New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-01-11
WHAT HAS BEEN LOST AND LEARNED.


WHAT HAS BEEN LOST AND LEARNED.
A REVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF THE FIRE on
THE BUSINESS OF BosToN-THE ULTIMATE
RESULT TO THE INTERESTS INVOLvED-AN-
NUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
BOARD OF TRADE.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
BosTON, Jan. 0.-The Secretary OF the Bos-
ton Board of Trade. Mr.. Hamilton A. Hill, has just com
peted his annual report and will publish il on Saturday
The annual meeting Of the Board was held yesterday
but the report, being then completed, was not pre-
sented The report has been compiled with much care
is thorough and exhaustive. refers 70 the condition
OF business interests the time Immediately preceding
the fire. 10 the fire itself in it, relations 70 the business
Of the city and to the duties Of business men in relation
70 the fire andhts results.
The valuation OF real and personal estate on the lst
day Of May last given by the City Assessor amounted
TO sCs272L3OO. This indicated increase during the
preceding year OF upward Of s70OOOO sum equal to
the entire valuation OF Boston in 1888 The increase for
the decennla period which ended in May last was more
than slOOOOOOO at the rate Of about slOOOoO per
annum The increase, therefore, for the year Is1T2
was rs per cent in advance OF the average
annual increase during the preceding ten
wears The record shows that there was q gain
on both personal estate and real property In every one
Of the 6 wards the city. This believed TO have been
almost II not altogether unprecedented The gain In per
about S22O0OCo The total in exact figures was S7oO5o
75O The gam 1870 TO 1872 upward OF Ss 100000
The total valuation Of the city has doubled since 1861
and the valuation OF the real estate since 1866 IL should
be remembered that the calculation of last May gwen
above placing the taxable value of the property in Bos
ton at nearly s7O OOOOOO is for municipal population Of
about quarter OF a million Of people, and not for our
metropolitan population OF half million.
In relation 10 commerce, the foreign connections OF
Boston have been made still more complete than they
we're in 1871 larger number OF ocean steamers arrived
and departed from Boston during 1872 than in any pre-
vous year. Through the fundamentally Of the Board
ARRANGEMENTS have just been completed for line Of
steamships from London and Boston, start early this
wear. To accommodate the Canadian trade they will
call at Portland for while. The dutiable value of for
eign merchandise imported into the port OF Boston
during year 1872 about s72OOOOOO against less
than s62OOOOoO in 1871, and s4s5OoOOO in 1870. This
shows gain OF one-sixth during the last II
months, and of 80 per cent on the last two
years The exports from Boston to foreign
countries during 1870 amounted 10 about s235OOOOO
against s95OOOOO in 1869, and sl2OO00O I'm 1870 This
shows gain OF 20 per during the last year and OF
more than per cent since 1870 The gain IN the entire
foreign trade of port during the last two years has
been Gs per cent.
since the United States tax upon sales taken of
IL has impossible TO arrive at close estimate OF the
general commercial transactions OF the city These
amounted s9OO0OOOO in 1867 and assuming that our
domestic trade has increased since that time IN the
same proportion as foreign commerce. 1t is fair in
ference that the former amounted to s1O10OOOO0 or
$1,000 100000 In 1872
The most important event in connection with trans
portatiOn interest which has recently taken place the
opening OF the Union Freight Railway, which occupies
the tracks Of all the principal railway lines terminating
in Boston with each other and with all the principal
vharyes in the city. The railway supplies equal faci
tiles for cheap easy transit and ransnpment In the
cifv proper with which have been enjoyed IN East
Boston since year 1868 No city the country per
hans none in the world. says Mr.. Hill, possesses such
/ conveniences for moving merchandise from place to
place within Its limits from one railway line TO another
and from railway trains vessels. the reverse, as
BOSTON now favored with The report notes consider
able addition the elevator and storage room. IL looks
for the completion the H0Osac Tunnel this and
immense advantage To the Western trade of Boston -
| a result
Tie great FIRE and It's relations 70 the business OF
Boston are treated some length II Is especially reh
in statistics founded accurate inquiry close est
mate The report shows that the value OF the property
destroyed was out OF all prOpOronto the extent OF tine
land burned and a. compared with other great fires IN
other cities The Chicago fire Of 1871 burned over 2oO
acres. and the total loss si96O0OOoo OF whlch
ss3OO00O0 estimated the value OF tho buildings
and 900 as that OF the merchandise and PERSONA
effects destroyed. The connagration In PoruAhu
in 1896 covered 400 acres. aud destroyed VrVV