davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17
Burlington ana LamoiIIe Railroad Company.
REPORT OF THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
Rr-RTINcToy Julv 6. 1874.

|
To HIS Honor Cabin II. Biodgett, Mayor:
SIR-The committee appointed by your
Honor in response to the following resolu-
ton of the Board of Aldermen =" Resolred,
that the communication of Hon. Horace
fairbanks, now laid before this Board, be
referred to special committee of citizens to
be designated by the Mayor, and invited to
act in the premises, and that said commit
/ tee be requested TO correspond with Mr..
Fairbanks on the subject and fully ascer-
tain and report all facts bearing on the
question, whether the proposed railroad
connection is desirable and practicable,
upon what terms and by what route can it
be best attained, and what steps if any
ought to be taken in relation to it re
specially submit the follow report:
The work of the committee has been
largely performed by various sub-commit-
tees, which have been appointed for the
sake of expediting the business in hand.
1t is not deemed necessary to give any de-
tailed account of the doings Of these sub
committees, or Of the main committee, but
to limit this report to general statement
of the work done, and of the results arrived
at.
On the 2jth Of May we addressed a letter
to Hon Horace Fairbanks, which read as
follows;
Hon. Horace Farb4nIs. Chairman Of the ErecHire
4f ia ! uf
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

ALBrRGH.-The Methodist camp-meeting
VIII be held this fall in the same grove it
was last fall. Ii is to commence September
LIST.
Rev. ". II. Hyde has gone to Round
Lake. 10 attend the eamp-meetiug held at
that place.
The Congregational, sGo.ety wifi hold
strawberry festival at their church at Al
ourgh Springs, tomorrow, the proceeds to
be used to buy an organ.
The Alburgh Base Ball Club played the
franklin club at Swanton, last Saturday.
The Alburgh boys scored IS to the Frank
Inns IS,
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

MR BEECHER's INVESTIGATION. - Mr.
Beechcr is wiser than many Of his prolc~sed
friends and advisers. Ii spite ofal that
could be said, and with great Justice. COM
} p-imentary Of Mr.. Beecher, of his claims
and his position before the world. it sill re-
NAMED trnc that the common sense of the
people required that he should take notice
OF the recent charges and destinations
against him. Not only not to do 50 would
have been wrong, but to delay doing it
would have been injurious and inadyiSable.
The di>intere>ted public, therefore. will be
glad 10 see that he actually moved 10 his
own yindication a. promptly a. circumstan-
ces would allow. having taken the initiative
for an Investigation the day after Mr.. I'll
ton : publication was made. The names of
the committee that are best known like that
OF Horace 3. Clatlin, afford a guaranty
that they are all OF high and unexception-
able standing This. at all events, is TO be
taken for granted till We have some proof
to the contrary. The combining of the in
yestigation % members of the Plymouth
Church and society i, We think, free from
objection. when all things are considered
The matter at issue Is Of special concern to
that ecclesiastical organization. and its
members have every motive to make the ey-
animation thorough impartial and unAinch-
ing. 1t is, besides. in accordance with the
Congregational polity which Plymouth
Church has peculiarly upheld in recent
well-known events - that each church or
should settle its own difficulties,
50 tar As is possible. Still, these are minor
for the consequence will merely be
70 put the COMMITTEES of inquiry and the
church, together with Mr.. Beecher before
The eyes of the community in throwing light
upon she real question at stake. II that is
seen To be fairly met and disposed Of, the
preliminaries Will be felt to be of lIttle or
40 consequence In the meantime it only
'emains TO give Mr.. Beecher the credit-to
which he Is maniiestly entitled-of trying
% bring the exact truth before the public
n the way which seems best according To
ms judgment. and TO await with patience
nd dislnterestedness the final result
'ostoH Journal.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17
ANOTHER GREAT CONFEDERATION.

ANOTHER GREAT CONFEDERATION.
CHICAGO, July II, p. m.-Another con-
Migration is raging in the heart Of the city
The fire broke out on Twelfth street at half
past four O'Clock this afternoon. At halt
past six O'Clock. The flames had made
almost clean sweep up to the corner of
Third avenue and Polk street, burning up
the homes Of thousands of people At the
above corner the fire department commenced
the process Of blowing up buildings with
gunpowder, but the buildings experimental
with were small wooden affairs and it had
only have the effect Of making quicker
blaze Of them. The wind Is blowing verv
fresh from about the south. The fire Is now
on the verge Of the fire line of our big fire,
Harrison street. The west side Of Wabash
avenue i now in full blaze, which takes
many
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

NEw YoEE, July Ij.-Special, from Chi
eago say that the fire is now completely I'M
der control and no further anxiety is felt.
The accounts Of its origin differ. Some
say that 1t commenced in the hovel OF two
Polish Jews, who are suspected ct setting
the ire to get the insurance. Other ac-
counts state that It originated in pant
mandatory.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

are on Clark street, No. j3j, which Is abou,
Twelfth street On the south. and about the
Polk street On the north. On Dearborn street
the southern limit Is near Twelfth street.
and the northern limit Polk street. The
area burned over partially covers Fiston
Square and l. about one half mile long by
one quarter wide.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17


The business portion Of the city j. most.
ly untouched. Most of the people burned
out are of the kind that don't insure. The
Relief and Aid Society fortunately have on
hand nearly $1,000. 900. and their organ
lzat0n still exists and i in working order.
The PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS BURNED
are the First Baptist Church. the post
office, the First Methodist Church. two
Jewish synagogues. st. Mary'- Catholic
church, the Davis sewing machine build
ing, Alken's theatre. Woods Hotel. Con-
iinental Hotel and the Michigan Avenue
House. In the vicinity of Polk and Tavlor
streets were innumerable den> Of infauv
the lowest in the city. Ihe-e were speedily
de>t royed, the inmates having barely
time TO escape with their lvec
Business houses Of the smaller kind
were burned to the ground and the upDer
hoors where people were tenants were
quickly depopulated. All the southwestern
portion OF the territory burned was covered
by these cheap wooden structures. which /
were standing offence and stood persist
entity IN the way of improvement.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

The latest careful estimate sets the total
loss at 4,02j 200.

DETAILED ACCOUNT oF TIE DISAsrrE.
CHICAGO, July Ij.-The following rener,l
description Of the progress Of the ire and
| the efforts OF the fire department +, rer j.
under control IS furnished bv the Tlmcs ..
Nearly east Of the shanty where the fire
originated was the large brick oil refnerv
OF Fitch brothers, the interior of which
with Its large tanks Of oil. was all ablaze
before the arrival of the second engine The
neat emitted by the burning ofits intlamma.
ole contents was intense, and when the
walls ielI but few minutes after the first
stream began to play upon ii the whole
neighborhood for a radius of thirty ro5s
around seemed to burst forth in A stimuli
taneous blaze. just north of the r,g sbor
was a story and half barn filled wirb bavF
which bazed up in an instant. the tlyin,
wiSps OF burning hay lighting on roofs
nearly block away Vita such rani1it,
did the fire spread after il w.,
discovered that two horses in tb;s
Darn were burned to death. Firb. -
Ten engines IN the first district were sneej;-
y on the ground and most of them tool
their stations on Clark street. When Mar
shai Beurer attempted to check the rnrrb-
ern spread OF the flames engine No. u ana
and '-''1 avenue I
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

lowing the same instinct of self-preseryation
by the removal of everything portable from
cellar to garrett. The destruction entailed
by this speedy and hurried exodus will
never figure among the losses sustained by
the insurance companies. Should the fire
be stayed where it now Is, considering the
area burnt over the losses to the insurance
companies are very light, although hun
dreds and thousands of families lost their
all and have been rendered homeless. As
the good suffer with the bad on many oeca-
sions. SO in this instance the bad have
suffered with the good, and probably that
section of the city would not have been
PURIFIED OF ITS sLUNs
so efiectually and thoroughly in the next 80
Years to come as it has this evening in the
space of three hours. Chicago has not only
had another big conflagration but great
publication as well, and Will in the end
be better for it.
THE TIREMES GAINING on THE FLAMES.
1870, P.M-The fight with the fire is
now on State street and Wabash avenue,
between VanBlren and Harrison streets
The flames seem to be slowly giving way TO
the persistent efforts of the tiremen and 1t
is hoped will be stayed before long. The
St. James Hotel Is the last building that has
commenced to burn, but as the fire depart
ment can concentrate their efforts on that
particular locality, the spread of the ire
will be more readily checked.
HELP FROM ABROAD.
III M.-Contrary to the hopeful expec-
tation expressed at $50 O'Clock the fire
from that time has gained upon the fire
department and in spite of all efforts by
our whole FIRE department the hire at lO5o
o'clock has progressed nOrthward and taken
in the block on the east side OF State street,
which consisted of low wooden buildings, !
and on Wabash avenue north from Harrl- I
son street one block and half, taking /
in both ends of the streets and work /
ing over along on Michigan avenue |
towards the exposition building The fire |
is at present between Van Buren, and Jack
son streets in its northern limit and burn
ing with great terceness. At present the
fire is apparently beyond the control of the
fire department and engines are on the way
from Bloomington, Milwaukee, Aurora,
Joliet, Elgin, Racine, Dixon and Amber, to
assist and il the wind does not increase or
change there is great hope that the fire
may be crowded into the lake.
NOTABLE BUILDINGS BURNED.
Among the notable buildings which have
been destroyed are the Gardner House, y.
James Hotel, Continental Hotel and Aiel-
phi Theatre. The fire was within two
blocks of the Palmer House and the con-
i very great among the guests.
The roof Of that hotel j. being protected
md every effort Will be made by the pro- ;
,rietors to save the buildings
MRS. 'LEARY's COW DIDN'r Do II.
The fire originated in the paint manuiae-
urlng shop, corner of Twelfth and Clark
treets. Some men were mixing paint and '
n explosion occurred, which ignited the j
uilding. a
THE LATEST. Z
y 30 \. N.-At l. 10 o'clock the wind >
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

IHE POLAND" LAw.-Ex GOV. Shepherd
to-day appeared before the Grand Jury Of
this district 10 procure an Indictment
against Charles \. Dana for an alleged libel
published in recent issue Of the Sun. 1t
Is understood, although the proceedings
are necessarily secret. that this Indictment
Is sought to he brought under what Is known
As the new Poland" law, recently the sub
Ject OF much discussion. Good lawyer. how
ever. say that such proceeding cannot be
had unter this law.-Specia' 10 Nor York
IuusS
The Grand Jury, as later dispatches say,
found no indictment against Dana, 50 We
shall not have, thi, t;.1e, a decision
OF the question whether or no the Poland
law, - so called, lean be made 10 affect news
paper publishers
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17
TIE DAMAGE DONE At BLUSH HOLLOW

The following Is Il later and correct state
ment OF the damage done at Blush Hollow.
or Mlddletield factory village. lust below
the broken reservoirs The large house
owned by Church and occupied BY Joseph
| King was the first one struck. the wafer
passing clear through the building and
tearing out floors and windows. The
furniture dropped into the cellar. Nearly
opposite was large house occupied bv
Alfred Bren. The food struck this
| building on one corner, cutting out the
| hrSt story from the main house entirely.
/ while the hoUr OF the second story dropped
down at one end and but for a pile of
debris which lodged near it the whole /
structure undoubtedly would have zone off =
On one SIDE OF the street an old barn. one /
house and a building formerly occupied /
a. a boarding house but recently used for
storage were swept away. nothing remain
ing but few boards Just below thor,
Is what remains of Oliver Blush'S ho,sc
One-half OF the large ell was torn off and
destroyed, and the upright portion of it was
turned round a right angles with the line /
oil the street and ahnut opposite Chureh's
store which = sui Standing, although
badly soaked wiki water ! large building
used for storing wool and containing many
hundred pounds, and horse shed attached.
were swept out Of sight. South of the store
stood the remnants Of Oliver Blush's harms
packed full of hay, the weight of which
served as an anchor to the building but il
did not prevent it from being completely
split up and broken. On the opposite side
of the stream was Oliver Blush's mill
three stories high and 80 byiO feet. When ,
the flood struck the dam Just north of il /
that gave way, letting the main stream
strike, and it disappeared like an egrsbelI
The mill had not been running fer some
time. but it contained ten sets OF old STYLE
woollen machinery and part Of the buiId-
ing was used for grist mill. Opposite on
the lett OF the street William Blush's new !.
barn received the full force of the current
which had branched toward the east and :
south. 1t was substantial structure and ;
stood the test well, only the large VIM
used as carriage house and containin9
several carriages being carried off
lew steps further down the stream
was William Blush's carriage felIoe Cd
and shaft mandatory, 20 by 40 \
eet, with an ell two stories high. This a.
good circular saw mill and a 3
arge quantity of other valuable machinery :;
The waters fairly split this mill open AT the q,
,,ottom, the dam BY the side of it going :,
Town In general ruin and the ridge Of the .,
structure dropping at the centre Only the W
II used for bending carriage work was torn y,
ID, but the entire building will have 10 he ss y,
'ulled down. Church's old mill, some dis D,
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

Il 30 a. M.-At l. 10 O'Clock the wind
being westerly the fire was confined to very
near Van BJren street, on the north Gil
bert Il Simpsons furniture warehouse on
Wabash avenue Is on fire, but with Il
fair prospect Of the flames being sub
dued The Gardner House before men
toned "a being burned should have been the
Michigan Avenue House The Gardner
House Is safe, a are also half p dozen large
stores on the east side Of Wabash avenue
south Of Van Buren, street. The building
occupied by the marble company. corner Of
Michigan avenue and Van Buren, street,
the upper stories Of which are occupied by
the art gallery. Is untouched
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

that it would work its way further
southwark, and the force there
was soon dispatched To a more
threatened point, though it wa-
not safe TO leave the whole line exposed.
~ eight O'Clock the FIRE was checked a,
O-arS street. and then there was no dan
ger it would pass westward. After rba-
the engines covered the entire field fro,n
Polk street south on Clark. around by
Twelfth street. 20 Wabash avenue. where
the engagement was growing hotter and
hotter every moment. The monster was
driven out of STATE street. the -. james
hotel being the last building 10 succumb.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

ne MEANS 0T RELIET.

Several children are supposed 20 lave
been burned 10 death.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

Gen Joseph Hooker is credited with say
ing that he Is prepared to show that the
heaviest sla5 Gen. b. F. Butler ever made
was while he was in command Of the negro
troops on the James River in Virginia. He
says that Butler issued orders at that time
requiring all the officers and men Of the
colored regiments to leave their money at
his headquarters to be taken care Of When
man was shot, Hooker says, the money
left with Butler was never heard of again.
and he estimates that the latter made at
least million dollars in this way out of the
poor negro regiments on the James. II
was with the army in Virginia." says
Hooker, 'and learned the facts about that
business, which ought to be told"
This Is very serious accusation to bring
against brother soldier, and Gen. Hooker
j. bound to produce his supposed proofs
without any unnecessary delay.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

win the advancing foe was commenced st
TINS point. Ten minutes after the fir-,
alarm the pine shanties stretching eastward
toward Fourth avenue were ali in a@mo.
lqr nearly half square. At lilo o'eloct
eIe'en minutes after the first alarm. A.si.,
.aht Marshal Sweeney turned on the sscond
alarm and engines from the greater par5 of
w south division and from several of the
west SIde engine houses Wore SOON nt
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

INTERCOLLEGIATE LITERARY TouRNAMENr-
The Intercollegiate Literary Association,
organized at Hartford. last winter. have
issued circular, announcing prize Of
honor ior the best, and an honorary men
tion ior the second best essay on either Of
the following subjects l. Any Character
or Play of Shakespeare. analyzei and criti-
ciscd. =. The Utilitarian Theory of Morals.
No essay shall exceed in length five thou
sand words. or five pages OF Haryer's Mqga-
,'l' Each college restricted to two com
peutor>. The essays arc TO be sent to Geo.
[. heo5be. = Leonard street, New York,
on or before October I, ls7l. Eleven Col
leseS are already booked to compete for the
prize> and We trust that We shall see the
names Of more than one Vermont student on
the l>t Of competitors.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

Inc neat arising from the half acre Of b,,rr,
ing pine shanties was terrible s,d ''' ~ U
breeze stltened the heat increased ~ ','
ing destruction to the dry roofs thar iav :.
the path OF the destroyer for rods abcaJ i'll
a large part of the augmented Err E.,
was concentrated on Fourth ayenre ~
way between Tavlor and Twelitb .t,a Ia
where they worked with terrible e,.-,,- -
5Iay the progress of the adyancing 80 ~ ~
IN twenty minutes after the first aI,rr, 49,,
r1ois OF buildings on Fourth aveIr, 49,
north of No. 2s5. "04en ou''ulhs'
second alarm. a It's "''eT the
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

Prof. SaEJrl, Of Chicago. who is a thor-
ousn astronomer, and Nerm1ntcr, lays
the comet will not come near Us. and that
il it does it Will not matter, As the poverty
OF Its pretensionS is only equalled by the
tenui'y Of It's tail. He thinks. however.
that these unsubstantial appendages have a
tendency TO resolve themselves into shooting
stars, some Of which may be flung about Us
IN rather uncomfortable proximity.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

The Grapl'c sums up the political situa-
ton Of the day in the following sensible
manner with such a political outlook
1t Is obviously hazardous to attempt to fore
cast results. One thing, however, is plain:
the Republican party has the field 1t has
OF late shown more than usual carnestness
and tact. Its efforts to correct mistakes
and reform abuses are received with general
favor. Its recent financial action has re-
stored it to confidence with majority of
the people. And it is safe to say that if it
act, witha reasonable degree Of wisdom.
energy and fidelity to the interests of the
nation. Its chance for continuance in power
IS better than that of any of its autago-
uist-."
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

Washington dispatches say that the state
Department ha, intelligence that the pro-
posed reciprocity treaty with Canada does
not meet with the approval Of the ministry,
and Will have to be modified before it j, ac-
cepte1 on the part of Great Britain.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17
GENERAL ALARM

WI, was sounded BY Assis,ant-AJarsbal p.-o-.,
ms last warning brought TO the snot tL.
entire th hre force of the city. At the time nf
the alarm seven of the west side $50. 49,. VI
were at a small fire on the corner of ts51
.a avenue and Twenty-second street an5
t tney were thus retarded By it nearly haitian
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

The New Hampshire Legislature refused
to pass the local option bill, by vote of
- to ia majority unexpectedly large.
The result was received with prolonged ap-
plause by the House, to which the galleries
responded and the ladies waved their hand
kerchiei-.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17

s"AkA OF FALLEN WOMEN,
iaueh down with wardrobe and furniture.
were ripe Tor destruction, and no sooner
had the torrents of water extinguished tho
hre In one building than the roofs of the
tinder-bo still further to the north would
burst into flames. But most of the marshall
attention was directed to the front of the
nre and every energy was exerted to stav
Its eastward march, At the corner of IT,
Tor street and Fourth avenue every eff,1t
was made to keep the fire on the west s;ds
OF the avenue, but the driving wind was
laden with burning brands, which IN on
roofs beyond and ''' on
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17
AN ENGINE DESTROYED.

In less than halt an hour the engines tbat
we're posted on Fourth avenue directlv in
ane path OF the fire were compelled to retrea
ana all succeeded in getting away excen,
engine company No. II, the colored GONNA.
~ Vi Ine force, who delayed minute too
long, and the flames bursting mon - w
before they had attached horses 10 the on"
gihe they were compelled to abandon r.
and the handsome steamer was wsrned
anu twisted into mass of iron and steel
nall melted in the fiery furnace.
!, Inc hre had swept diagonally across the
Diock, to the corner of Taylor street and
!ISourthayenue ,andwas rapidly eating it, wav
through the remainder of the block front.
ing on Clark and Taylor streets. The mar
shall stationed number of e,s;na M ~,
Clark street, and every effort was made 70
70 stay the northern progress of the flames
along that thoroughfare, bat the sbanties
from which poured forth a
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-17
rIRE WAS N us Glory.

Two-stOry frame was the rule and substan-
tial structure the exception The flame
had leaped from building to building. now
and then skipping a structure. but never
neglecting to bring up the rear and make
clean work Of it. The most that could he
done was to prevent the fire from Spreading
southwark, and it was ACCOMPLISHED (
steamer was started at Harrison c,nrt
which forms nearly the southern limit IN
State street. and the b0ys connected witI
IL did