, 1874-07-15
YESTERDAYS FIRE.
a Cheap Penalty for Amazing
Folly.

Folly.
Chioago mas almost burned up again last
evoning, but did finally oBcape. Every cool
headed opuorvor Of tho conaagration must have
<olt that 10 have paid light penalty for allow
Ing our magnificent businesa-cautte to be sur
rounded with wooden rookeries. TIE haze como
Of cheap. Tho great, gided martyr, around
which the fagots have boen 80 profusely piled,
his not yet been burned to doath. Perhaps thls
small caanity will show us how to saro it-psr-
hapn not. There are now homo si1ty acres Of
burned territory botweon tho fagota md tho
Victim. This gap may be tho moans OF aa7lng
rhnt IL left. II 80, lot us think God.
Ths prodestined fato OF sTerJ wooden
building In largo city IL to be
bnrned somo time. Wo havo now offered
up sixty aores Of our combuatlble1
~ sacrifice to tho geniua Of free inntitusions-
meaning thereby the freedom Of every man to
keep = tlndor~bo1 md All obligatory whore 1t
suits him beat. Would that wo could uay this
ia tho last OF such mad folly. It is not Chicago
still has thousands upon Thousands Of wooden
shantles to feed future fires and 60 down thoy
will all in good timo. Tho utmost We
can do ls to prevent our ssono snd
briok edi1cea from gong down too. There is
nothing like experience to toaoh us how to
build, and whore to put our property. There
u nothing like experience to tell the insurance
companies what kind OF riskb to take. 1'hoy
ought not to wrlto policy on any now wooden
Building in Chicago. They ought not toinuuro any
old Wooden building for moro than half itavaue.
They should mako tho ownora Of auch buildiugs
lnhurs themselyos to tho extent of 90 per cent.
They ought to demand tho control Of thu Fire
Department and organize 1t on busiueaa princi-
plss. But they are supposed to bo well-gov-
srned financial corporations, and to know what
they ara about. We hops they do, but NO can
not aoe tho evidence Of IL in tho ashes ct this
aonhagrattou.
This fire originated In dist1lot conpaotly oc-
supied by peraons aud fanailioa Of humble cir
oumatanoes, and WHO have been left destitute
andhomoleas. It swept the district in which tho
]arRor portion of tho colored population Of tho
city raa located. It awopt away tho ho,nes and
furniture OF many hundredn Of othor familoa
who vers dependent on tholr daily earninga.
Al thene familioa thus rendered homeless mud
destitute will feel eroat burden Of dlatrcss. No
do not lndarrata the loss Of property but no
repeat that to-day thero will be many hundreds Of
xamillea homeless and destitute, and uho will
asand soroly IN nooa Of the holping hand oi tAeir
more Eostunats fellov-c!tlzcns. Ths wisdom Of
the action Of the Relief aud AID sooiety in refus-
Ing last wlntor to surrender thsir funds and dis
tribute thom among the Commnniats,' In nhoun
In tho feet that the fund In their hands 10 non
available for tho relief Of theao people, aud oi
ths other dostitutea during tho coming winter.
Like tbs fire OF 1871, thin owed ita magnitude
Ia tAs ready fuel Of aii kinds Of wopaan buildings
thaslay In tho path OF the 0rs anl in front Of at
southwest braoze. 1t originated In district ol
narrow atroets, and wlers tho indammabls build
inga MORE stored with raga, paper, lard, and ths
various compounds denomlnatod oil. In oloHt
proximity to sll thssa buildings we're m lndoR-
nito number Of barns, cow-housos, carpenter
shopa, and every description Of wooden structure
Into which human beings aud dumb boasts couls
b. crowded. Fed At the start NTH tho oontent
Of IN obligatory, the fire rtHhcd upon tho fns
spread out before 1t, defying all human effort tt
asrest It. Dy tho tims It xoaohel stats stree
tha shsst Of flame, driven by tho gale
mas kreoistiblo. II was not until tn
fro rszchsd Harrison strost, rhsrs II me
tho now built diatrlot, that II received any check
but eyoa hare NO great was Its force xnd y
large it, bseast, sh4t It extended down Btat
street and Wabash avsnua several blocks. I'll
resistance furnished BY brick vallu TO IRE troz
without, and ptoycution Afforded by like walls t
isa communication NTH otAora, anAblol tho fire
men hsrs To make greater impression Oh Il
II W. curious to note tLAt tho pinels block Ill
w rost.o oftlas, whloh wsrA Ill Tint ssoapad Ill
a. xnxtA II uAs1tGaa stsa.t b iii. xsss s'noa