The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-08-08
Erom the oregonian.l
THE PORTLAND PI1n.

disastrous conhagration that has vial.
ted tho Pacific coast since the dread.
ful lire Of 1854 in Sacramento, Cali.
fornia. The awful holocaust Of De-
cember last was reckoned n terrible
calamity, but beside this last dire die.
aster it sinks TO utter nothingness.
Then men stood aghast at the sudden
ness Of the blow, but recovering from
that paralysis, began with quick ener.
gy 10 restore the waste places. The
work OF reoonstruction bad but fairly
commenced. There were the neces-
sary delays in rebuilding portions Of
the burnt district, and 10 this single
circumstance is due the preservation
of six millions Of property and the
salvation Of our entire city. We
speak advisedly; had block " at the
foot of Alder street--in which the
December hre first siarted-been oc.
cupied by buildings Of any descrip.
ton Whatsoever, all Portland would
be in ashes to-day. So Il 10 that q
great misfortune supplemented By the
feebleness Of humanity was made TO
subserve q most beaefcient end.
We have carefully revised and cor.
reoted the losses sustained by The late
fire and the amounts Of insurance,
and find that the losses and insurance
stand about as follows Total loss,
81 ,lS2, ,826; total insurance, e25e, 900;
total loss above the amount of insuF.
ance, 1927 ,625.
So far as we have been able TO ascer.
tain, the following Insurance Com
panies have sustained losses NJ follows.
London, Liverpool 81 Globe, 81, $50;
Fireman's Fund, s30, 900; Union, $50, :.
600; Imperial, s60,00O; Home Mutu
al, 10000; Pbonix, S2O,O0O; Total,
s2l1 $50.
The city has not yet recovered from
the effects of the destructive fire OF
last December, bat that dwindles into
comparative inAignificance In presence
of this one. Not only are the losses
in this Ere several times greater than
those of December, but they are
harder 10 bear IN proportion to their
amount. The district burnt over was
one of the most densciy crowded
parts Of the city, and the pror ari =
was TO very great extent owned by
persons Of moderate means, who had
nothing but what was invested In the
property destroyed. Also a great
many families resided within the
doomed blocks, who having only time
10 escape from the flames, lost every.
thing they had in the world besides
the clothing they wore in their fight.
Upon such persons the calamity falls
with peculiar weight. Many large
manufacturing establishments were
consumed, TO the great damage, and,
IN some Instances, the financial ruin OF
the proprietors. Fortunes which had
been accumulated with years Of toll
and enterprise, melted away in q mo.
ment. The city can III afford 10 lose
such as the large sash and door facto-
~ of John p. Walker, Esq, the lum.
bering and planing mills Of Stimson
q Besser, the foundry ofSmith Bros,
the Touring mills Of Geo. w. Vaughn,
the wood:turning works Of w. +.
Wilcox, and many that are now in
ashes. BY the destruction Of these
establishments very large number
Of perEons are thrown out Of employ
ment, and extensive and productive
industries are lost to tho community.
A great number of stores. some Of
them filed with extensive stocks OF
goods, were consumed; aud, in many
cases, we are informed, the insurance
was barely sufficient 70 meet liAbili.
ties, leaving the proprietors with moth.
ing, and In not few instances there
was no insurance At all on either build
ing or stock.
This Is certainly the most terrible
calamity that ever befell Portland,
and il would be idle 20 say it will not
have damaging effect upon the pros
perity Of the city. This effect, how.
ever, is liable 70 DO overrAted. The
ground itselfis sufficien, security upon
which TO raise the means already at
command; aud we have been informed
by quite q number of the lot holders
that they propose to rebuild immedi-
ateIy. A few, OF course. will sue
culnb, but the majority will have their
buildings up again as soon as the ma
terials can be got on tha ground and
tho work done.
The prompt action Of the Mayor
in making provision TO relieve the i'm
mediate sufferings of those who were
rendered homeless by the FIRE, and
the alacrity with which the citizens TO
whom that duty was intrusled under.
took the task Of looking after the
sufferers, have tended greatly 70 de.
prive the coDHagration of It's most
painful feature and to encourage the
sufferers 70 exert themselves TO repair
their losses.
There Is much speculation, and in
our opinion much extravagant asser.
ton, 10 regard 10 attempts by incen-
diaries TO extend the FIRE during the
time il ragged with greatest fury.
That the FIRE was set by some person
Intentionally appears from all the facts
highly probable but that there was q
preconcerted plan entered into by q
number OF persons to destroy the
city, we think is extremely unlikely.
In the excited state Of the public
mind such story would find many
persons ready TO believe il aud to 40
cePt almost any statement tending TO
proys il true.
STATE CENTRAL ~SAaGHEETTEE.