The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-07
our Losses BY Fire.

In the A0etfAct WnlCn VIC pupnbneu
from Mr.. ALIuoN's expedition Of the
financial condition Of the country, q few
days sgo, he spoke Of the present busI-
ness depression as being the result Of &C
tual pecuniary exhaustion consequent
upon the losses entailed by the war. It
would be an interesting addendum TO the
loses growing out Of the war II We could
know Just what has been the lcss by
means Of FIRE and water since the close
Of the war. We know in q general way
that It has been immense, but just
how muchihas never yet been figured
out We know that cities have been
burned, like Portland, Chicago and Bos-.
ton, and we can compute the direct losses
resulting therefrom. But there Is an Incl.
dental loss attending each one Of these
grand casualties that Is also i'm.
msnse.i Who can tell US what the
country has lost in wealth by the diver.
sion from productive channels Of the army
OF laborers that has been required to re-
build those cities. Perhaps hundred
thousand laborcrs, on an average, have
been kept busy ever since the war in re.
pairing losses by are. The countEY=haS
lost, in addition to the loss Of aecumu-
lated capital, Just what these men would
have created in the way of new wealth.
There . scarcelya day in which serious
losses are not reported by fire. Every
such FIRE wipes out not only so much
ability, already existing, to bear the bur-
dens ofnAtional and municipal indebted.
ness, bat cuts Of the amount that would
have been added TO this existing accumu.
lahon, and thus the sword Of destruction
smites US with both edges. For instance,
owing to the use Of ire-crackers In
Allegheny City on last Saturday, eighty
houses valued at quarter OF 81
million Of dollars, were burned. This Is,
In the hrst place, loss of that much sur
plus wealth that was productive to the
community. It bore its share in all
manner Of taxation, and lightened the
burdens OF other property just that much.
Now It ceases to bear its former burdens,
and consequently the deficit must be pro
rated upon other property. Bot this Is
not all, nor near all, Of the loss entailed.
In case the vacant ground is rebuilt upon,
!tmust divert surplus capital from some
other channel, where 1t was earning
wealth. In addition, 1t must divert thou.
sands Of mechanics and laborers from
other channels, whele they were creating
original wealth, and employ them In
replacing simply the status quo. These
men must be supported In all
they eat and wear, and nust be paid be.
side, for simply masking good the loss in.
Cured through the explosion of fire.
cracker. We can hardly estimate the
direct and indirect loss resulting to com.
munity, and, remotely to the whole
country, byA great fire. In view of the
far reaching nature Of such calamities
would 1t not be wise in all cities to alb
solutely prohibit the use Of fireworks.
It Is computed that over half a million
dol!sra worth Of property was burned up
last Saturday by this agency alone. This
means that more than million Of wealth
has been absolutely sacrificed, directly
and indirectly. No wonder the country
Is brought to the verge Of pecuniary ex|
haustion by the constant recurrence OF
such destructive visitations. We create
wealth in the shape Of immense crops and
we .lose 1t in the way Of immense fires.
If we were not SO deplorsbly in debt
as q people these heavy and constant
Losses would not tell upon Us as
they do. We could afford 10 burn up
city now and then In order to
show how soon We can rebuild It.
But our present condition does not admit
Of any such waste and extravaganza at
this time. The future of our immense
Iudebtednessis Is an unsOlved problem, and
cannot be triAsd with. Every dollar Of
accumulated capital and every dollars
worth Of productive labor arc needed in
order TO solve the problem on the side Of
the punctusl payment Of our liabilities. 1t
becomes every community, therefore, to
exercise due diligence in order to prevent
the occurrence oiAuch devastating calam.
itles as betel Allegheny City on Saturday.
XXI \ u Hf 30 O.
A nupATcr from Rslbroro IN Fstbo,