New-York tribune., 1874-07-16
THE CHICAGO CALAMITY.
Continued from First Page.

the OF so per cent. They ought to demand the
control OF the re department and organize 1t on busi-
principles But they are supposed 20 be well gov
erned financial corporations and know what they are
about We hope they do but We cannot see the evidence
We PAID s0000O01 in 1871 for TINS policy, and yester
days D with its attendant array OF human suffering,
destitutOn and perhaps in some cases death II now 10
ne aided Some years ago a weak Common Council aud
weak Mayor consented that all the wOOleD tenements
in the South Division should be hauled through the
and repanted south Of Harrsou.st. These
buildings were packed 30 closely that dozen were often
placed upon a single lot. They thus admirably
disposed knding wood 10 feed any fire that might
take that path These houses were in the way Of ycstsr
day fire and IL not for the distress and loss
occasoned to the tenants, their destruction would ne
FORTH Will justify or tolerate the erection OF
frame bniltnG. for any purpose, within tho limits OF he
city of Chicago. 1t cruelty 10 the class IN whose
behalf this KIND OF buildings is claimed as a benefit
The average life OF a frame building may be almost
exactly compute and Its destruction by Dire Is inevlia
be That escaped general coDlagraton even
more extensive than that OF 1911 was due to the act
north OF Harrsonst, the supply OF frame buildings
failed. Had the rebuilt district contained alternate
houses OF wood as IN Sl IT would have gone as lar as
that
terms the management of the Fire Department The
leader of The Chicago Times the fire is entitled;
THE Cost of IncOmpetency." The editor says:
In October 1871 Chicago paid s2O0OcOOOO because Of
the lnethclency OF Fire Marshal Williams. Thensthe
alrest portion OF Chicago was devOured by flames hat
their incpiency could have been easily quenohed;
but, after they had passed certain boundary. became
very fiery furnace, burning with ungnenchabe fufy'
against which the hand OF man poweriess 10 con
tend To-day called upon to record another ca
amlv, only less magnitude tnan the first, because OF
short time that has elapsed since he cty was swept
by the destroying element This. Is attributable 10
the neifcency Of the Fire Department under FIRE Mar
shal Benner.
The editor then desimates several points at which
the fire might have been stopped by properly-di-
rected efforts of the fremen, and accuses them of
expending all their energies to save the Old rook-
cries that were already half demolished and allow
ing the flames to reach forth Tor new victims. he
then continues:
The fire is the worst possible commentary on the Fire
Department and ITS head. That such cOn1agrdtlOn
could occur, originating III broad daylight III close prOS
lmlty 10 the eh-lne-hOlses ~ aInost a
would hardly have been believed we had not aTTauy
su leut proofs Of the utter incompeency OF the fre
Marshal aud The worse than wortiessness OF MS SUD
In the failure 10 start the alarm IN seasOn
the neglect OF The engines To respond promptly h1er
siguai given, i'll the failure 10 nave suicleut
force hand at the proper time, ana III the gtheI
inlsmanagement that characterized the swOrk OF the
force. demonstrated the absolute, alIprevadlhS
and radical iueicieucy aud decentralization OF the Fire
Department. the Chief Marshal down 10 the lowest
pipe-uau. II tue gross mlsmanagelncnt Witnessed ht
nearly all the lesser fires Of the past SIX months were
executive ability OF Fire Marshal Beuner. thls vide
spread devastation OF Yesterday ana last h-h' ihEO
M loss OF millions, VIII be proof positive VI the Iac
The Inier- ocean says:
There was no lack appliances with which 10 fight
FIRE. tiuderDox character OF the buildings III me
rnu-e flames rendered the efforts OF the nfeneh
little avail and again, II Is just 10 say OF the fc
Department that fought the IRE desperately u
fought II III the face IL dld not even attempt 10 ndhA
IT, II might have wiser have done so. SO FAR as
"a determined haud-tO-haud encounter Is concerned IL
coud not have done better No buildings were blown
up. IT, the lOukerOn 10 appeared tnat tDe nte might
nave been headed OF by the heroic methou OF pulhs
down ana blowing up buildings at some distance nom
ana IN the line OF course of the cOnhagrdtOn But
perhaps uses criticism whcn can Oe nade Is that
quae task Of graphing with great connagraon
under fuIl headway.