, 1875-07-11
SCARCELY ANYTHING

can be said concerning rebuilding On this stze..t-
It presents almost the identical appearance that
it wore tbs day after the FIRE. Broken walls,
twisted columns. henps Of fractured stone and
brick, still hold undistu1bcd possession. More
oyer, there seems no disposition to dlsplace
these unaightly 1uius by any building opesA:iono-
The avenue, IN fact, is evidently dead for
the present as far, At least, as its
burnt dIssrict ia concerned, and will not be moved
terEnined than now. At present its future Is .
matter Of great uncertainty. Experience gAned
after the fire Of 1871 taught that 1t was not
desirable Us business street south OF FanBaaresi
and it is yet questionable it it ia valuable a
residence district. It's palmy days arc gone. ard
at no place north Of Twenty-second street <!oes
it possess It's oldtime vaiue and responsibility.
Hence there has been
NO DISPOSITION TO nEHcnD.
The prices OF its real estats hare 30 greatly
declined, and the probability il 40 strong thaa
buildings, il erected will stand untenanted, ;llas
none OF the propecty-owners will hazard au in
rest1nent. How long this state Of things will
exist, AID how long lta ruiua will CONTINUE to
cuntor tho ground and distress shs eyo a1-e
didieas questions to zuswG. Unlcss
business shows stronger disposition
than now to drift touthward the avenue may not
be rebuilt for sayera} yeArs. There Id, hoIeveT.
slight feeling in favor Of building it III With
residences suitable for boarding -housea. which,
Ue3uS EtufCu4euk ~ LILO 0A64ACao HAAA t&Aa - -
thought would be patronlzed by clerks and buai-
meas men. II this sentiment gains the day. II
nag result il restoring this portion OF tina ave
nue. in very much tho same style It presented
before the fire.
=" FHg LAST CoSFLAGRlT1oN
began its work On Wabash avenue. vt NJ. 47J,
and was not stayed until It reached Van Barren
street. In certain portions OF its path tanre
we're come fins residences, and the street uas
still pervaded with an aristocratc Air. Lower
down, where business had pressed IN after tho
fire Of 1871, the buildings, once lesdeucea o.
soma pretension, had been turned into stcred
and Offices Many Of them had been deserted
by the firms that occupied them while tho re-
building OF the city vas going on !; but os tho
time OF the July fire \ business savor still c!ung
to than. Between Hubbard court and the starr
ns-point OF that fire, however. several nota-
hle churches aud stylish dwellng-houa lent
considerable dignity aud rospec:abl1ity to the
street.. This fact is responsible. no doubt, for
the want Of disposition to rebuild. The street
h4d lost much OF it's caste aristocratic Ees'-
dence quarter; aud, after being burned out she
property-owners we're 1t liberty to saek mo<9
fashionable neighborhoods. There is, therefore,
scarcely auy rebuilding to note. Moat ot the
work has been in the way OF
HEPAIRIyo Eu1LDTNOs
but partially destroyed. At the corner Of Peck
court cheap ROW Of brick residences. three
story and basement, Rre erecting. At the co1ner
Of Harrison fine dve-story business block la
putting up These constitute the eptire bnil1-
ing operations On the street. Several bus:u.sss
blocks At ths lower end OF the fire, which vel ~
damaged haye been repaired