Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11
Mr.. A. ]. Boyer.

forget the expression that came over that
mans face. His house was one block
away and was certainly doomed as
though 1t had already been burned to
cinders in the flames.
God, man. he snarled. the dyna-
hitting has been tried and has failed.
They have blown up a square of houses
and it has only added to the flames
Pushed back, back. back by the steady
advancing of the relentless fire. we moved
toward the west side of the city, and
then, for the first time. I appreciated the
fact that it was only a question of hours
before the Chicago Ledger, my only pos
session. my one asset. would go as
everything else had gone, to make fuel
for the greedy flames. For a moment
the very thought that the paper to which
I had buried all my money was to be
wiped out stunned me. I could not real
ize that what had q few hours ago ap-
peared to be SO safe and assured would
my widest dreams, had never anticipated.
1 ran to my office and there. gathering
few reporters together, with my faithful
city editor, Mr.. Hoyt. fled to the little
next three days was spent alternately be-
tween the outer edge of the fire and the
new home for my publication. I fought
to keep those flames back as a man will
fight when he realizes that If he Is con-
quered his every possession will be lost.
I do not know now how I stood that
strain I did not sleep and / scarcely
stopped to eat. Blackened. disheveled.
worn in every nerve. would toll YEARLY
to my Office to write the last news from
the front.
lon the second day my office was de-
stroyed, burned down as everything else
had been that was In the path Of that
destructive conflagration, but in the
meantime 1 had won an honor that was a
consolation to myself at least, even
though 1t should never be appreciated by
my fellow men. It was I who had Tor
three days given Chicago its only news
new Ledger, printed in little job print
ing shop. with type intended for adver-
Using and handbills was the only edi-
ton that kept Chicago informed accu-
rately as to the progress OF the fire and
the damage done"
Fire Was an Education.
"Are you sorry" Mr.. Boyer was asked.
that you were there at the time of the
f1re?'
NO" he replied. mot sorry. for feel
that had It not been the Chicago fire it
would have been something else.
II learned more and I saw more in
the hours Of that fight against flames
than / shall ever hope to learn and see II
live to be twice my present age. I lost
all that had, but I won for myself
reputation which value more than did
my newspaper. and then-well. there was
the fire, you know-and a man could at
ford to pay a good deal to have front
seat at that fire"
do you believe" he was asked. that
such a fire as that could occur in Chicago
now?"
II don't think so,'' he replied, although
that is a question that no man can
answer Fires like that seem to be the
will of One beyond us. We prepare an
water plugs and think we are safe. and
then when the time comes, we find that
the pipes are broken that the water sup
ply is low that the wind Is strong, and
that we are helpless"
Man proposes and God disposes," sug-
gested the interviewer.
Exactly" said Mr.. Boyer, land per-
haps it is well for us that God uses His
own methods to dispose of certain unde-
sirable things which we have built. Had
it not been for the fire at Chicago doubt
that she would have been the beautiful
city that she is today"
"And you think that the San Francisco
fire will result In the rebuilding of San
Francisco, and that Baltimore will be
improved by the great fire which occurred
in that city.
San Francisco. undoubtedly" he re-
piled 1.-THE Baltimore fire was more
local in its character, but even there. the
improvement will be noted. In both
cities, as in Jacksonville and in all other
cities where serious CONGREGATIONS have
occurred, the rebuilding will be done on q
much grander scale. Therefore. it does