Year: 1872

MUNICIPAL MEASURES.
Mass Meeting Of the Citisens To-Day To


Adept Resolutions Asking for Action


by the Governor and Legislature-The


Credit or Boston Aor the Alleviation or


the FinaAcial Distress - Interviews


with tho Mayor and the Chief En-.


gineer OF the Fire Department-How


His Force Was Managed During the


Season OF Horror-The Plans for Re-


building the Burned Region and Re.


suscitsting the Business or the Hub.


BOSTON, Nov. ~, 1872.


The terrible excitement that was raging in the
city on Sunday and Monday has at last reached
pause Everybody whom one meets has an
appearance Of calmness and composure which
seems in comparison very singular and almost un-
natural. Although the minds Of the citizens have
not yet recovered fully nom the shock OF the great
calamity they seem now to be stunned into
strange quiet by the magnitude ana intensity OF
the terror and horror, the remembrance OF which
is like that OF mad and distorted dream The full
extent Of the loss s now beginning to be definitely
realized and when this is done the panic win in all
probability be renewed and win mount to its
highest pitch. The dreadful view Of thousands OF
individuals within and without the circle OF the
hideous nre win be terribly apparent.


PkOFFERS OF HELP ARE POURING IN
from all parts Of the country, and this event
promises to call forth greater exhibitions Of
sympathy and generosity than even the devasta-
ton Of Chicago, which was more terrible in the
destruction Of human lives and Of human habita-
tons. People at . distance seem more able to
fully picture to themselves the sad results OF the
loss Of 80 many millions to those Immediately inter-
ested and that need Of succor which here IL not
yet felt In all It's intense significance. The vision
OF the fiery tempest just past s too palpaby pres
ent to admit yet Of Q genuine sense OF the duller
pains Of grief and want which, soon enough, win
follow on its track Of ruin and ashes. The munich
pal onacers, however, seem fully


AROUSED TO THE RUGENCrEs OF THE MOMENT,
and are engaged in planning the best and most
proper means for alleviatng the suffering and ruin.
Evidently they have gone about the work with the
most praiseworthy energy.


To-day at eleven O'Clock walked through the
shifting and eager throng that nils Court square
hourly to the door Of the City Hall, where passed
several groups Of military and police onicers on
duty. The yard had beer made bivouac for two
nights by the detachment Of militia that has been
kept here on guard through the whole time Of ex-
element and danger. mounted the main STAIR
way, which. together with the corridors, is peoped
with negro sentries and walked along the crowded
halls. Arms are stacked on the mosaic pavement





the time Of battle and siege. The council room Of the
city fathers was lled with o1cias and many of the
aldermen who were discussing the one subject which
is now paramount even to that of the horrors Of
the fre-the means Of resuscitatinH the prostrated
business Of Boston.


Mayor CASTOR was seated in his private room re-
ceivtng visitors as rapidly os possible, and soon
engaged him In conversation and remained as
long as the time at his disposal would permit. The
Mayors secretary was meanwhile busy


READING AND ANSWERING TELEGRAMs
which are constantly received from other cities,.
and which contained oaH1 ofrelef for the busi-
ness men and the ruined families Of burned Boston,
In response to my question, "What are the meas
ures which you propose to take after the conse-
quences Of the nres" he said:-


1.-THE nrst step has been to call public mass
meeting IN fremont Temple to-day; but owing to
some mistake in the advertising 1t viii not now be
held until twelve O'Clock tomorrow"


"What will be done at this meeting9,


1--WE shall pass resolutions favoring special ses-
sion Of the Legislature, asking them to grant us
authority to give the city credit to individuals who
are great losers, to enable them to re-erect the
buildings destroyed or to occupy the stores in the
burnt district which are not entirely ruined"


'Tsuppose the burned region will be built up
somewhat dlfierently than 1t was before the fresn
Undoubtedly.


WE SHALL ASK THE LEGIsLATURE
to provide for new street improvements, SO as to
greatly better the topography Of the city,"


'The loss to the holders Of insurance risks must
be such as to break down many corporations, is It
notW


tit win ruin many OF our local companies and
greatly cripple others in adjoining States. We
shall also ask for legislation to render aid to these
to meet their liabilities. II most OF them can pay
nfty per cent Of their policies / think
that the majority of the rich houses
who did business in those finest streets
Of the city which were burned can pull
through and survive the shock. But ruin for some
is now inevitable, although the generosity Of our
sister cities is already beginning to astonsh us.
Chicago sends us promise OF about 100000
already; and we have similar messages, proper
tionate in their value. Of good cheer from Phila-
delphia, Pittsburg, Providence, Cincinnati and
hundreds OF other cities and towns. The humanity
Of this age among the classes higher in morality is
strangely contrasted with the brutality among the
lower ones, and this L. fact which was brought
out IN sad prominence in the present instance. The


ROwDIHs, CUTTHRoATs, THIEVES AND RAsCALs
Of all the fostering spots OF crime In vicinity
have nocked around us ike nyenas, who laugh over
the dead corpses which they devour in the desert
when the storm has swept by with death-dealing
breath.


"what do you suppose is the number Of danger
ous persons who have visited Boston since the be.
ginning Of the fre ~


1--WE can tell little about 1t except from reports,
many Of which, think, are exaggerated. do not
believe there were 5000 here, as was stated by
some Of the press, but there were probably several
hundreds. They were very ugly crowd, indeed,
and but for the strong precautions that were taken
1oat lUhk nv diArv md tho
think we should have escaped having good many
burglaries and fresh acts OF incendiarIsm."


"what do you think Of the manner in which the
nollce and the military have man aUod tho fro ~,