Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, July 18, 1874, Page 7

Rl THE FIRE. [Continned from the Bocond P .1 ‘hensivy the part north of the immodiate destruetion, e If wo had hod this avonde and - the Indiana avonuoe car-track oxtonded to Randolph street, tho city cara could Liave run down all the timo, but as it was, tho cars and stagos woro ll alnm&udbbannlno the fire waa upon all tho strects on which thoy run, aud Michigan svonuo was orowded with wagons loaded with goods sud fuiniture, catringes, and firo-onginoa. ‘Phis haa happoned now twico ; may it not ocour sgain? Huve wo nob reason to supposo if a fira com- m6uces on Ulatlk or Bate street, as any tmo, but that it will burn through to Michigzan avenue ? Therofore, how important itis to have a way on which wo can #afoly and quickly ro- tront, and give to thoso whio nre caught on one sldo of the firo an opportunity to got totho othor ldo quiokly and without difficulty. Onicaao, July 17, 1874, A KER-ON. TOW TO REFORM. 1o the Rditor of The Chicaan T'ribune ¢ Sin: To tho_many euggestions now made ro- specting our Firo Departmont, £ would add tho following remarls: First—Tho abolishing of the Board of Fire Commissionors, on tho ground o lucompetency, 0d Lifting it trom tho political elemont, th only wwo things for which our departmont is noted. ‘Second—The appointment of a Chiof who un- daratands civil ongluosring, a man who ean gran) the situution in o timo of dangor, and who will enforco tho atrictest diecipline, and overlook no doparturo thorefrom, but will give the men to understand thoro is but one course for them, or instant dismissal, Third—The nddition to the farco of soveral hose-clovators, whoroby wator moy bo thrown on tho iop of tha highest building in the oity. Tho- authoritics may tako, 88 o od modal for this, the London Tiro- ‘onpo, thnt in cnsily mannged by throo or fonr men. With a’ slight alteration, this conld ha mado of tho most valuable sid in tho “extinguishmont of puy fire in tho rebuilt portion of tho city, which I foar would not_bo an fasy mattor now. in casa the fire got a headway, Horo I thinl is ono of the reavous of our inability to ooge with bie firos, tourth—1tho keoping back of tho orowd at lenst n block from o flro, theroby giving tho tive- ‘mon & chance to work without boiug bindored by 8 crowd, as tho caso lg now. This would be an :\‘my metter, and would prevent numerous casu- uos, With rogard to the suggostion to turn over tho managomont of tho Dopartinent to tho under~ writers, I think {s unuecessary, 88 I cannot seo why tho city is not fn ns good & position to choose & rosponsiblo man sa the uuderwritors, provided it can bo litted above politics. The emggesiion 18 to fofmine o corps of sap~ pors in winccoswary, oe tho firomen ought to Lo trained to do this na ono of tho most iniportant of their dutios ; it is o olsowhere—why uob hora? The euggeation of flonting onaines 1 o0d, sud would doubtloss huve been nctod o fuug 'ago if tho heeds of tho department had ‘common sense instead of boing blinded by egot~ ism and politica. Thero 1s wo doubt we have the material whore- of to make fire brigade socand to none in tho world, but, wilh the present sneomgmm mau- agoment, wo are in the very unenviablo position of paying ** big money," aud gotting no protoo- _tion from calamities. Hoping tho_lust leeson will be suflicfent to make radical obange, I remun AN ANGLO-AMERIOAN. Qnmico, July 16, 1674, FIRE-WALLE. o the Bditor of The Chicaao Tribtine & Bm: If any opo can suggest a plan by which goch calamitics a8 bave visitod our city can bo avorted, iv ia certainly a duty to do go. It 18 evidont' to my miud that Chicago will always bo more or less gubject to devastaling fires, owing to her pocullar _position and' tho provalonco of tho bheavy wiuds from the south and southwest, which rondor {t next to impossible to arrest a fire, whon it bas once fairly fiatmn under hesdway, Our experi- ‘euoo of such trinls has been terrible indeed. Tt has oconrred to mo that the aity should ap- propriste to itsclf & strip of laud, about 25 feat vnc‘lfi runving from eass to wost noross the ‘middle of bloaks, aud build upon it & solid brick wall with a broad base, and_ gradually lesening in thickneus ‘ay 16 approachos tho top, such 8 wall to bo built at intervals of several blocks, and ruuning parallel o oach other, to arrost tiros and coufine them within tho lim- its of two walls betwoen which any fire mught _ originate, I thought last night, oa 1 looked at tho fire, it such & wall a8 I hod in my mind was strotcbod neross from onst 1o woat, just south of Harrison streot, how easily {ho firo might bavo been stopped. ‘he idon of such walls suggested itself to my mind somo time ago, snd to-duy I have apoken of it to sov- oral frionds, and the plan geems to strike them all flvanblfi. That suob walls wonld mo:!\ft“nh {he object in view soows to have boen fully domonstrated b; the polid brosdsico wall of the building on Btate street, which arrested tho firo in that direction from gomng furthor morth, and I understand —that not a drop of water was thrown upon it from aoy engiue, Something, it strilios me, should bo constructed in the way of o barricade apgainst Buch firos as we bave In Chicago, suflicicutly dedolatiug undor the most favorable ouwcum- Blances, but espeoiully so since, ns you say, there aro acres of wooden buildings surrounding thio ity on every side, Joux D, GARDINER, Cmzoaao, July 11, 1674, A RESERVOIR. o the Editor of Ths Chicago Trivuna e I eay you dou't want more fire-sngines ; what you do want 18 & large reservoir, built say st tho artosian woll, and as high ae prudenco wonld admit of, Connect this with tho mains ; let thore bo three flrnvgllngl where is uow oue in each block. Then got hose, eay about 0 foetJong, with the nozzle attachied thereto, aud if this would not beat all your fire-engines put me down a8 knowing nothing. G. Cuzoaau, Jaly 1, 1874 MOFE BUGOESTIONH, v the Editor of T'he Chicago {ribune: Sin: Ithink that it will Le admitted on all sides that Fire-Marshal Bennor is the beat abused official in the city at the prosent tiwme, Now, I think n_great smount of that abuse Is uot dogerved; thut it is to other couses than Mr, Benuer's inefiicioncy the city Wwill have to look for a remedy. 1 bolieve the numbor of firomen amply large it hey woro undor propor dhsci- lino; if the word of tho Chiof Murshal v faw with lus men, nnd no iaterforonco from Al- Qormen or other oity maguutes in the discharge of bis onerous duties allowed, but that lio be nold strictly rosponsible by tho City Council for thoeflicioncy of his Depurtment iu all ita dotails, both men and material. The employing of mon uliontd, a4 in Englaud, ba lofs with the Marshal, apd the total excinsion of all men cmployod in the Fire and Police Dopartments from all poli- tics, whethor Munioipal or Geueral Goveroment, should be enfarcad, auy firomsu or policoman found loterfering In such local or g“anerd poli- tios to be immediately diemisaod. In my opine {on, this is the first remedy. Now, sir, s to the suggostion tohand over the Fire Dapartroaut to tho (usurance companios, I think iv is highly absurd; it would bo an ao- Xnowledgement of tho faifuro of local govern- meut, when such s not the caso: nothing bay falled but political jobbery und corruption of small fry politiclans, who “would, nuy oue of them, see_Chicago in nahes for a fow thousand dollars, The citizens could nover bo expocted to band over to private partios such o vast smount of ratos annually aubsoribed by non-in~ sured a8 well ne iosured persous, I beliove such : z'fi" of things doos uot exist in any city in tho rid, But thers s another phaso of the question shat has not yet been broached ; that iy, provided sho Dopartment {8 romudolod at great axpenso to the caity, what would bo tho proportion tha Insurance ‘societios won!d pay aunuaily toward maiutatning such an eflicient Tiro Department ? To ask them to bearall tho expenso would indeed be abeurd (as you atata to-duy), but to ask them to pay a falrpescontage for increased seourit; Js, in my opivion, & matter well wortl tls consldoration’ of fthe oty and thio companios. Iu thoe City of Manchestor anoly [ a:tam is in operation, I bellave 25 per cont 1y the amount pald by the Insurance men, but the Olicago agont of the Loudon, Livorpool & Globe oftica will solvo that. It enables tho in- wurance companies to offer suggestions aa to the mavugensent from time to timu, and 0 effactual bss the joint mauagemont boen that the pro- miumy oo flre {nsurance has beon reduced to a Bfth of 1 per cent per annum. T balieve that the wholo romedy will bo found in the sbolishing of the Board of Polico and Tire Oommixsioners, the appoiutment of & Chier Blarshial by the City Council who whall be a Civil Englueer, and be hald rosponsible in overy partioulsr for the conduct of his subordinatoy and appliances; the police to be placod under Jhe control of the Committeo of Policeappointod by the Dity Oounall, thoy being wubject tu the . Aole founcil, 3 M, Quoseo, July 17, 1874, ! BEMEIDY AGAINST D10 Tv the Editor of T'ha Chicago 'Ihbm:'."n' . Bim You seyln iumd-y'n lsaue, “Now fa the jlme for anybody who "his & sure remedy tyet big Brea 10 give ths pabilo the hsnniit af it." By your permission, I will give what I re- gard 8 the bost romedy: ‘Firat, I wonld widon' to 100 or 160 fost Hurr- son nud Wost Twonty-scoond atreets, and thick- 1y plant them with Isrge troes, lenving a nutrow wagon way in tho centre, I would treat othor stroots in the Weat Divislon in tho sama man- not, I would lino both banke of the Norih and Bouth Drauohes of the Chicago River with trooa. I would ‘Lave all framo slieds and stables ro- moved from_all tho slleys in the limita ol the oity, I would allow no scoumulations of imilammablo materials in sany alloys or back yards, The cost to onch individual owuor would not bo grest forremoving tho frame struotures, and m{nmlnn thom with brick. Every building in tho oity should ba thoroughly ex= awined, at lenst onco 8 yoar, {o roferonce to its liability to tako fiva, 1 would adopt Gen, White's plan of using tho Holly systom, with ono_hoso-stnilon for evor four, or ovon overy twelvo, blocks in tho real- donco portion. p Thus & station in the contro of such & dlstrict 08 is roprosented by tho above plat, by n\mling ono block north, Eouth, east, or west, woul covor twolve blocks, I should moat sesuredly lnco At every statlon two four of H. most reliablo hand firc-oxtinguishord, such sn will not got out of order Ona thoussud of these, cithor placed at the hoso-gtations or put iuto the hauds of gaod citi- Z0m8 in every aquaro in tho city, who wonld ngroo tn tako caro'of sud uso them, would unduubt- edly enve tholr cost thres or four times ovory year, . Ono million dollary' worth of proporty in Chieago s annually CODBNMO by ordinary lires, Dot count- ing tho great conflagrations, sad it i vory roa- gonablo to supposa that 1,000 sxtinguishers in the hsnds of proper partics, would at loast seve ono-fourth the dostruction, or H260,000 por annum—moro than five times thow cont. it Geu. White's plan should not be nadopted I should distribute the oxtinguishors s nabove, and add to our firc-ongines one or two ongines, of nt Jonst four timos tho capacity of our progont ones, o be dzawn by fourorsiz horees, and throw- ing a 2-inoh suresm. Such & etroam of water wonld delugo almost suy building, and put out & Jargo fite in ® vory few minutes, These would Bo eallad out oniv at gencral alsrms., I wonld have a muperintondent of oxplosives who would always have at his command powder and torpodoca for blowing up buildings when necossary 1o prevent & gemevsl contlagration, o conld porform other dutics when not on- gugml in liis snncinl duty. His mngazine might o placod nndor the lakn, with o piar running to it © Without eome such procautiona s the above, Chicago is in imminont danger at overy wind-storm, especiully ovory one from tho weat or southwest. R. AL, Jonxgox. DRIOK WATLS. Ty the Editor af The Chizaqo Irivunes fmw: 1 wish to call the sttontion of tho ‘mblln to thn resistanco offored by the differont clanios of briok walls to tho sprend of fires. Itiss well-known fact smong compotont archifects and builders that walls of the modium clags wall b= blo down ut the slightost provocation, sud that thoy offor but miniwum resistunce, roady to colinpen at the vory suggostion of duuger. But it 1 not aa well known that walls butlt of hard- burned and thoroughly-web brick, lald with a close joint, F"mm and solidly banded togothor, will stand likke walls of iron, bidding defiauco to tho elements. I am glad to know that we have buildersin Chicago **who build for the ages.” But they cannot competo with men who have noither money, roputation, nor conscience to Joose, Onidaao, July 17, 1874, Bomoez. OUR FIREMEN AND TNE FIRE. To the Editor of I'he Cliacago Tribune Bm: I uotioe with much regret a dlsposition on the part of tho pross to consuro tho Tire Do- partmont for thoir conduot during the late bat- tlo with the elomonts, Thore nro manv who hold to an entiroly dif- forent, nnd, a8 tho result alone should be snili- clont to demonatrate, a far more just, opiuion. 1t is not genorons or _fair to be too eritieal in regard to the origiu and sprowd of n flro. The place was favorabls, aud o worn tho time and all the surroundivg circumstancos. Wo know that fires wiil broak out in spito of overy pracau~ tion, sud that dry timber, fanned by & stif broeze, will burn with foarful rapidit This is not oniy o large city, but it extonds over an arca groatly disproportionate to its nopulation. Our Fira Departinont,therofors, has boon always totally inadequate for the prnpurprawntiou ot tha city. We have trustedto *Juck" aud to “ provi- donce " tao much, and hiayve placed too litulo roli- anceipon thosa things which como out of thomind of msn, and wiich, when fully trusted to, nro ‘mors than n match for matter, even in ita wild- est and most dangerous forms, "Dhat this city, Or uy othor, could be made abrolutely safo from the ravages of fire, or, at least, perfectly securo from any goueral do- struction, doos not sdmit of doubt. We should now sob to work taachiove this object, Chi- cago should bo a fire-proof city, This caunot be Qone by relisnco upon more matorials, Almost any matorinl, 08 our great fire proved, may bo destroyed by fire, Tha hardest rocks may be roduced to powder, The staunchost irou col- umns may be melted and twistod out of all re- somblance to their original form. ‘The use of incombustible materials, to as wids an extont as is practicablo, ia cortainly au_important sloment of safoty. But wo caunot roly upon that alone. Some buildings must ba of “wood, or wood in somo form must enter largely into their con- striotion. We cannot - dispense with wood. It always will be uased to nu onormous oxtent in the composition of our houscs. This {8 a fact which it is vain fotry to cover up, We may vonoor our dwollings with etono or with iron, whilo their interiors may bo 08 combusti- blo as & planing-mill or & powdor-magazine. Our chiof aud bost relianco must bein & com- pleta and comprohenaive uystem, for the prompt Giscovery mmd oxtinguishment of fires. This systom Ahould be so thorough tbat, undor no ciroumstances of rossonabla fnrntll(lll%m‘ should itbo possiblo fora firo to extond boyond the buildiug in which it originated. If discovered in time, and treated with an abundanco of water or nitrogen, it would bo spoedily conquered. without causlng any slarm or goneral disturb- anco. Thin {u the caso iu most of the large Eu- ropean cities, and paiticuiarly in Parie, where o Inigo fireiu Bomething aliost unheard of aud tmpossibloe. ‘Wo might learn o good deal that would be of incaloulable value to uy in the future by & oarc- ful examination into the fire-systems whicl huve proved the most suocessful i’ othor couutrios. Merely consuring our present Fire Dopurtment will not belp us, Bosidos, it is vory uu{ust to thoso brave men who, by their wonderful hero- iem and tremendous oxertions on ‘Luoaday vight, aavad this city from o fato which it iw uppallin to contomplate. WAL 6 When sixty acres of bulldings aro in flame and the wind iy vising to s gale, itisno * child's play"” to stom tho storm, But this thing our thomen did, A comunon wouso of gratitude for 1ho salvation of the city should render wsat loast charitablo in our critiolsmu, ‘Two or throo millions of proporty have been destroyed, but two or threo bundreds of milllona of property srould have been destroyed had it not the fvdomitable courage of our firomon, and thowe of Milwaukeo and othor plages who so nobly came to our resous. A great battlo was fought, and a great victory wone W should bave no disposltion 1o uuy (ox- copt In tho way of sympatby sud kindness) that our firemen might have done bottur, or have aoted more wisoly, perbaps, in tho beglnuing of tho hght, -They havo performed an_inestimabla gorvico, and thoy aro justly entitled to our oor- dial congratulations, ‘our “encowragement, and our gratitude. Your obedient servif J. Esatis Wannes, Oataado, July 14, 1874, OUTSIDE AID, The Jollet Sun gives the followlng account of the Iabora of the firomen from ibat city, ‘Tues- day night 3 THE JOLILT DEPARTMENT, which rocelved a telegrain ssking for leip, mauned the stcamor Americs and Columbis hosw aud reselid Qlavk atrcot, & littla ubova A'welfth, at 10 o'clock, ere tlsy wozo it by loumn deleguted to moct and conduct Ui to o frout oy wudo tholr way, down Olark streot snd vis Van Duren und Jackeon ta Wabs Avenuy, whora the A was fasl eppronching, UEBK 4 DIVYIOULTY PRESENTKD ITAELY, bydrant was ocouplad, sud for & few minntes el imposelble 86 fation, - Wollo' undor- | not hose bays were sure | newals of THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1874 e . rounded by hundreds of inquiring poople, Somo ‘Franifonled o atrongoet kind of geatitude for tho aor- ‘ylses of the iromon, oltors fosred, and. x fow tried uarrsal, rou; s tho 8 kopt cool an Eoheted, and pald Dt Uttle ationtion o thom, "wan not long_oantfivied, for & t relintiod b wn o nued, for it was not relisho Tl Bogingor Toyan, T orlera the dEIVOF 10 5 nhoad 11p Wabash averiue to Van Buren, This brought Shiem alrootly 'WITKRY. TIE PATTLE WAR RAGING at s movoreat, for tho Gumes hnd by tlidn lime reachod tlio Van Buroh atreot cornor, and Lind attackoed Hump-~ on & Go'a. furniture-warcrooms o o southvost In tlireominntes’ time a atrosm,which minde no moan comparison with that of Chicago's No, 14, which was o only oo enaina wicl ad cropt thus tnr to o s, wan ployiog upon tho Willard Block, opposi 10 o tust crurbliog walls of Mondotssa & Go. # boot sng thooaore. s was o ‘trying ordeal for iho voluntcer dopart- meat of Jolloty for u oo THE NEAT WAS INTRRES and the moko and cmbers nanrly biinding, Dut ald they flinch 7 Not thoy ! Tha bravest votorans of tlio Gliicago brigado Bad 8 much idoa of glving woy an they, * They stood thelr ground right manfully, and it wia dlue 10 thiolr oxortions hat the WHisrd BIock wea oventuatly saved, TIE TWO ENOINES WENR AMORTLY REINFORCED at thia point by (hros moro—twa Uhieaya aud one Mil- ‘watikeo ouging, and thio fiva did affoctive servico, The Milwaukeo firoion gained as many oucomiums sa did tho Joliot volunteorn, AT IALP-PAST 12 0°0LOCK, aftor {wo houra of tremendoua exertion, tho Samos wero cliccked in thelr rovages b this pofut, It was {hio death-blow to thio fire, nnd Woon thio chesriug ine telligonco sproad thnt it win undor control, TITE QUINOY ENGINES. Tho Quinoy Whig of Thuradny tolls how En- gine No. 1, with thirteon picked mon, answorod s dispatoh to come to tho asslstanco of the Chi- cigo firomon last Tuosdsy. A pocial train was ]n-ovn.dcd, and great difieulty was experienced in lreoping off the crowd who wanted to come rlong, 'he first 100 miles was made in two hours and ten minutes, includivg throo stops on account of leated boxest ‘Tio company cxpected to bo overiakon at Golesburg by an order for thelr roturn in cansequence of tho firo Volng checked, Uut wero rather pleasod than otherwise 10 find that wnother ongine wun fn waiting, and _thas tlioy wero {o pull out immediately, Ins fow minntes tho fruiu, with n fresh locomativa and now canduetor, Joft Gulesburg, huving, Lowever, learncd that tho firo was uuder control, The changa of cuginca did not got rid of tho trouble with kot boxor, and two or thros stops i 0 o tminda betwoon Galeaburg aud Anrora for cooling off. Tho * boys " umused thomselvea by Teeplug cach othor awake, Tho individuul who was s0 carcleas 8 10 20 {0 sicap In that crowd was pretty cor- {uin to bo arouned ruthier uncerumondously, “At Aurora angiuos wero climged again, Anrora didn't appear to liko St hecause that town) had buen wighted wien as= slstunco waacallod for, Tho citizens couldn’t undor- stand why Chleago would BEND TO QUINOY for stosmers whon Aurors hiad two, and in their com= munta on tho fuct oy bad boen 'overlooked didu’t appesr to (hiuk 1t wes much of a fire anyhow. The traln dldn't Ioso any tima betwoen Aurors and Oh- cugo, and arrivod at {he dopot ubout 7 o'clock, to learn thut the Hunice bad boen atopped, the firo 'had ox-~ ‘hausted itsolf, and thero was 10 necousity of unload- ing tho stoawer, Tho news dldu't . SET THE DOYS BAOK to any considorable extent, and_they voluntoored the oplnfon {hat they would shout nx scon put in tlie time in looking sround ws in * Evorything and overybndy, away from tho scono of tho firo us well sa 1n thia viclujty of the conflegration, wero in confusion. TIF. QUINGY TTRRMLN, 5 aftor regaling thomeolves upon apring chickons ind qatlson touet at e oxpenne uf tho clty, repairad, us 0 apparently ovorsbody elhe u tho vicinity of Cli- ©uR0, to the secne of tho contiagration, Inwmuch s thoy' bud boen provopted from inking » bhand in subdulng the flancs, somo of the Chicago peonlo suggested that they could get tp a little iire to give Quincy an opportanity to warn iteelf up. TThe fire did came along tu the aftornoon, but the boys were Just gefting rendy to lavo, aud so miasod the cbaneo of Lelpiug Cbicago put out n fire, While m tho clty, thoy wora bundsnmaly treated by tho Chicaga Department, who soliled all tho bills, They returncd Dy #pecal train, leasing at 5 o'clock yesterdny aftur~ nonn, and arriving hame at 8 this morning Bupt, Munson and tho managers of the Chicago, Purlington & Quiney Ruilroud deserve wch crodit for thelr prowpt rosponno Lo tho call for ussistance, uud thelr aiforta {o take the Fire Department from Tioro to the uificted clty, Thoy did all in thow powor, at timo when i ws Dalieved tliat the Lst portion o Ohieago was In donger, to get the Quincy firemen thero fu tha Rliortest posiblo. time, The Quincy Firo De- partment dasire the Wiig to thauk Mr, Munson and the gonoral officcra of the Company for thy excollot troutment whick tha moiubers sent to Olicago rocelvod on tho trip I S MISOBLLANEOUS. Many vanlta and safos in tho burnt district have beon oponed, and all have been found in good condition, The ruins have not yet aooled sufllciently to allow of tho oponing of the larger vaulta. That of the State Streot Suvingy Bank was found in porfect preservation and tho con- tonta uninjured. Tho tolegraph-wires in the burnt district will probobly be repaired by to-night, =& & largo foroo of workmen have been detallod. Tho petitions requesting the Council to pro- hibit the ercotion of any more frame buildings within tho clty limits, which were circulatod yostorday, wore aigned by all who Lad an op por- tunity, The one presented on 'Change has the nomo of every membor, aud its reading was grooted with choors, Thoro will bo & meoting this avaning at_half- EMI 7 o'clock, at the City-IIali Council Cham- or, to diseurs matters aud things in regard to tho Inte fire in the South Division. All who suf- forod by it aro luvited. . Among the victima of tho firs was the dis- tinguished artist, Mr. John Phillips, whoso paint- ing of John McCullough as Richetfen wo noticed at leugth a fow woolka ngo. Mr. Phillipa saved this, Lis finest work, and a couplo of score por- traits upon which bo was ot work. Among thom wero Mr. Winslow, of the wall-known dry-finnds frm of Richards, Shaw & Winslow, Mr. Albert Crouby, and Frano Willde. Alr, Phillips doolares that the chango made in bis rtunrtera, while at- teaded by somo disagreoablo circumestances, was f positive benofit, for his now studio in the merican Exprass Company’s building is the ‘bost in the city for light. v TIF, BOUTII TOWN ABBESSMENT. Owing to the deatruotion of such n Iargs num- ber of buildinga aud coutents, & reasacesment of real and personal nmgmy in South Chicago is rendored nocessary. DBy law, tho Assessor oan- not altor tho nsseesment-books, just completed by Lim at the time of the fire, but must procood wilh & now book and muke new assosemeut. ‘Phig will ba done as soon g the book I8 ready, probably sommoneing noxs AMonday, and will oo~ cupy but a short timo. ‘Mr. Corrigan, tho As- wensor, will then submit the now usscssment to the Board of County Commissioners, Ho esti- matos a reduction from the totals on the first books of botween $1,200,000 and $1,600,000. 00 TO THE OOUNTRY. To the Editor of. The Chicayo Teibune: B : I notics, with regrot, in the report of the County Agent published in to-day's Tinune that but five applications wore mado by the suf- forors from the fire for pagsca to tho country, It is now harvest-timo, aud the farmers nead all thohelp thuy can get, both male and female and they ara willing tb pay iborally for 1t, sud what these sufferers would oarn this summor would . support thom and thoir children nicely noxt _winter, giving thom food and fuel in_abundauce, justond of romaining here to be n burden on thoso too benevolsut to eco thom suifor from hungor snd cold, even though their own folly and improvidouce'aro to blamo for it.2 Last wintor, and wintors provious, Deuevolent ausaciations weye formod for special cases of rollef, that is, thoso caves not within tho jurisdiction of the Rollof and Aid Bociety, and it would take muny volunes to dssoribo tho #od cawes we found. Wa guvo our tlmo aud woney, to say notbing of the triala of lm‘inuco, tho hoartaches, aud dis- gust (thutit wan' impossiblo not to fool) over our vory unpleasant, though self-imposed, task for T can assuro yoi thit tho romaaco of it is il imaginary, yot tlieso pouplo will not go whoro thoy oan tako caro of themeoclvos and their chil- dren, but will atay to suffor nxt winter as they Davodona fu the past, whilo we _take tho timo that should be dovoted to_reat and recrestion to visit and care for them, It s all very well tosay | that we are * foolish,"” that woare “enconrsging con for . vice and idlenows,” but when wo hwe Malf- nlkad ghildvon orying from hunger and cold, or siok,wratchod, and discouraged mou and women, we aro not apt to stop aud inquire 'tho cauoed that lod to such a 6tato of Lhings, but fesl that tholr prosking necesaitioa iust bo rolieved at once, Ob, dear ! it is Jiko pouring water ivto & slevo—{t novor fills, Willlt bogo siwaya? In thoro no remedy ? Cui0aco, July 17,1874, Bina. Lxvz Wino. — PRESS-COMMIENTS ON THE FIRE, A TENRIDLE MINTAXE, AND A POLITICAL FIRE DEPANT AENT, Fyom tha St Louls Demusrat, Boyond doubt, tho Lasfo wud_scouomy with which many of the uiidinge of the uew Chitigo Wiro aructed, and the torriblo wistake of permittiug wouden structuken to bo put up within the ¢ity_limlte, Luve duno uuch to oxpose the city to porll, 1t was ‘goners ally hoped wnd bulloved that, after ks groat fire, (ho Clty uf Ghieugo would taka shor thas ordisiry cite Lo protect ftualf, snd would fusiut $hit, §i tho bustiers st e ity ut Jeast, the bulldinga ereoted sbuild s yoarly “tre-yrodf wn pouibia, Dut ul bive Xnown how completoly this_ nuliral “exsotation Wik disappotnted, Iuetvad of hucowing moro cautiolr, Chlvugo hus spparently grown wore coutidont” end reoklusu U vegurd o firea wluce hur turtlllo Vinitution, As winatter of sound economy, ovou (e gretlon af mors ducabla nd sola bulilug s ofls u upgod, capocjully witiin tho el your when It Was b ow Groal were e sapuiata of fopasy and e [ woodem Ruuses 80 scaisnly jres upning the mnchine,”. forred. But toa very large part of 1ts poprlation Ohl- cago hne nlways scained only & hugo Liotal, for tempo- mr{ occupation during tho fow Wwoska or moutha {n ‘whion, it wne confidently sapposed, everybody contd Tako s fortuna, Any kind of buslding whicl would snewor for that Lrisf time reomoed well onough to tho avorago Ohicsgo bulldor, and the city 1inell, controlled Ly tha feolings of & nultitude of such citizons, hea nover taken offectivo meastiros to protoct Iiself against conflagration, Wa sinpact It will provo that thie fira ta the prico hich Clifcago pays for Having 8 yolitleal Firo Dopart= mont. Notwlihstanding tho dangerova naturo of many buildlngs, it does not scen) posaible tht a Giro, originoting boyond tho businesa portion of the fl:{ and conned for Bome time to sniall bulldings, coukd Have obtainod uch hosdwsy a3 to Bwonp ovor & Iaro rt of the rebullt district nleo, if o Fire Doparimont ad beon woll orgnulzed and Qirocted, Bt that. do- purtmont Liog ot boon managod, g it Tias beou in tils city, with atrles regard to tho prolection of tho communily. It lhss been run &8 n apslom for * wortlieas polllical’ buramers, svd ia force hne been fllled with mon selocted by tho seyeral Aldermien In roward for palitical sorvicos, Nocautatlly, oing s orgaolzad, aud continually do. prived of eificlonoy Uy tho iutorforence of political Tannipulators, snd by fhoknowlodgo that faithtul work ‘wan oxpectad not s much ntnny iire an al tho polls, the department has geinod & roputation forwmofMclency and gonoral worthlessness, and it {8 but a few days nince its abameful condition, sud the rocklesanoss of tho city iu building, were mado the occaslon of very earneat warning Lo tho peoplo (hrough ono of tho pu= ks, Howevor, tho peoplo of Chitago do not huve Yauch to do with iia governmont ; thal branch of tho ‘busincss Is kindiy attonded to by a ring of politicians, who “run® the Irish vote, or the German vole, or the Nepublican, or Indopondent, or beor-house, or Dumnocratio vots, whils tho moro subatantial citizens of hat city are generally * too busy to moddle with poli- tica,” In conuequence, thoy ara too busy to putout fires, Solf-government ls not oxwclly u joke, The nan witoss grasping scifisliness prompts im0 nege lect all bis public duties is rrnuy wure to flud, in the ond, that his negloot costs him ‘more than ho could ‘have lost by tho moat faftnful dischiarge of his obliga= tions as & oltizep. Political powar fa o trust which cannot be abused or neglocted with mpunity. * Po Taps tle punlshinent comes i tho form of taxes, per- ‘haps §u tho form of Dirca, but it suroly comen, IUE DANOKU OF GUEAP, WOODEN BUILDINGS, From (he Ecanasiile (ind,) Jourual, Tho second Obicogo fire domontrates Yory clearly tho danger of pormiiting tho croctiun, withia tho core porato limita—or, at ay rate, near tho closoly-bullt Jortiou—of any city, of thoso chesp, wuodon bulldiugs Whiel oxlst fu suck Bumbors in ail lorgo places, o .+ Vho Chicago papars yestorduy moruing, thorovghly atarmed by this socond visitation, went to' the boltoin of tha troublo, and Jolned in o demand that prompt measures bo taken by tio proper suthorliion to provita agalnst faturo Focurrences, s can only bo dou by Dassing & strict ordinanco forbldding tho urovtfon Of wooden structurcs within corfam lHinita. Thore aro_ lroady thousands of tawble-dowi shanties {u Ohlcago {0 foed fatitra fires, and tho city cannot afford o buve tho wumber incroancd, Anid This {6 matter domanding attention, ot alone in Qi cago, but in ovory clty of uny protension Jn_tha coun= {ry. " It han bocome £00 much thw bubit, In this day of swaler-workn, atoara fira-engines, and woll-drilied Ire Dopartients, to imagino conflagrations fmpossibio,—~ orut loast preventablo,—and in consequonco of tho faucied sccurity growlng out of tlis, peoply have Qrown caraloss wa to tho charuotor of tho work aud Thaterlal put tnto thelr bulldings, But tho lesony of o past two yoara are too pladit 16 bo disyogarded aud allogotlior tod cxponkive o bo repeated, 'NOT A MATTER OF BURFIISE, Fyont the Piltabury Teleqraph, 1t 18 ot a matter of mrprisg, or f-luck, or 8 Jud mont from Provilence, that Chicago hus' been ‘sgal awept by » dovastating'confugration, It ia a Judy- Tmont, Uit it Ja Vecoust af o epecinl folly of ths poo- Plo it} covering &-red of ground, cxpored to lake il o winds, With (reat niasses of ono_and two story lloou framos—tucre tuder boxos, This 14 ths chur- artar of thw bulldings in Chicago outsido of tho firo Timits, whero imposlug atrinctures of iraw, marbio, and i o yreat uxcitectural prctunelonly ik iho usinesn purt of tho city. Thesn frama houses invitn fire, und once it obtuing leadway, no power can'atap it untll the fool of tho hyugyy flaioe is ex= hisustod, or tho usually AU land or Like wi Pl dloavay. Lo o of yeslardey coty o thla (1-bullt sod dangerous part of tau wity, ‘oxtouded into tho * now Chicago * of which there Diosn no mcl boasting, Auy obséryant man who bi enterad tho city -by tho Fort Wayne or Saatiiurs: Tonls Witlin tbe past two yeany, musb Lnye had his attontion wted 10 the Inflammable otixrac- for of tho bulldlugs comprising lho Brt 3 or & miles of Chieayo that pPasscd In viow, ‘That they would be swept away by firo aypesred fuev- ftablo, and predictions to that effect lavo been comnion fu print and convorwition. After tlio_grent Tiros atrong ohorl wus mado 10 havo the # fre limits, ‘whera 5o wooden Luildiok conld bo erocted, tuke {n the wholo city, but the chunor of the poorer peapla, thy neceaulties of the hour for any sort of dwwilings, aud tho ambition of (e city fo a spacdy rewsrracticn. overcame the domand of faveslghted wien—who feated Jutat such a calamity 8 took plica yeateriny—for rou~ Bonably fire-proof or safo buildings, Dut, according {0 the tolegrapliic account of tho fire, it catne asu blossing in disguive, ‘Tols theory 48 clissactesistiy of Ghicago entorpriso, which ususlly takes {n a good dosl of bombaat, 1T BEPNS THOREDIDLE, From the Attlea { N, ¥) Gdserrer. After the terrible oxporianca of 1671 1t seems fn- cxeditlp tist ko people ot Glleago showd bsvo - Wited a second disster by loaving undisturbed tho rulscrablo wooden siiimties whicl were uotbingloss thun fire-traps cowmunicating with tho heort of the city, Tho winds that sweep Chleago, efther from tho laks or the praicle, aro of long duration and rive often to falos, _ With” nch winds Liowing and_with such Sulilings standing, this soyoud fr mighé have boonauticipateds Dut "3t waw mon, Thu burue roglon Ues wn s soetion of th clly that was untuockiod by tho grea. conflsgration futen yours ago. Tha businesn centres are not dls- turbed, Tho fames were chotkod almost o tho very Jine of the old tirg, Tho dwiolxtod dlateict will e re- Ludlt, and precsutionary measuros Which Wero neg~ Tected beforg will doublless be adopted now. Out of thia olao of thia destruction order and bounty will bo newly ovoked, ‘Tlo outerprising Bpirit of Clhicigo \Which roso superlor to o (snater which Iald the heart o thie town in nabea will ot ik undor (hls minor calumity, - OATDAMOARD TOTAE, Trom the Ittebury Guastte, But 1f peoplo wil balld card<board liouses, as wa all 0 i L1 cotntry, wa must look to e our dwllinga prostrated by toriisdoes or constumod in ffxwmes, * Naw ork, Pittsburg, Poriland, Chicago, and oatois have such oo auiTerad from tho same soriroe, and now Alle- {heny cowes tu for ot turn ard Chicago for hor sec: Gu burnini, Wo bulld our Logses spparenty to foud grout Greu with the necossary fuol, and 80 flimsy are &ven our Louslad fre-proof iruciures, thal, if & contagration” ntiaige oply firly worago dimon- slous, thoy crumblo beforo {ts heat almost as Zeadlly ua your O-iuch walls, Wo saemn nover Lo got rid of tho tdod that our bulldinga aro more tomporary ersations,~to e used for u decado und thon torm away 1 mako foom for what ure joculurly atsled modern atructuros; s if & bullding 10 or 16 yeura old had be- Coino mutiquatod and usclens, A vast del of capital s thua wastod evory year by carcless and lemporary erctions ; and Letween such foollsh doluga in our aities und'towna and unnocersary fences in tlie coun- oy onough e wanled orery yorr (o constluto tha odda betwoon & wealthy and & povurty-stricken peoplo, Firo will burn wood, and I wo feed it with o suille cient quantity, which we are always very careful to do In the wy of besms, Jolats, fioors, rafters. roofs, and ‘more lataly, st modern {nnovatiohs stepped in, ‘Man- ard roofs, 1 will scqulrg szengtly enougl o ciumbla 9 or ovén 13 inch brick walls—and 13 inches 1s ‘generally tho extremo thickness which tlie averugo Amnarican oan nlford tima to Taske his hoaviest party-walli—thicker ones would occupy (00 tmuoh Bpaco upou tho eurface of thls cribbod, cabinod and confined country of aury, 80 narrow is it and o ox- anaive fa tho enternrise hnd the hurry of iia poople, "Wo ure & wolully wasteful people, and {u nothiig ate we more extravagast than in our atyls of bullding, A PURIFIER, From the Cleceland Plain. Dealer, Chfeago’s cup of trotiblo 1 now fall; bat the same opirit of hope and maulfuess, shown i 1871, manifeaty ilself auow, and the fire 1s Iooked npon ss's puritier and valunblo lesson instead of a scourge, Tha buraé Gistrict will bo robutit fu_anbstantlal blocks, sud no {Ume will bo waatui In vain rogrots, THE UNFORTUNATE COMMUNITY, Frows the Rocheter (Vs I":i‘llzm erat, Tt nooma af aoh un appaliiig churacter a8 to com mand tho fulleot measiirs of our sympathy for tho unfortusite” communlty whicl sritiug with Leroio andoavor from ita nlsfortunes, las builded & now ity Qpou the rifue of the old, ouly 10 500t & prey of tho wame dovourlng eloment which boforo causell it 5o ‘much of wuftoring and oss. A CAUSE OP IIALD TTMES. From U Wheeling (W, Fua.) Reglater, Th countrs iv atil niforing fron the destroction occasfonod by Are iu Ohicayo thiree yours agy, wud niote rocetly In Boston, und Ji otlier mior couiagrations, To theso cansoa’ mors than to fiuuncial legislation fs atteibuted o # hard thnea ” now so gouerally folt, No eople o ourth ca, without somo dogreo of gutioral Rurlerii, ouduro wich trmuenio dourieton of” prob orty aa fiun beew cunsed by firo in tho United Blates durug o post Avoyears, Tomiruies only shifs the burdon 3 tho loas # tho vume, and tho geueral Wealth of thio country in reduced Jusf 8 mueh ay If no hunur- ance company had over beou thought of, What cau bo Qone to prevent or loson thia alurining deatruction of property for which mon lava Jabared f ono of the inos Iapasisat queatious tiat elvlizud sochuly bia yok 0solva, OF. BENPAIT, Fyom the Hugfalo Cowmerelal, ‘The poople of Clicago will now Luvo a cliance to bultd up au fmportant” portion of the clty in b stylo and of u muterlul botter calouluted to reaist the famies, They buvo been giin tried an_ the tire, but thia thno tholr tribulation Will bo of Lensfit to thou, FUR LESSON OF SIIE FIRE, Frani the Cleseland Lewlsrs The Chicago people Guly cougratulite themnclves that tho treachorous tindor which they left piled shout thelr tressures bay beou swopt mwny without nioro #erfous damago, It wad solemn and terribly warning intlictud upon Cllcagu ulw codt of §5,000,000 aud & Dumber of luman Hyen, to teuch hov thut hor funcled sty 8 but 6 shim, He loag sa therd e maina sy of the old Uity of Chicago, the airevts and blocks of wooden Luwlldings —standing upon stilta and connected by wouden sidowslie, o tor- riblo conflagration way ho the veault of any defootive chimney of carelussly-throws flre-cruokor withiu thono frafl an Sutimmabie istriots, Vhe lesson of tuy v 1a the old, ofi-snforced puilowuphy of good, Bubstun- tat azchifecturo, the loglo of stond uud brick aud iron agatuet pine boardy sud butloonsCramed, It hus cot Clifoago s terrible prico to loaru this Teason; lot Olove- Isnd &ud othor citfea huad it beforo thoy lkewlue Lisve to fuce u whirlwind of fiames which B0 bwwan ewort cau chock, & PATALITY, From the Etklurt (hul.) Hevtew, 1t soema that thero fu o fatulity ativnolng the it Mutropolis of 1hio Woet, Fhe now clty which bad buen ralver ou tho uite of the doomed of 1871 s once nore Iald low, Buclia terrible caluulty ought to comu bub once, yot for homo reason it hua doubled lelf, aud muoh of tho work for tho post throo yeard fn awopt wway b st hour, 'This nuw blow will wtaggur even tha stout Lourts, aud alnwost paralyze the arus, of the men who biad vtm’alml #0 hurd 10 vecover thelr foat from tho digsater of 1871, Tho nation I8 ugain burued tothe t7 of the Wost ,once more {0 pity uud to help, It vr 6 ennumunily deterved Wav NJ shaldlasa ‘wonld seem tho purt of winlun to for 1t 15 Ohicago. ‘The East and the Weat, the North aud Hio Boutis, il link bands to ald tho atffering city, and thig gart'of Lo wiolo peoplo are painodat ita’ now calamity, PITE ORAMAUTEN OF YTIE DUTLDINGS, om the Toleda Hlade, Donblloss the charactar at flio bulllings ocoupying tho districts ovor which the flumos passed lind most to a0 with swolling tho confingrations to proportfons en= tiroly boyond the control of firo dopurtmonts, Tho pracico of construotlng Mansard roafs id otior- v convertiug tho roofs of high bulldings into Hudor-boxes, Witls tho oxperiouce alrady had, must bo condomued, PROULIAR TO THE OITY. m the Terre lants (Ind.) Journal, There {8 something sbout Olioago fires tliat soems ‘pocullat to that city, Thoy appear {0 rago with groster Paiidity and more violently thero thoa in sy othier ; anil to bid defiance o tlio mosna_ ordinarily uccear- Zully usod for overcoming them elsowhero, Whothot iiiinta oveing tothe mannor in which the houscs aro utlt or tho poculine location of tha clty, o aro unablo 10 nay, but thoro in cartaiuly no city'in tho United Siaten dwhich hin boon_so tioroughly scourged by this {ostroying domon as Objcago, And yet porhiaps thers ia uone which, uuder tho' cironmatances, with shoulders, and at a heavy dobt 'upon her » anvu’n by I'mpomnlnl remorkable for buni- ness prospority, fthut would lkvo g0 80O, hnix.dike, snring from its aahes as did this indomi- ablo Gty of fhe Lake after Lor grent firoa few yeara ag0. Wo truat that all of hor enargios aud abilities ara Tiot yot oxponded, aud that in a fow yéars tho burnt Qlateict that now prosonts jts’charred ruins in sicken- ing prominenca to the eyo will bo covored witls Locks of now and elegaut bulldings, RORELY AFFLIOTED. From the Albany (Ind,) Fedger, 1t 1s msoloss to speculato upon tio caitses or tho Tossos. It fa cnough to kuow that one of our most on- terpriaiug and theicty citlos has bean sorely sillicted 10 bring out te symputhios of tho peoplo of tho entiro country. M{OHT JIAVE BEEN MUCH WORAE, From the Peovia (L) M(Mnl{:l. Tho firo hus swopt off & msss of Luildings ‘which olhorwise could not havo been romoved, and their pluce will doubtlees bo supplied with othera of o far mora stbstantial charsoter, On tho whole, Ohieago, whilo lamonting the firs, has ovory reason to consider thiat it might Lava Leon much worse. ‘THE UNPIIENDLY GODA, From the Nashoitle (Tenn,) Zanner, The suporstitions have a faith in tho idea that all evit vlattutions havo thoir favorito snd selocted routed of travel, and, if anoh he tho ease, surely thero is no Sty In Aniorica that i doster o iho unfrlcudly gods than Clhlcago, Thoy have cntalled upon this city dur- {uy tho paxt devaral years moro Ducessity for Rovore wiraygleto boar u licad above misfortune (ban hwa been Fulfluled upon the nggregato of overy otler Anmos- {cau city, ‘A TADICAL GIANGE MUST D% MADE, From the Keokuk (1a.) Gude-City, The alarming froquency of tie roourrence of great firos in cltics now shows that s now polley mut control in regard to fire-regulation in cities, orto ‘insuruuce, or bath, Aad it i8 evident that among (ko requiro- ntents of necurity to citiea liko Chicago must Ve the roliibition of Iumber-yards, most manufactures, and o running of trufua In ie heart of the town, A ratlieal chango must bomado that will tako towns ot from under such iabilities to‘conflugrations, Another ‘chenge must be in tho manuor of billdlug and romove Tug ull Quugorots businews, Iiro apparatas and fusur- ance ofter no adeqinto suonrity now ; that I clear, WE MUST BUILD WITI 3ORK CAUTION, . Fyun the Bufalo I:.linu. Tt wonld seem as though thord Lad Leen enough terriblo Gisastors within & few yooru past, reulting from a dlaregard of the simplest luws of Nuturo, (0 toach men prudence. . o . 3fen go on bullding flimay sirnctures \lynl tumble down nt tho first o;lrlnunnnlty. or furnish tempting foud for the flainos, sud wheu [} oertain consequoncen of tholr folly avertalia thow, stand agbast at the dispeusation of Providenco,—od though Providenos bad anything to do with it, "Phio Iateat sestion of the lesson was written in Chl- csgo, on Tucedsy, by the [ro which apread ovee a large arew of the cify tEnt was oceupiod by wooden and im- properly-canstructed balllingt, The fire, nithough & forriblo onc, was bat a djeuiond odition of that whleh oeenzrud two yeurs ago; nnd yet §t sposks to overy large city in the land in tones that canuot be misuu- dsrétood, It teliw thew thut if they would Lo safo from slnliay visitatious, thoy must bulld with more caution, NO MORF. WOODEN WUILDINGS, From the Wil hee Sentinels “Tho lant Chicigo firs bua supplornculed tho lesson of {ho Groat Firo as to the advissbility of perwittluy no 1mute woodws buildiugs 1 uby locabity near tho hoart oftho clty. Tn tho jroscat case, na iu tho formor, fhangh to o less ustout, the wooden buildings fur- ki the kiudling-vood for the cousumntion of nable tuctures, nnd £t 1ooks now as if the fire-terror would aventuslly eufarce the rign of brick nnd stao prott Tiuch evorywinre wtiin the corporato limits of oll orix bargo Oles, Milwaukee huw beon poculiurly freo from extensive Gros, hub yet there i u maral fn tho Chicago fire to bo heeded, o . . Thodistrict do- Vourod by ths flw wua o fivid ‘of fucongruitics. Ouo iwougrsl bujuess alr and o mougrol air ; tho other was wougrel all over, and tho worst kind of mongrel at that, It can now start out on a fule beats, and mako itseif what (ho locality veods, 'A DLEBSING 3§ DISUTISE, From the JHlbany Eseing Joarnal, Thia Bro romoves what woa one of the worst portiona of tho clty in itk charsctor and what wes a stending unuce to itz veeunis, T0 compao t to tho purltou thou of the Fivs Polnts in Now York by the witrge of Hatae would, porbupe, be to ALIONE B TUPMALLR of iho caso,” And yet, while a fow fine odiflena aro do- ktroyed, tho sectivil consirted muntly of cheap build- inge, und eazbraced many dend whoso rooni 1 8 great deat'rvve valunble then thoir company, Tho construc- tion of this portion of the clty aud the neturs of tho Drevajling wis fufallibly markod 3t for desirictlou. Yt has bosn o conntunt soiiece of dresd to ths soltd Lug- Inicy soction, Tho merchauts huvo felt thnt s great fira miniong 18 woodun touemonts was novitable, and thiat, sooncr or later, thes' would havo to face i, , Ifow far ft. might sweep, thoy could ouly conjectuzd, nud tho worst. maturally improwed t{aelf uron thols imwginition, Tt was likoliving ovex o powler-mugoc Zino, Aud now tiut ot longth- tho firo has coiad and Gono, and thiat Jts ravoges liuve fortunutely Looh cone Hhied maloly within the section which could bost bo aparod, thore will bo somethiug of & fecliug of rellef, hio Jos uuiforea by tho voor s, iudesd, deploral Tlia oxpuleion of hundreds from thelr homes oxelt fall syinputhy, Tbe deatruction of the uew chiurch and the faw otlior Sue ouifices involved in tho common Qoom 15 lamentable, Tho suddon wipiog out of aix iilidons of property ia no Ught matter. But all thead ihings can bo ropaired, snd Ciilcago will #pring with oW pirit and enorgy o ber progressive work, Locaise of the uplifiing of this cloud which hung over bior. Tho ovils are towporary—the Advantigos uro porma~ aeat. Looklng to the future of Chicago, wo Tepoat tho fire fa ikoly to prove a bicesing in disgulace TUE 5ANE OLD wTOLY. From the iltabury Fort. 1t s ngaln the sumo old story of a"high wind and uneafo buildings,—firetraps Lustfly, porhaps, ond carclensly erected withont s thought about. tiio pousi- bilitica of a conflugration, , . . With tho well- nown and rcognized entorprisg and energy of Ohl- cago, wo most contidently oxpect to seo tho dobris sb once closred away, and the gup Sled up with butter 20d nioro substaniial buildings, Chicago i not lilely 10 Blt awnony tho uabes and shod usoloss tosss, Ono of illo mofn urieries of American commerco Dussed thicougl bor, und. will rejuvenato her awdd the most tarriblo disaitors, HOUSES OF 00D, From the Pitisburg Commerelal, Thia peoplo wiio rabullt such & city na- Ohleago in threo years will certainly not fail to loarn whatever lessons this freah calumity muy teach, Taking for genntod, a8 we liave done, that thoy liad dovized sud But fu practico all suck’ mussres ax they thought Focessacy to provent a ropatition of the disaster, wo need not bostfly sestime that their ingenuity was ex- buusted, or thut thoy find themselvos helpless in tho ‘prosoucd of tho new catusirophs. We muy well bellove the intollectual resources Chicago inexhaustiblo, Former precautions having proved inadoguate, new procuutions marked by treal dovices and sur- prising contrivauces wil be applied. Auotlier lesson of the firo s ono which, however clearly taught by the fire of 1871, was not by it suiliciently broy, shit hiotno to and {mprossed upon the minds of ail tio inhabltants, There were men &a rosoluto to build and live in ‘honses of wood uftor as before that memorable event. Thut fanoy we ulnty Aupposo to binve ut length beon forever bunished from the Ohicagoan mind, Houce- forth {¢ will hardly Do possible for a citizen of the place to feal any confidence in ita 'ufulfor aven proba. blo uum‘\llun from desolstion nntll fire-proof mate- vials sliall enter e largely us possible into ita con struction, Tho losson in tals dircetion so emphati~ ceally taught Obicago ia one too wiieh, we nesd lurdly Sey, Boms other cltiea maight hood Wil much ~pros- poctive sdvantage. LI WiOLT. COUNTRY APFECTED, Frou the Minneapolis (inn.) Tridune. Tlutn great. calanity Wil nioct (0a Brenicr or lesdor extont tte whole country, All busiuess will feel it somo- ‘whiat, and it muet take Chicugo years to overcome it, T3ut Ohicago {s not a eity which will yield readily to mis- fortuno, or sit down und ery over apitt milk, © On the coutrary, she will bo more thou over dotermined to Tiold iy placy aa o of tha great commercial contron of tho cauntrs, In hier misfortunes o pynpatislze, aud i all Lot fforlefo xogiin bor presiige aud 1. habilitate herself, we bid hor Godepeod, TEDUOTION TO AHRES, From the St, Paul Disvatch, Bamo stops skould be taken to guurd sgainst these aft-tecuvring culumnfties, or olas Ouleago will continue to be reduced to nwhes, » o o Other citles should take warning, ‘There aro inany lable lo bo deatroyea any duy, On {he contraty, & racklessucas is dlapluyod 1u tho erection of new bulldings, and in the'allowancs of ombustible xovkorles in tho beart.of business atreots, B nEAGONS ¥OR TEAT. From Hlonminglon (111.) l'.m’agm{m. Connfgering that the great dinger 10 Cliléago will nowrly nlways bo from u southwest wind (a8 that iu thy prevabifog wind fu the dry sqaion), and thst in that very quarter thers s allll B vast 1ogion covered with fraine shantics to furulsl ‘dndlng wood, tuero 1s good Yearon tofear thut (ho elty lwk uat yot veu the last of Liur grou contiagrations, - And there are otlior cities 10t 2uueh bettor oif 1u thiy reapect, UQUINTS THAT WAY. Fyam (he Geaenns (111.) Eepiiblie, ‘Wo do not thiuk Uhicago 8 doomed 10 bo burned up ks Lioss citfes of old, the wumes of which overy Saudny-school veholur voght to be famillur with, Lt it squinte that wuy o good deal, snd nintty oxteu-plous people con be found who sre Lold to siltrat that Obica- go will yet bu destroyed on avcount of her alns and corruptious, Aud few wiors uch fires &a thut on 'L‘uoldu ‘will svt even hor to thinklug, "Titi: BRRIOUS QUERTIG! From the New York Graphic, 1€ begau_fn {hio hovel of & Pole, s Hia formor fire commenced fn s barn; and this act ralses the serious question whether such buildiogs shonld ho permitted 10 o great eity, ‘L'wo contlagrutious are protty concin- Bivo arguments sguint allaywing sucl atructuves fupn dlosely-built city, whora tho burning of oue buildlug cudnugesd the whate, Uhlesgo s, unfoslunately, exposod to powerful winds, whicl bave no hills or foreas to break thole force, Liko many other \Western citlun, ulio hus to pro- fect Hersold agaiust o double fos, W are ouly bogine i 0 Tear how to bufll & vity that whull Lo compara: tiyely safo from epldemics nud Bres, Dbut ull the kuowl. edge thut hae \will‘fulnud should Lo spoolutly utihizod o *loun uuw aud yrowlug Westorn citiés, whick aro unusually oxpusod 10 the prairie winde, 1t ibe vacllon of waodeu hnllk\lur of xlll 84 Josal oysey Uilrd or Ro ot Lrlok, which s the only roally fire-proof matorial we have, Ilion thiero ahould be at -fraquont iulervals sirestn {00 broad for n fira to leap across, and_sot with o doublo row of trecs Itko filon of saldiors to keop the finmes from stealing or breaking ovor to thoother slde, 1t may seem 5 waste of Iaud o givoso much to broad avonues and boulovards, but one sich strest wonld put o offoctusl chork to an_ordinary conflapration snd Hore tian pay for isc evary yoar 8e8 sanitary pro- vislon, A TRRMANENT IMPROVEMENT, yom the New Forh Witnens, Tn somo notiacs tha configmtion will probably romuTt In » permanont improvemnent of the city which conid 20t love boon attained 1n auy othor Wey for balf & e . AMYKA“H,TL;TOIIY. om the e York Kaprett, This fact tellna foarful story, of neglected warning and of lupending aangor, T novory lesson of dlee anter which tho firo of 71 loft Olieago to_ profit by a unbieedod ; fhoro aro rows of tinder-box bulldings erccted {n tha robullding of tho cily, and thoro uro no rocautionn against such dissstrous fires, Nor 18 lhote any improvamont in tho Firo Department or ita ‘manngertiont. At u oarly bour the firemen goye way, aud asxlatance was called from adjacent placos, while tho only Lope scomed 1o bo to driva tue firg to the Iako ond ond tho owa by tho barrior of tho shoct of wutor n Ita patiiway, ~Although tho tolal loss will not 1o oue-olghils that of tho fire i 1871, il slows the dan- e Lo wiial o alty I ex osed and tho criminal neg- gouce of crecting such buildings sa those just do- piroyed, s . . A8 lho Accounts como in of tho lomsen, and =8 tho focality of the burnt diatrict {8 moro clearly designated, wo cannot but ses thio Providential cenae 1n the udlon chicoking of tho fire, Chicago doea ok owo ita‘encapo fromu renowal of tho great dissster o tho proft from that ovont, Tho clly 1a il exposod to the danger, and will, ko, (il thero in cara In tha oraction of_bulldings and roin proper ayie ten thoro—in tho buildiug up of citics aud tho ar- rangoment of the trects, 'UNFORTUNAT] on mernovIDRNT From the New Yark Esening Post. 1t fs singilar that, ko soon aflor tho fearful expes rlence whach Chicago ind in 1671, s Hire, beginning in broad dnylight, but o fow stopa from tho busicat und wealthiest purt of tho city, sould bo able to gali much eadway that ut ot tiné L appossed st ifthe former deatructlon waa to e ropeatod, Wo aroremindad that only n fow daya agoa correspondont, in & review of thio work in thie robuflt. district, severoly criticised the Lisate and carelossnesa with - wiiich somo of tho bujld~ ingn biud been ercciod, snd tho Inck of procautions agalust firo ta tho old districts, Thess remarks soom ta bo, in part at loaat, Sustified by s fire, Thoblocks Qrat swopt by tho flames were old, crowdod, and in- fuinmuble, aud not cany of ceens 'to tho Fire Dopart~ ment, Ad tlio fire apresd to tho noril and gust to- ‘warda the blocks which Ohfeago had promised to mako impreguablo, very little confidenco Waa manifostod 1 thuwo wow ro-prool »atrcturea, | Some of Uiy e lionses appear to have boon devouredaw ewsily na tho old ouce, - Thosa thinga suggest that tho basta to build up the city aod tho tmpationco of delay in businces ‘have sacrificed tho raul yalue of tio work sacomplishied, .ond that tho older quarters of the city Lisve not re- colved that attontion whicll wan requisito a8 o procau~ ton against awoeping confisgrations. This fire is anothor * warning.” Dut, alas, warnings in thesotimus are spparently but incoutives to rocks lessneas. Wosmanl up railrosd trains, sink steams loata, explade bollers, and maim onrselves one day, anly to exaggerate the horror ou the noxt day, Boston 1oa not {n all reapocts pralited by the losson which Quicago ho noglected 3 and the citica that havo not boen visited by disnstor aze as careloss as ever. Hasto to got rich Ia over apt to macriflco Its own objoct § uud ak for life—that f » trifle in the caleulation, PAID TIE PENALTY. From the Winana (tinn.) Republican, Ghiengo hus paid tho pemnity of purmitting hor handsomo busiticss blocka to ba surrounded with wooden bulldings, Woodon bulldings will bo at & dis- count in that city loreafter, —_——— CROPS, Wieat in Xown. Exokuk & DsMOINES RATLWAY Ua.,} OrricE Surr, TELEGRARI, Keoxus, Ta,, July 24, 1674, T the Edilor of the Chicago T'ribune: S1in ; Horowith find a copy of the * oplnions” of tho Agents of this, and tho Deshlolues & Fort Dodga Railroad Company, s to the prospect of the prosout whent-crop. It looks good. Very reapoctfully, H. A. KINNAMAN, Keokuk—Whost in this and udjoining counties I8 noarly atl harvested. Averago yield. Quality Dyairie—Whoat all harvested in thig vicinity. ~Quality very go Crolon—Neurly all cut, Vory fair crop, both a to quality aad quantity. Farmingfon—Fall whoat all ecut. Quantity (:00d, Yiold lurgo, Bpring wheat noarly & fail- A ico. Bonaparte—All barvested. About nn average crop of very good quality. Bratonsport—Nosrly all cut, Quality of fa}l whoat cnoice, and yiold about tweuty bushels per acre. Spring wheat rathor poor, . Sammit--Whest sbout ell harvested, Good ‘quality, Farmors say it is 5 good_sverago crop, - Douds—Harvest about over. Largo quautity and very gaod quality, Independent—Fall wheat all cut. Cropaverage. Spring whest below aversgo somowbat; dame aged by chinch-bug, "Eldon--Cutting just commonced. Fair yield and good borry. Somo bottom-lands will icld produgiously, " Cligiland—Whest hervostd. About average quantity in sores, aud quality much superior to Jast yeur. Qtitumwa~—Harvest -about finishod. Good urocp, and much of it. omstock’s — Whent-cutting poarly finished. Quuatity largo, and quality gaod. Eddyville—Cutting commencod. It wilt bo & 1air avorago crop, Oskaloosa~—Harvesting progressing, nnd acro- Bage nnd quallty both in oxcess of last year. Leighton—Rarvest just commencod. Prospects good.” Straw hight ; berry plump and full ; hoads well tilled. Pella—Harvesting fairly commenced. Thero wil bo & full erop. Quality strictly Ohicago No. 2; bottor than 1878, Olley—Harvost just commencod. brondth sown than last year. aud yield laxgo per mero. Targor Quality excellont, Will ship big by A\’lfi- 15. lonrog—Botter, both in quantity and quality, thay last year. Prairi¢ Cily—~Good berry, Yield large. Prairie City will maintain her position 8 the best grain-station. Mitchellvilla—Harvest just commenced. Tha farmors ay tho crop is one-third botter than in 1873. Quality lu very excollont, Alloona—Very food crop; 15 to 18 bushols or noro. Quality good; pldmp and full grain, P s Motnes\hout-tirvont. will - comimoncy in esrnost hero next Mondsy. Quality good. Yiold Iarge. Ashewa—Hnrvoet Just bogun, Whent of good quality, any & great doal of 3k, Waukee—Prospects good. VWhest and oata being harvested. More than ordinary erup, and better quality tkan usual, Dallas—Wheat-crop fino, Just coprmenced ontting, Much boettorin all respocts than last yenr. “Minburn—Crop A No. 1,—will_grado straight No. 2; and acrouge largor than lnst yoar & fourth, Perry—Not commonced outting. Quantity and quality botter than for thros yoara. Rippy—Wheat oxceliont quality and full ayer- mokuxvv. Harvosting will be "halt-dono this wok. Grand Junction—Turt commenced cutting. Exgoot more than avernge crop, Quality good. owrie—Xinrvest not commenced, Crop will be good ; moro acres aud bettar quality thau laat yoor. Tara—Harvest just commoncsd. Crop not vory good ; Bomowhat damaged by gragshoppory. Fort Dodgo—No whent horvested yet, Good &vorago orop expeoted in this viclnlty Miscelluneous, Correspondence of Ihe Clacago Tribune, Warirrown, Wis., July 18,~Tho rye, barley, and wintor-whent Holds aro'noy boing cat in this vogion, Noxt wook tho spring-wheab will be mnd{ for tho mowers, and active proparations aro' belng mado by formers for hurvest-worlk, Tho gewin-crop will ba fully averago i both quantity and quality, nccording to the opinion of the bost-informed growors. Corn nover lookei Dottor in this Stato, and potatous are promising woll, notwithstanding tho ravages of the bugs, which hiave boen quito porsistent and general. T.AN8ING, Mioh,, July 16.—Tho wheat-hnrvest is nonrly over, and the grain ecoured, either in tho bari or stacks. Tlio whont-orop In Contral Michigan is muoh hetter thsu tho severe winter aud wpring gave roason to oxpect. Homo flolds In tho early spring, that appeared badly damugod from the winter, will yiold handsomely, Tho woathor hax boon unusinlly favorable for socur- Ini tho orop lu tho fnest condition, Corn_and onts nover looked bottor at this season. *Early potatoes have been injured by the dry weather, —_—— ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, Special Disateh to 1'he Chisago Trivune, Davexron, In,, suly 17,.—Anattemptat auicldo was mado last night whicl caused both commont and eadness iu this city, B, 1% 13, Ingham s one of the most gifted of lawyers practiciug at tho Scott County bar, Ho Ling residod Liere ever slnco he graduated from tho Luw departwmont of the State Umiversity in 1870, Yor the last thice or four days Mr. Inabuut hes beou indulglig fu ono of b drinking spolls, About 10:46 vslock P. 1. hio wont to tha Morclionts Lunch on Iirady Btreot, below Bevoud,rnd st downing chair in tho alloy ab tho eide of tho suluon. A frivud, wha lied beon trying to provuil upon him to oconso wriniduyg, was #ith taw, aud took & seat beside him, 1l0 eallod for wiue, and was refused, In sbout tou minutes Mr, Iugham seid, “ I wish to God somebedy would blow my bralns out” Iu- stantly bo put bis right haod bolind Lo, drow it buak, vrosued it over kis broust, aud hore tho % of, pistol was hewrd, Mo did this se ,;‘:-ll':l:h::j &mnuht. botore those noar ‘Biu aay Mo o wiab ks waw bout, He manlk back Into his oh and gafd: “Thore now, I've finished it," (ollo‘v.: Iug it in & second with, * I aimod right for my hoart,” Dr. Bowdon was on the spol vory soon aftor, and Dr, Peok was sont for, Dr. B, kopt his hand over the wound, Mr, Ingham taliti all tho while, and soomingly not mioh injurod; It waa ovident tho ball hrd ot toucbod & vital « part, In a quartor of an hour Dr. Peck wrrivad, and Mr. Ingham wan taken to s room ab the Nocoiab Honse, Examination showod a bullet hiolo diraetly ovor the heart. Probing the wound, tho ball was found over tho ribh nt n point 8 inohies to tho loft of its place of entrance. It was immodiato]y talan out, It was & good-slzed uall, his pistol being o heavy ono. 'Tiio ball id struck & rib and glanced, cutting no veln in it ‘“ly that could allow nuy great loss of blood. It iad parsod through the lapel and breast of 4 woolen cont, vest, and shirt. and 1ha thiokness of the olothing provented it entering the bady with full offect. Tho surgoous cared for tho par tlont proporly. ———— CALIFORNIA WHEAT FOR EUROPE. BAN Fnaxctaco, July 17.~Tho Grangera havo commonced londing now wheat for the Europosa mnrkat. The firat vossol, tho Star of Hope, for Livoroool, will lond a¢ Vallejo, The Cirangors will nolt when the ships are full or when on the way aut. SPECIAL NOTICES. KEERP IT IN THE HOUSE-THAT IT MAY BR PROMPTLY ADMINISTERED IN ALL SUDDEN ATTACKS OF CHOLERA MORHUS, ORAMPS, DIARRIIRA, COLIO, OR ANY KINDRRRD AFFEO TION, FOR WHICH DR, JAYNK'S CARMINATIVR BALSAM I8 AN REFECTUAL REMEDY, AT TIIS BEARON OF THE YEAR EVERY FAMILY WILY KIND IN IT A USKFUL AND NECHSSARY CURATLVE, Schenek’s Sea-Weed 'Tonie. TIn tho atmosphero experfencod boro during tho sammor monthe, the lothargy produced by the ieat takes sway the destro for wholosomo food, and fraquant porsplrationt redaos bodily enoray, particularly thoso suforing from tho effoota of dobilitating disossos. Ta ordorto koep ¢ oatural hoalthfal activity of the aystom, we must resori toaztifiolal moans, For this purposo Schonck's Sna-Woed Tonlo is very offoctual, A.fow doscs will ereate an appe tito and give frosh vigor to the enorvated body, Fordys: vepala It v invalaablo, Manyeminent physlclans have doubted whather dyspopsls oan bs pormanently oured by lte drugs which are gonorally employod for that purposs. ‘Tho Soa-Wood Tonlo in {is nature Is totally differont from such drags, It contains no corrosivo minerals or acidsy 1n [act 1t amsists the regular oporations of nature, and aupplics hor doficloncies. The tonle in fta nature so much rosembles tho gastric jufes that It Is aloost Identts cal with that flaid, Tho gastrio juloo ls the nataral solye ‘ont which, In & boalthy condition of the bedy, canses the food to bo digosted ; and whon this julco is not escroted {0 suffclont quantities, indignation, with all Its distross- ing symptoms, follows. Thu Sea-Weed Tunfo porformt the duty of the gastric julos when tho lattor Is deficisnt. LADIES' UNDERWEAR, &ec. SPECIAL BARGAINS! R 1. HicDowell & Go,, 228 West Madison-st, CORNER OF PEORIA. ‘Wo inve recelved from onr Rachester Factoc ry nn hmmenso utock of Ladies’ Cotton UN« DERWEAR, to be sald withont regurd to cont. The garments are nll sewed with lock-stitel machines,and comprisiug all the nowest styles, Lndies cun voly ou this sule, ns kreat bursnlig will bo offered, Among the special bargnina will be 50 doz. Ladicw’ Fine Chemlacs, witl _coruetcover basoma, at 35¢ cach t 20 doz. Lae dies’ Fino Chiemlines, corded baud and slecvos; at G50 encki 30 doz. Ladics® fine Chemlsca, with corded band and sleoves and ralited vory fliroy nt 750 onchis 20 doz. Lndles! extrn fing Cliewises,ombroldored an clced front, ut S1 enchi 20 doz. Ludies? Fing Drawers, G tucked nad roffied, ut 35c enchs a lot of Ewbiollered Drawers ant half prices 30 doz. Luodies? tulls sized Night Dresses, ruilled and bius tacka in front, nt 70c ench3 40 doz, slightly soiled ns hulf price; Lndies’ 8kirty, ln nll styles, nt a great redustioni Corset Covers, Dressing Sacques, and Shirt Walsts at low pricess On our contre table will b doz, Ladi Minsew’ Aprons, wortl 82, 81, 3 81all at the uniform price of 40ct ench Indy can tako her choicet 400 doz. Ladiew’ Linen und Embrolderd Cotlars ag §o ench 100 doz. Linen Caffy nt 15¢ a pair, J.adies would do well to examine our Corsce Depurtmont before buying elsowhere. ONTE PRICE ONILs'Y . LADIES' SULTS. Sk and Stuff Suits! FIELD, LEITER & G0, State and Washington-sts,, Havo marked down their STUFF and SILK SUITS to about half value, and will offor SATURDAY, July 18, TFashionable and Desirabloe styles STUFF SUITS, $18 and up BLACK & FANCY SILK DO, $58 and up. An unusugl Sacrifice to closo, PIRROS A0D OBGATS KIMBALLS, GREAT BARGAINS! Instrumonts saved from the flro, &'k alightly damaged Cason, will bo sold voiy low, to make room tor new atogk, Tustrumonts for rent and for sale on ine ataliments, W. W. KIMBALL, Corer State and Adams-sts, Chithgo, HIRTS! WILSON BROS, 67 Washington-st., Chicago, Andl Ponrth-st,, Pike's Opern Touse, Cincinnati, DISSOLUTION. Oi110Aa0, July 16, 1874, The firm of Fit: Id ) L 1ot shtmmet ;a‘ir,’mfli‘;:::’:.::,“ anifoatig -‘,,:\r“ : fl"m“&fimw bo wnitle Aage S il i e LAY