The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-04-08

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Just ponder = liule Forty years ago
this city, (CbIcago) which nov contains
500, 600 Inhabitants, aud 10 auolher 10
, will probably contain 100000, was
! pretty lndIan trading post The business
. portion Of the city Is now II feet above
! the level Of Lake Michigan Il was iof.
! tnorly much lower, bat 10 1876 The entlte
district was raised bodily to helght of ,
feet by means Of jack screws Inserted be.
meath the houses tnd worked night aud
day by balt-lufus and With an imprceep-
tible motion. The city stands on The
ridge dividing the basin Of The Missistlppl
from that Of the St. Lawrence aud ia
surrounded by aprsirie extending sever.
al hundreds Of miles south aud west Ia
1870 The population was about 100000.
Now ponder yet Sgan. In October, 1871
Chicago was burnt up The ilre origi.
mated on a Sunday evening ina small
barn In DE koyen street, 10 the south
part Of the western division OF tho city
the proximslo cause OF the eonnagration
being the upsottng of kerosene lamp,
by the light OF which COW was being
MIXED. The kerosene was Manlua aud
The COW Cremons. The houses Ia tho
west division were mostly OF wood, aud
there were several large timber yards
along the banks of the adjacent river,
Through these the flames swept with ir-
resistlble fury, and were carried by
strong, westerly wind into tho south d.
vision, district thieky covered with
stores, warehouses and public buildings
OF stone or brick, many OF which were
erroneousy supposed to be fire proof.
| Tho fire ragged during the whole Of Mon.
day, crossing the main channel OF tho
/ Chicago river aud carrying all before II In
the northern district, which was chiefly
occupied by dwelling houses. The last
house which caught fire was reached ON
Monday morning bat the ruins continued
| TO shoulder for months afterwards. The
total area burnt up was nearly three aud
half square miles. Nearly 1900
houses were destroyed; 200 persons lost
their lives aud 200, 600 more were render.
ed destitute. Not including depreciation
Of real estate and loss Of business, the
total loss occasioned by the fire was set
down at $3.50, 100000, out OF whlcs tre-
rpendous aggregate 10000, 900 were re-
covered by insurance, although one OF
the first results Of the fro was to bankrupt
the fire Offices throughout the Union
Policies to heavy amounts were, howey-
or, held 10 English Offices, which paid
promptly.
The Liverpool aud London and
Globe, for example, are said to have die.
bursed many millions Of dollars, and the
consequence is that English fire insur.
ance companies have been doing an i'm.
mense business Ia Chicago ever since;
the western business men having showh
steps Of pArdonAble Partially to insure
their property 10 offices which do not
bust when 6re risks fall 10. Thus, on
that fatal morrow Of the DIRE might the
people Of Chicago say with Seneca, Una
dies interest iHtes maximum cfgitatem et
HUiiom. One day betwiIt great city
and none. And 80 msny grievances
from ourselves, our own iud.sereiioB aud
nordinate appetiles; one day betwixt
man and no man. Bat the parairle city
saw not the end Of her mlsefies Ia the
giant blaza Of 1871. la July 1874, an.
other great fire swept over Chicsgo, des
lro, iug Is blocks Of 60 acres Of buildings
IN the heart Of the city, and annihilaiing
over 81 900, 900 worih Of propety OI
the Saturday might preceding my arrival
berc vast range ot bonded warehouses
went up, aud one Of the headings in tbs
graphic account u The Disaster ia the Chi
cago has press ran thu; The insurance
money not beginning 30 cover the lossos.
A cheerful ptoguoslcationl But Chicago
has always proved herself equal TO the
occasion. Whether the city was TO bo
screwed up or burned up sbe had pre-
served Der high spirits and her untireInE
enterprise and 20 ahesdness. On tho
day after the FIRST fire there appeared Ia
the midst Of mass Of smouIdering ruins
pole surmounted by board on which
these words we're writ large All lost
ereep, vile, children aud energy, Real
estate sgeucy carried on ~ usual 10 tbs
next shanty And the undismayed real
estate sgeut Is sliye TO tell The isle-a
prosperous gentleman who proudly ex.
hibits the wife, children aud ensrgy
placard inlhis handsome Office. lie has
reason 70 be proud. The wonderful
prairie city bow rAuks beXt in CONNER
cia importance to New York Chicago IL
the largest grain markstand emporium 10
the wourid The pulse of Chiesgo's beard
oi the Halle anI Bles can operals. tie
trade most be felt be fore Mark Lane and
lumber trade is Tremendous. :shs EN-.
pIoy. 1000 pairs of bands 10 her iron
and sleel works, her -four mills, her cot
ton factories, her boot aHd shoe msDufGe-
tories and hef tsunsries, she slaughtered
sn1 packed 1900 go bogs aud gS 900
bead u cattle, 10 addition 10 eaiiag in.
oamefsbIe hams
a bee sting l. one fourth VI al
long. A very insiguiGssnl thing apps
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