The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-01
AMONG THE ASHES.
Boston the Day After the Con-
nagratiOn.
The Sad Scene Of DesolatiOn by Night
and by Day.
Thrilling Description Of the Terrible
Battle with the Flames.
THE CITY C AL M.
THE CITY CALM.
Correct List Of Losses, Insurance and Build
iDgS Destroyed.

boston, May 81, 1873.
Boston has received another serious lesson. BY
and by she may be induced by force OF crcum-
stances and the inev table enlightenment OF cxpe-
Yience to abandon her semmedeval characteristics
and recognize the lofty strides of the nineteenth
century in respect to certain matters, one or the
most i.lportcnt OF which is architecture. The
great Ore OF yesterday, which only by chance was
supdued before 1t had accomplished the same fear
1ui extent OF ruin that OF last November will
undoubtedly serve to teach practical phi
s0sophy which the Hub OF the Universe has
heretofore been ignorant of-the philoso-
ply OF common sense. city with such
narrow and devious streets might wen be sur
prise to the stranger travelling IN the New World
although he would not wonder at them IN Seville
and other towns that are now lovely remnants Of
the OLD ages in Europe. But Yankee ingenuity has
mastered the petty details OF inventive progress
without apparently comprising those greater
problems which involve at once such immense
liability or gain loss. Boston. although built for
fhe major part OF hard. durable brick and stone,
has been atterly found TO be one Of the cities OF
this Continent most vulnerable to the terrific and
dreadful assaults OF fire. And wonder. The flames
once started leap easily from roof to roof and from
wall to WALL and the stupidity alone OF the original
builders " too late discovered to be the fatality
which proves SO dangerous to the interests OF the
modern community. The confagration of yester-
day assumed its dreadful dimensions for the reason
that the streets were too narrow to afford
. barrier to
THE WILD FURY OF THE FLAMES
which sprang with sardonical spendor from build
Ing to building, as If those structures had been
purpOsey placed in ready juxtaposition, like the
fagots In pile OF kindling wood ready for the
TORCH The tall solemn looking architecture Of the
Business portions Of the city has the outward
asupct Of pxtrama sOIiltv and invfpcihilitv. hut
the fact is now sadly known that these fanlts OF
construction are such as to render them at times
absolutely defenceless against the unsuitable appe
tite OF fire. Only almost superhuman efforts have
now saved the city from q confagratOn as vast as
that OF November and the future can only reveal
how soon the same terrible peril will again become
imminent.
The excitement over the events OF yesterday is
now confined almost entirely to those individuals
who have been personally injured by the whiins
the terrible purpose of the flames. To-day business
goes smoothly in It's routine course and the city
wears its unrufiied and commonplace appearance,
except IN that
BLACKENED BLOT OF DRsoLATIoN
in its southern quarter, where the fire was The
picture Is far less startling than that presented by
the old burned district, when the clouds, risen
from the freshly wrought ruin, first faded away
and revealed TO view in the CHASTITY light of the
nants OF fallen grandeur. The smaller extent
Of the property scorched and withered up in this
visitation does not, however, cause the impression
Of horror at its terrible desolation to be less than
awful and painful. The scene is sad ana sickening
In it's bet0kenng Of the dreadful destruction that
came almost in moment upon the mountains OF
successful endeavor which has cost so much OF in
dustriOus thought and hard-earned money The
boundaries Of the fire are not OF Insignificant ex-
tent. The picture of ruin and waste begins at the
corner of Baylston and Washington Streets and ex-
tends to Avery street and Hayward place and from
Bumstead court and Haymarket place to Bremmer
place. Within this region, though it's outline is
somewhat irregular, the whole story may be CEN
Ceived at glance. Ragged, broken walls stand in
bold and sulen relief amid the thick masses Of
crumbed debris that, on all SIDES cover lhe earth.
These stern and CHASTITY spectres OF what grandeur
and splendor existed few hours ago convey a
shuddering impression to the heart OF the benolder
The cracked and
TREMBLING REMNANTS OF WALLS
are variegated in hue, blackened in places by the
smoke or encrusted with hard covering OF gray
lava, created by the melting, under the Internal
heat, OF the hardest mineral substances used In
architecture. Deep CULTS, with Jagged Overhanging
edges half filed with disordered debris, mark the
existence Of the immense vaults over which stood
the great buildings that have been ruthessly lev
elled by the destroying flames At the corner OF
Hayward place ana Washington street, the site OF
The magnificent warehouse OF Chickering 4 Sons,
manufacturers Of pianos, scene peculiarly pic
turesque was presented last night. A single
wall, fifty feet in height, long at the base,
but tapering sharply but irregularly to a point,
sto0d in solitude amid field Of as complete de-
struction as ever human eye looked upon. Like a
Titan, grand and unmoved in the obiteration OF
his race, it Swallowed the dreary scene around it.
On the other side OF Washington street some OF
the buildings are left with portions OF their four
walls stin standing, dismantled Of roofs, cornices
and window frames and their ornamentation
blemished by the intense heat The streets in
THE BURNT REGION
were last night crowded with great blocks OF mar
ble and piles Of brick plainly telling OF the dread
fui crash OF the great masses that occurred when
they fell beneath the swift breath OF the remorse.
less heat. walk though this region at midnight
was thrilllng in interest. Few people were abroad
besides the custodians OF the public safetv-the
nremen, the militia and the police. Their lines
were tightly drawn around the burned district and
bayonets cleaned brightly out OF the dark shadows
Of the streets. The sentinels were quickly passed
after the presentation Of bit OF Official paste
board. This incident was strongly remindful OF
similar ones during the November fire. AS the
burned district was entered the presence OF ruin
was peculiarly vivid, because OF the strange con-
trast between the impression it produced
and that which mad previously been felt
silently from the clear heaven. The very
hight which they shed, so pure and fair In Its
siivery brightness, gided strangely the gaunt
outlines OF the scene. The tops and jagged edges
of the distorted monuments OF destruction that
stood on, every hand, reaching deep into the dim
space OF night seemed TO have been cha nged Dy
she invisible necromancy OF nature into wierd
and striking beauty. Under some OF the dark
arches that were still standing glowed
THE RED sMoULpERING FLAMES,
now harmless and left 70 die among the ashes OF
their own making. Pickering CLEANS OF light
were thown against the remaining upright rag
ments OF ruined walls, and sometimes strange
shapes were distinctly Swallowed thereon, indug-
ing ~ grotesque and mysterious gesture, an mex
plicable and
GH0sTLy PANT0MIME
enu Increased the awe already inspired In the
spectator. Watchmen dotted the whole extent OF