprising76 buildings At
the time OF the fire, Immediately after. there
much exag2eraton OF statement In reference to the
amount OF property destroyed The careful estl-
mates placed the loss at from SOOOO0o TO So 900
but IL IL now believed 20 have been not more than
G5OOOOO Mp Thomas Hills, Chairman OF the Board OF
Assessors' published statement on the llth Of NOvem-
ber estimating the value OF the buildings destroyed at
L@OO and OF The personal property, on the most lib
eIal CALCULATIONS at ubOut S7O0O00O0 In note to
the secretary OF the Board of Trade Mr. Hills
ferring 20 this statement; "The figures made at
tlnle "heh most eXtraYagant accounts were used IN
connection with the subject Of LOIS found myself very
/ much below the estimates OF gentlemen for whose
opinion L ada high regard, and fearing tendency
on my part 10 underestimate threw every doubt en-
terained, with safe margin. into the column Of loss
MY opinion then was, and il, that 50OOO0O Is the
best estimate OF the total loss" or this amount about
sl35pOoO may be taken the assessed value Of the
buildings destroyed which. however, it will probably
Nlio M PERSONAL property Inc assessed vhue Oh
the hd burned over S2500OO In reference 70 the
nerchahse destroyed, II has been estimated that the
poots aLoos ahu leather amounted 20 slIOOVGJ cue
WOODEN Eoods 70 similar value, and the wool about
100000 poundsj 10 s5JOOOOO No estimate OF the cotton
goods burned has yet been made
strange 70 say, the interruption to business and the
amount OF property and OF 80 many OF the most avail
able Warehouses and offices in the city, were but tenn
porary Before the first week had passed almost every
firm which had been driven from it old premises mad
found new temporary home, very unlike, indeed, IN
had md
cumscrlDed IN ts limits but still enough Tor enc trans
action OF business for the time being and for the Winter
ence resulting from the general change has
been FOUND 70 be IN connection with the scattering
Of business which had concentrated upon the
now devastated terrrory but bOth buyers and sellers
have already begun accustomed 20 this and 1t Is
something not likely be OF long continuance The es
adjustments IN which the boots ana shoes and the cot
ton and wooden goods distributed in this market being
situated lar beyond the limits OF the city te, fresh sup
plies OF these articles were soon Forthcoming those
firms which happened 10 have branch houses IN New
York, Chicago, and other clses were able 10 NIL ther
orders Immediately from those points The losses 70 the
cotton mills, direct and indirect will not exceed, and
capital stook ana have made no difference in their
dividends no the beginning OF the current year The e
feet upon the WOODEN mills has been more uniaVOfaDe
but only two OF them have been Obliged to pass
their January dividends The only interest which has
been seriously fsarranged IN Its operations Is Jhe ready
were burnt III which mems clothing manufactured
for the South and the West and 1t has taken some time
reconstruct the machinery and 20 re0rganize the labor
for the restoration Of this industry But the work mas
made satisfactory progress.
There have been failures In Boston as the result or
the fire. and these have been almost exclusively among
the dry goods oDbers, who were caught az the night OF
their Autumna season. with heavy stocks anu with
inadequate Insurance. and VINO, with others, mad 70
accept part payment on much OF their insurance In
concluding this part Of the report Mr. Hill says IL
Will be enough say OF the hre IN Its relations % the
business OF Boston, that while the manufacturing ana
financial interests OF the city ana COMMONWEALTH
suffered but slightly the shipping trade foreign
and coastwlse the business OF the Corn Exchange IN
Guiding provisions, the West lndi anu grocery e ISL
the furniture the iron, and the lumber trades anu "
considerable extent the hardware, ana eartheh%aIe'
ana inc general retai tf.de nave 10. Deen
ured impaired by the fire. Nor IL there the slightest
10 believe that the business OF the CITY, as a
whole, Will sustain any petHaneht injury run s, Ino
disaster The loss Is indeed heavy one but II has aneh
upon wealthy anu prosperous community, anu u mas
been distributed through The local insurance companies
among large number OF our people, % wen ven
branches OF their insurance companies mere Anu
in saying this it IS not FORGOTTEN tnat 70
the fire has proved calamity from Wnlcn II VIII Ieq9
long years 10 recover and that IN instances not rev
than property there must be much personal
disappointment hardship, ana sunerlng Dut speaHIus
OF Boston a commercial city, as center III winch
capital has ~n2se s.s.
growth is favored no less by all concurrlng
Observation-Disclosures this loss heavy inutse will prove only
temnorary embarrassment and check TO It's develop
enf and viii impress upon enduring mark Of evil
IncideHtely also IN widened thoroughfares, IN more
securely built structures and IN more complete arrange
ent for the safety OF property the IRE VIII be made
The means aud occasion u city Of lasting good THIS
~ n rhe evnerence OF other cities winch have been
similarly visited, and there Is every ihdleaon 'A' III
our ease there Will De no exception 10 the RUE.
The report then makes grateful mention Oi te nuner
ans Expressions VI sympathy which have come 70 the
prd from sister organizations parts Of the
United states and in Europe. and also 10 te generous
offers pecuniary assistance Inc report taxes 1st
hopeful OF the future prosperity ol se I .
total destruction OF property ny tne recent hte uu nv
much n AZ all exceed amount the Increase IN the
axable valuation OF Boston during the year ended on
he Lat OF May From this table must Dc deuceu the
money paid to be paid by insurance oy ona
me limits OF the Commonwealth, u order 10 ascertain
the actually sustained 0y Our comtnunI'J i1o
~ OF reconstruction in the burnt district has already
commenced, and Will be prosecuted 20 tne utmost
vigor during the approaching sprlng anu Su1ner' anu
M long interval will eapse before the traces OF the great
CONFEDERATION shall have removed. The secretary
urges that every effort be made 70 Drlng up Boston
means OF communication f VIII he ~ tba bobest
pont OF utility. Late events nave shown mat II y In
portant 10 cultivate every branch OF business com
nerce and manufactures transportation OanAhg &c,
- mat heuever Temporary disaster overtakes any one
or of these, the general enterprise Oh INT clt5
90 sometimes checked u may Oe out seoPPo
The report urges improved railroad management anu
Greater facilities The advantages OF che HoOsae Inel
on through route TO the West are d"ei upon d. 'o
length. - q. .r.. ,osoI,,od
10 ask the Legislature TO secure rom the insurance
panles an equitable adjustment Vi INC oii - tha
have not vet been settled and also an inquiry INTO the
manner aud method OF settlement hlrehuy ndue III
present emergency has also induced the Board 20 .Ae
steps for appeal 20 the Legislature lOr
NJ aur specia partnership law 20 make II CONFORM
10 the HewYOrk law, which Is one Oh Inc lew PSl1s
in which the BostonaDs aeSnowle"gS e. w. Yrt law
Is much liberal III aloWs 49,
partner take interest In tne partnersip ne'
~ give advice and give the benefit OF MS experience
vbcb Al he Ia an old merchant, may be cOnslueraoe.
ant the Massachusetts, law does not allow man 70 nave
any cognzance whatever OF inc "a has Iiabte as
special partner II he comes down 70 ano 20 a nrnm
nent citizen cit is hardly safe for man 10 Do seen III
4 office"