The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-09-23

ground ara uOing everything possible.
There is considerable excitement among
the people.
The FIRE started in the hay depot Of the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad
Newburg street and Railroad crossing, in
the west DIVISION and burned in north
east direction, passing dogoDally across
some four blocks to point about one and
a BALI miles distant, in Il straight line
from the court house, or the center Of tho
business portion Of the city,
The locality where it originated ia built
almost entirely of wooden buildings main.
y dwelling OF the smaller class. The 10.
coiiy Of the fire aud the direction Of the
wind are nearly the same as those Of
the fire two years ago. Many Of the peo-
pie living on the line Of the fire, packed
up their household possessions, and re-,
moved them to place Of greater safety.
LATER.
y dispatch from a city telegraph office
near the scene Of the fire, says it is now
under control and that it is believed it
will be prevented from spreading further.
No estimate Of the loss can be made at
this writing.
LATEST.
The fire is now under complete control.
The loss in the aggregate is quite light
for the space burned over, as over two
hundred houses have been destroyed. The
loss to the poor people rendered homeless
however, is severe. The prairie west Of
the fire is covered with household goods
BeooKsvILLE, Sept ID 1873.
Mr.. Editor 1t is wonderful to note
how II comparatively iow leading minds
manufacture opinions and sentiments Tor
the world at large, present and sustain
theories and dogmas for the multitude to
digest very muck 81 which. 10 doubt,
Is received and endorsed without severe
criticism 1t is difficult to estimate the
influence oxcrted by the press in mould.
ing and enlisting popular sympathy, or
in exciting the most intense contempt aud
adherence.
So easily is thoughtlcss world carried
by this mighty engine, that no position is
secure ii attacked. 1t can dethrouo mon.
arcbs and cause republics to fall. The
pen is mightier than the sword. Through
the press, truth and error are alike dis.
seminated, and swallowed with euual
relish. Very many no doubt lack the
ability to detect defects in what appears
reasonable and readable. But large
proportion Of mankind are too indoleut
to think for themselves, and willingly
borrow the base for their opinions, and
cordially float with the current. Some
times eminent persons possessing superior
abilities, who have subjected themselves
to deep thought, and flooded the literary
world with original IDEAS are indebted to
others for thought aud suggestions that
form the groundwork Of their own pri-
waite decisions and beliefs, very few are
SO conceitcd that they do not entertain
preference Tor the views of another and a
conscious distrust Of their own.
How much is written prompted by
some undue excitement or perhaps for
diversion or to crafty some morbid pro-
pensity, which the author admits TO his
own conscience is uDtenablc. Yet these
thoughts and ideas sown broadcast take
root aud arc handed down to postcri,y for
truisms and adopted as such Tho repu-
ta,ion Of the author does much to favor
our literature. Sumo possess populari.
ty that allows chem to promulgate dan
gerous sophisiry a.d deduct logical
conclusions from false premises with but
little opposition thus insiluously poison
INK public sentineu with error. Oncc
committed to an opinion we are apt to
reject everything that conflicts with it,
aud swallows with avidity whichever con.
Grms our prcjudices, cfiectually barricad-
iug cur minds from truths that might
otherwise onlishten US. Every thing we
read, no matter how plausible in appear
ancc, should be weighed with candor.
OBSERVER.