The New York Herald Newspaper, October 10, 1871, Page 8

he Effect of the Disaster in TION, WONDER AND COMMENTS, ~ The Great Topic Among the Public and Scenes in the City. A LIVELY DAY IN WALL STREET. fleavy Tumble in Western ‘ Railroad Stocks. Re ih BME Weenance coMPANES EXERCISED. Bame of the Hinor Corporations Bad Anxious as to Results. WHICAGO RISKS IN NEW YORK. We Situation ax Viewed by the Dey Goods In- terest and the Produse Kxchange. i Day Cooke, Harvey Fisk, Vermilye, George mis W. B. Clerke and Ogden White “Interviewed.” the Leading Moneyed Mon Think. pe GESERAL EFFECT UPON THE CITY. ‘The ail-absorping topic of conversation throughout and all ages; naught else seemed to be of; naught else seemed to be talked about; ‘and low, tioh and poor, all were wrought up to high state of excitement consequent upon the se- Around ‘the bulletin boards of the different news- yer offices, whether English, French, Spanish or crowds were collected eagerly reading the be heard to fail “Arrab, thin,” said one ‘woman near the HERALD office bulletin voard, have pity upon the poor widows and little turned adrift upon the charities of this cowld " “Thrue for you, mam,” said another, “for imdade will they find it.” Not alone to these was the sympathy confined, in ‘Of the well received saying, | “THE POOR ARE ALWAYS KINDEST Bo the poor,” but men whose appearance indicated they were abundantly biessed with this world’s ‘were loud spoken im their expressions of AID THE SUFFERERS }n come enbstzat ia! manner. ‘The lower office of the Western Union Telegraph fm Broadway, might be said to have been beuleged by an anxious crowd, either examta- the despatches posted up, waiting to hear from + Rg eatoct, Sara tora nals ey nos Bedespatches to the City of Fire ‘one receiving news instantly became the cen- Meee oerons. ‘who pressod closely around him to the nature of the information, and any one with the peg of the place became ptm of interest for an attentive and never did words falling famous Oracle of Delphi re- nd each different edition of the were quickly snapped up, and all cars and might be acen voices Hl i 4 GAMINS SELLING PAPERS ‘could be heard through ali the crowded thorough- "s your extry; full p’ruclars They did a thriving trade, and as one said to an- ‘other, “Hey, Jemmy, ain’t dis bully; I’ve sold all look @ ’ere,’’ exhibiting the money he hed re- them. Owing to the uncertainty existing ing the movements of friends in Chicago persons here, alt! Most anxtous to for- ‘despatcl were deterred from doing so, Norhing has occurred for years which has go atirred AP the people of the metropolis. THE EFFECT UPON WALL STREET. One of the most instructive lessons of modern Civilization 1s that no part of the world can suffer ‘Without entailing a greater or less degree of loss and rain upon the remainder. A misfortune to one pliy or town or even man, if it be of a more serious Character than the mere changing of money from one hand to another, and actually invoive , ®he irreparable destruction of the result of past iabor, cannot fall to cast shadow upon the fortunes of all its or his neigh- hors. Itis, indeed, impossible to predict where a wave of ruin and suffering will finally stop. if we jeould only trace out the remote and indirect conse- of a single great disaster we should proba- find it running the complete circle of the wide jgiobe, and carrying TROUBLE AND PRIVATION fntomany a home where even the details of the calamity had never reached. Never did this wondertu! interdependence of alljtne parts of civilized society find a more signal iilustra- ion and exampie than ip the effect of the great @ireat Chicago upon Wall street yesterday. N *who assert that for a week past they had a mysteri- gus premonition of a terrible crisis. A PREMONITION, “T felt it tn my bones,” said a wall street operator esterday, “and on Friday I was so certain of it I sold 600 Obio and Mississippi short of the Lknew that we were on the eve of one of panics we baveever known. 4nd the et Things may look a little better to- just watt apd see what they will bea I predict @ general fali of from per cent, and some of the thas have been pampered up by managers with fictitious dividends paia ital, Will tambie, tambie, tamble—away i} J don’t Know why, but) Knew this ) Was coming, and if I had had sense enough to spyaterious monitor witnin and risked its counsel ] should be even now a aire.” MORE PROPHETS. apeay thas tbe § eaker was of en @ WAS especial: RSet stares of hi and fear, 3 wan yesterday notuce now wide- game impression of having known x Was coming. Every ing from the imperfect digestion or a few 4 Olesipation was bad, by some impepetrabie made pFé-acquainted with the mmpend- ‘Bow can Chicago affect New York?” said a down town On the cara vexiarday morniag i fz : | ar ge ae either, and this will in many cases take away their margin of profit, and stockholders, —— atthe “ Lait sell out as ny price whatever that 6. DOWN | DOWN! DOWN! This gloomy forecast of what the day would bring forth was indeed fulfilled so far as Wall street was concerned. During the first hour or ao the brokers seemed a little pd to ‘y the news aud the alr, as they trembled down the of quotations with @ coastant apparently irretrievabie downward tendency. wy noon, however, the excitement had fairly decl itself. Por weeks the market has been largely a ith a moderate and very useful assistance to the cliques by ‘outside’? speculators. These timid operators at once began to sell, when the market assumed & HOW THEY LOOKED. excited faces, and eyes nervous, restless movements and yell in whers preferring to lose poselsis quia a Vey Cent interest than ron 6 risk of losing the whole of the principal. BRIGHTER SKIES. Fortunately about four o’clock the perf! gradually grew icss, and slighay better rates. prevaued until code cnong Suga flee Witce si f ices Ww! compared with ‘Sacardey’ quccengan, seem |, the in general grew rerie | wn Mga and oven met who rere sadly crippled by 's thankful was they had not a however, or w run w) citize: Toney coutre of the Continent. “It is notorious that Western business is largely done with Eastern and that Western real estate 1s bur- with mspy mor tural New be the gen- wo the street that tho worst of the danger was past, and that we need have no further apprebensions of a widespread panic, evenil we may have to chronicle numerous failures. THE EFFECT ON THE INSURANCE conPA. MES, The Chicago conflagration was of course tne topic of greatest interest to the insurance companies of this city yesterday. Very few companies, indeed, in this city will escape scot free, for, whue many of them have no agencies in vUhicago, they do insure against fre through business houses here who have branches in Chicago. And such is the network of business interests between this city and the rest of the Union that a very considerable amount of .fire insurance business is done in this way by New York companies, Hence a& great many companies will sustain small losses, while a few will nave to bear the great weight. The HERALD reporter yesterday visited the principal insurance officeson Broadway, and especially those which maintain agencies in Chicago. The informa- tion obtainea was very limited indeed, compared with the anxiety of the public to cnow the result of the 1osses and of the companies themselves to ascer- tain bow they stand. There was a continual stream of visitors into those offices all day long. Stock. holders came to inquire as to the PROBABILITIES OF THEIR DIVIDENDS and directors from various companies went to sym- pathize with their neighbors, and to receive sym- pathy, and to compare notes generally. Some of them wore rather long faces and “looked blue.” ‘There was scarcely any business done by any of them, so wholly occupied were the officers, and the public in seeking for the lavest news, None of them had information later or more definite than that which the evening papers pubiished, and they clutched with as much avidity at the current rumors as the outside pubilc did. More information could be obtained im the form of prob- ability ano guess work from outeiders than from the insurance officiais. The companies nere that are likely to sustain the heaviest losses are tne Lon- don and Liverpool, Globe, Astor, American, Hart- ford, of Hartford, Conn.; Home, Security, North American, of Hartford, Conn. ; International, Lemar, Lormlard, Hanover, Phoenix, of Brooklyn, and some few others, These and many others were visited yesterday by the HERALD reporters, with the resuit given below. Late in the day Messrs, J. H. & C. M. Goodsell, of 156 Broadway, prepared a fiy- sheet containing the list of New York and other companies having agencies in or doing business with Chicago, together with their cash capital and total assets—an interesting piece of information at {bia juncvare, Beginning with THE INTERNATIONAL INBURANCB COMPANY, No. 117 Broadway, whose loss was reported on the street at $1,500,000, the HBRALD, reporter inquired of tue officers how they stood. They could not tell; the telegraphs were down; they knew nothing save by the press in fact, they at all. inumated that their losses were said outaide to amount to one and a haif millions, The secretary's eyes brightened up at this @nnouncement ana he promptly rephed, “Nothing of the kind, 6ir. nothing of the kind. or entire risks in Chicago do not reach one million dollars and they are scattered all over the city. Out utmost loss will probably not exceed $250,000 or $200,000, We have an agency there, however, and can’t tell with any degree of certainty for a couple of days ‘What our losses wil! amount to.” THE LONDON AND LIVERPOOL AND GLOBE INSUR- ANOB COMPANY Oi oe Motes D reach @ m: ey are withont any definite or reliable informattoa. | Se aernaes Sees the status.oi affairs and equally cool. THR HARTFORD INSURANCE COMPANY, OF HART. 18 believed to be a very but to whatextent the geen bt ij 5 fie Cited a in lis Junotares as Nn pe baa The Adriatic dollars—not more than could be Tage business. But ices had not been touched at all by the fire, which was travelling in another direcuon. Had the conflagration not crossed tye river the losses would have been com- rati all. The Home Company had not lost. £ Saas Ore on Daa , but the “new ‘They oly 1oae heavily, “they were too un- The fh THE STAR INSURANCE COMPANY, ‘whose secretary very rudely refusea to answer, but said, “Do you suppose 1’d give you such information for publication ? RevorteR—I do suppose so, else I should not have called upon you, ‘The other compunies have cheertully answered my queries, and itis @ matter an which the public are deep g interested. SEcRETaRY—Well, all I can say that you have shop. You can’. get any infor- President, WhO was seen suhsequently, was more polite and dod the reporter that they had no isks or losses at all. THB GREAT WESTEBN, OF CIlIcaGo, 1s probably wiped out by the great fire. Its agent here had to despatches to and from the West, but was unable to doso. Ine press and the sufferers there were occu the lines to their limit, and he had no means of telling anything about it, The building there, together with all the books and ad been burned out, and it will probeb! several days before they can get any correct estimate of the losses involved. THR BELIRF INSURANCE COMPANY, 000 insurance in Chicago, and bod y have ave about loss, they think, will be about $20,000. The: no agency there and did all their writi through business frienas,. The Firemen’s Fund In- surance Company have only $15,000 insurance in the burned city, and as the fire was jg in the op- ite direction the ofMicers here thought it very ely that they should not lose anytning. THE GERMANIA INSURANCE COMPANY have between one and two nundred thousand dol- lars insurance in Chicago, and they may lose the whole or a great portion of it. But at present they conid not tell anything about their loss, THE NEW AMSTERDAM Company has about two hundred and thirty thou- sand dollars insurance and their loss will probably ‘be about thirty-five thousand dollars. THE WILLIAMSBUKG CITY INSURANCE COMPANY will lose considerabie. They have written w eet cies for $85,000, all of which they expect hi ry ‘wiped out. They were preparing @ card for publi- cation to-day in which they assure their policy holders of thetr ability to pay everything due, They have a capital, they say, of $250,000 and a surplus of $250,000 more. SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES were visited who either had no insurance in Chi- cago or for small amounts. One, for insiance, had a policy tor $3,500, which was probably not touched by the fire. Others had less sums involved, and there 1B bso if not @ company in the city with @ quarter mullion dollars capital that has not had some risk, and probably will have to bear some loss. The best estimates which the HERALD reoresevtative could obtain of the aggregate loss yesterday afternoon laced it between. thirty and fifty millions of dol- 4 Some put it less than twenty-five million nor more than one hundred million dojlars, .Dur- Ing the last two years the rates of insurance in Chicago have brokea down aud the business has been Cpe & demoralized. Eastern and New York companies have been contracting thetr policies in consequence, and at inistime have nothing like the risks which they bad there three years ago. | It ‘was the general opinion yesterday among insurance men shat there would not be a iocal company _ieft above ground in Chicago, and there are many smaller companies from other parts of the West ‘which have had agencies In Chicago; they, wo, must suffer greatly. The following EXHIBIT OF THE STANDING of the petncivel eos — ‘eee which have encies and insurances in Chicago may not be un- iereresting at this time:— company. Cash Capital, Assets, Prob, Lost. una... . .000 $442,709 Unknown, 360.000 Aariauc . 6,000, Astor ...- ‘ pf American Exchange. 10,000 ‘Atiantic (Brookisn).. p 4 ° 20,000 5,000 368,000 250,000 + No‘hing. 1,077,848 150, 4,578,800 ‘783,860 7,500,000 Unknown. 1,716,900 Unknown. _ 7,600 861,401 7,600 104,684 7,600 218,309 7,500 1,407, 788 7,600 000 1,804,567 unknown 060,536 UI o Knowa. 1,096,557 Unknown. 065,475 Unknown, 20, 1,890,333 0000 maar | 808,993 8,004,361 1,000,000 ercantile......... — 1,321,521 1, Hartiord. of fiariicra 1,000,000 191,519 Unkaowe, Great. Westera, of 222,891 271,806 Rverything is COVers, 80 far as KNOWN OF ascertained, ail the city companies whe have bad dealogd in Not thas |. porter ‘all the glittering gilding was solid gold, and such tous conflagration in Chicago on the money chaag- ers of Gotham, a HunaLp reporter put on his most Gradgrindian expression ef counténanos and boldly wandered into the Wall street wilderness of walnut most of the imposing buildings ° from the HmRaLp establish- Ment to Trinity churon were covered over with bandsome giltletiered eiges containing the names of several insurance companies, all with incon- ceivable amounts as ‘cash capital,” and each doing an amount of twriving business for the sole benefit ~ UNGRATEFUL HUMANITY, that made the bare supposition of a single “bust up” among the lot appear monstrous and absord on the very face of it. still, the re had some lingering doubts . that terrible news as that which flashed bat from Chicago yesterday was about bie of all testa for trying the trath of the legends inscribed on the signboards of insurance ; ‘Thus cogitating, the HERALD angel ok ® f angled turn from the curbetone and’entered one of the largest and most imposing commercial that Broadway can boast of. His Presence were thus attracted by the wealthy sbape of the letters over the door which formed the words, “Hanover Insurance Company.” Mutering the oMices, the reporter asked and ine few minutes a tall, handsome gentleman ‘@t00d forth for reportorial inspection, and announced himself ag Mr. J. R. Lane, the cntef secretary, J. R. Lane, of the Hanover. “Mr, Lane,’ said the reporter, “I come from the HERALD to say that the public 19 all anxiety to kaow howsuch gentlemen as you feel over the sad news from Chicago.” “Ah, itis very ead news, indeed, alr,” sald Mr. ; “e great Calamity, sir.” : To do him justioe the secretary did his level best to look heartbroken, but the effort was a decided fail- ‘ure; noting which the reporter felt justified im ex- pressing # hope that the Hanover would not be likely to‘suffer any heavy losses by this otherwise “great calamity.” ‘The cloud of melancholy was lifted st once from the face of Mr. Lane as he answered, “‘Oh, no; I think we are entirely untouched. We have had litte or no transactions in our way with Chicago, We work with three other companies, and the up- derwriters’ agency have veen withdrawing from Cntoago for some time past.” “Don't you thiak that other insurance companies ‘Will be apt to suffer considerably just nowt!” “Yes, sir; if thie afternoon's news be true the suffering among many will be very severe. A good number in this city, I fear, will loge heavily, and some, perhaps, Wil have to goup altogether. The ‘Western companies, of course, will suffer most in the matter, and with most of them I feel certain . wo in EVERYTHING THEY HAVE GOT.” “What do you think the effect will be on mercan- tale business?” “1 believe, sir, 1t will be harder on mercantile interests thanon the insurance companies; much harder.’’ ih “What afe the New York companies that you think will be sufferers to any considerable extent?” “Well,” sata Mr, Laue, “I should hardly like ‘to say. ’Iwouldn’t do, you know. In fact nothing can be known for certain until we can leara the full extent of the damage.” Having thanked the civit secretary and recetved his assufance that he will be always most happy to supply the HERALD With all the ifformation le may possess at any time, the reporter proceeded to find out what ere ‘THE NEW YORK CITY COMPANIES now doing in insurance business with Cnicago, ‘whicn he ascertained to be the following:—The tna, Astor Fire, American Excnange Fire, Beekman Fire, Commerce Fire, Continental, Citizens’, Excel- sior Fire, Fulton Fire, Germania Fire, Home, How- ard, Hanover Fire, International, Irving Fire, Loril- lard Fire, Lamar Fire, Market Fire, Mercantile Fire, Manhattan, New Amsterdam Fire, Niagara Fire, North American Fire, Republic Fire, Security, Washington, and Yonkers and New York Fire. Jay Cooke & Co. Reaching the banking house of the well known firm of Jay Cooke & Co., corner of Wall and Nas- sau streets, the reporter entered, presented the HERALD’s compliments to Mr. Jay Cooke, and asked fora few minutes’ conversation, which Mr. Cooke most willingly granted. REPORTER—Do you think, Mr. Cooke, that this news irom Chicago will have any very serious effect on the financial and commercial affairs of this city? Mr. Cooxe—Oh, it must have some, sir; it must have some; but nothing very serious, I think. I do Dot anticipate any great calamities 9s far as we are concerned here, or as far as the buginess interests of the country at large are concerned. REProRrER—What do you think the immediate re- sults will be? Mr. CooxE—Well, you séc, some of the insurance companies will ndoubted\y have to go under. Many others will not, but they be loo! for money to pay up their liabilities, Then some of THE BANKS AND BEARS will hold tight and make money as Padi as, possi. ble; of course, you khow the effect of that, An attempt may be made—I shouldn't wonuer if it ‘would—to create a panic; Dut I ‘don’t think it will be very successful. This fre will stop the decline inthe grain market. Grain has been ‘steadily on decline tor some time past. This will stop that; in fact, grain has gone right up again to-day. REPoRTER—How avout the banks, Mr. Cooke? Mr. Cooke—The banks will certainly feel panicky fora few days perhaps; but it will be nothing— nothing. The banks always anticipate @ panic. They, to be sure of being on the safe side, always prepare for a panic when there ts the least disturb. ance; but when they find—as they will find—that Seat seetn'eityeen toca Sons’ Ses old aspect and all will go on smoothly agati oi ing the t brief season it lasts gg ey THIS RIPPLE WILL TOUCH EVERYTHING. It 48 like @ small fire in a butlaing; the fire itself may not do much harm, but the water, in endeavoring to extinguish it, will slighdy damage everytning in je house, RKEroxTBR—What (lo you think of the prospects of poor Chicago, Mr. Cooke * Mr, CoOKE—Oh, you know, it would be strange ifthe fortunes of that city were not seriously im- red by this terrivie aisaster; but J fee) certain all if not lost to her. I thipk she will doa good bust- ness still, even im her crippled condition. Have you eee that many of the elevators have been Spare: PRRYORTER—It 1s so stated, sir. Mr. LooxkE—Well, it sv, Chicago will do a large grain business, even now, with the remaining ee vators, about Chicago's chance of RerontEr—What being rebuilt? Mr. CookE—The chance is certainty, sir. Her sit uation 14 most advantageous, and, therefore, the Dase, untenanted real estate is 100 valuable to be let he idle, Why, the greater part of the real estate.of chicago Is owned by men whom I know in New York, Boston, London and Liverpool. Those ciyes are more deeply than in any other amentcan oye Th Pos} mer! city. The perity of New York independent in & measure on bd — ba a ey 8 ee Bn ie Se the 86, and waile the real @ burn is 60 Bag in ian there jeans of ia belng rebuilt, at rebuilding, I Jee), Ny; Will, cottipieeale, point of bce [ (4 BUT pass any feat in that, wi ever this Country nas witnessed. ‘Ghicags hias been overgrown eye teeth cat. Every Mmenicad city Taust oe eee cut hy fire. And the operation dated old New York was. burned off bere and away Clear down to the cnn A what New York looked like petore that burning and Seo What {tis now. Same Way with bla wooden San ta cisco, Same way now wish Ci it has BAD IT8 BYR TEETH CUT by fire, and the process will De ot service to it, hen it 1s rebuilt— 14, Wil) be in an astonish- Ht Ft aemabeahadanetiplie RePORTEn—Meantine, ‘Mr. Cooke, while Chicago 18 being rebuilt, bmg eee) the West. m te gid an . somewhere, 1 shonid Eiemaetyes i Taking’ a suare of the,wroek chicago bas m nt That is tre, sir; Mi one Wve the ‘trade of Southern eed Ortbera The trade of Festern Liao and ail inet section. will go to cg eta aS gn PR Tatlto ocecemrarey a aes wa 4 1 io MN el) SAT ks georgeously appointed ; to see One of the principal officers of the company, |. Just gone nome, who was busily writing at a desk. On stating the Teporter's business and asking Mr. Fisk for his opinion that gentleman said he thought the Chicago calamity ought not to have much effect on financial ‘they would be successful. The first @00d men in New York will do ts to help t® Make their losses fall as lightly as ‘hose who have suffered. He Was not gencralily apprenended would create any finan- how mi ‘we those who lost their all or mostiy the credit of New York that suck is Yorn far we can hel, 80, Andis is the feeling, Vermilye & Ce.—Howes & Macy. Crossing the street, the reporter entered the hand- Some offices of Messra. Vermitye & Co, and asked to see Mr, Vermilye, A middie sized and middle aged gentleman appeared and said Mr, Vermilye had ‘Rerorran—Can I sees member of the firm, sir? Frvancrme—I am a member of the firm, sir. Rerosrsnr—Thank you, sir. { come from the Heratp to ask the opinion of your distinguished ‘house ‘as to the effect of st clare @.00 ont tre onan JANCIER—I can give no opinion, sir; Iam ait, to have an opinion, espedtally on such an tm. pertant matter as this. (The centieman looked old enought to be the rs father. ) EA Sain ons expert, is will have any FinaNofau—On, No, Gov at all. I don’t think tt ‘will disturb much anywhere. It may create a littie Muancial mpple here for & few days, but is ‘will biow over then. RerorTeu—Y on have got along very well, sir, for so “young a man,” You are entirely of the same Opinion with Jay Cooke, Harvey Fisk ana ali the er old ban“ers I have met tnis evening. At the first sentence of th “young” financier looked sintied as if mightily pleased, and the reporter bowed himself gracefully into the street; after which he again rounded the corner and entered the office of Howes & Macy, on Wallstreet. He found Mr. Howes aione and in gloomy state in his private ofMice; but that gentleman trigidly declared he could give no opinion whatever on the all-absormng topic, he could form none until he heard farther from the scene of the disaster. Ex-Mayor Opdyke and the President and Secretary of the Steck Exchange. ar. George Opdyke was yesterday afternoon ‘seated in his oMfice at the corner of Nassau and -Oedar streets, As an oracle of mercantile wiedom few.men enjoy deservedly a nigher repatation, He received the HreaLp representative very ‘Kindly. Other visitors were numerous and seemed Deut upon anxious errands. Tho Huma. reporter immediately introduced THE ALL-ABSORBING TOPIC OF THE HOUR. Mr. OrpyKe—A deep excitement ts felt by all com- mercial men over this overwhelming calamity fallen upon Chicago. 1 to-day telegraphed to the Mayor of Chicago that a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held to-morrow to take action for the ald. of the afflicted people. I have no doubt that the*call for aid will be very liberally responded to by our merchants, REPoRTER—What will be the effect of this event THE BUSINESS INTERESTS OF NEW YORK! Rr. OppyKe—The effect will depend on the extent of the calamity. If the whole business part or the city is destroyed, as we are told, the losses must be immense, No doubt it will shake the solvency of moat of our insurance fain, = nate Dee old touaay that one of our iarg. a ay our larg- est best mention names—had If such 1s the case the company must sink. Many companies profess to do no business outside of New York must lose largely by having insured property in Chicago. REPORTER—Have you heard of any failures as yet? e@Mr. OpDYKE—No. It is best, you know, not to m the disaster too much. These things look darkest at first, and after the smoke clears away they seem BRIGHTER AND LESS DREADFUL. T it will prove so now. Bat stocks are ail Tf down, and I have been so occupied watch- ing them as to have time for no otner thoughta, Good day, sir. ‘The reporter next encountered Mr. Clerke, PRESIDENT OF THE STOCK EXCHANGE, and Mr. Ogden Waite, the secretary. fn the hali of the offices of a. Clerke, on Broad eet, the fol- lo short Conversation took place:— Mr. OLERKE—I think the business men of New York have good cause to tremble. Mr, WHITZ—Yes, sir. Our interests are ciosely allied with those of Chicago. The two cities are Everrtung like twin sisters. that affects Chicago Mast affect New Yor! Mr. CLERKE—There are no values wnich this event does not affect. Railroad stocks are tumbling down— even the strongest and most popular. it makes no difference whether they are dividend-paying or non-dividend paying. Bonds and all the song est. securities are yoing far below par. Some of oldest and coolest headed men on Wall street place the logs involved at over FIVE HUNDRED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, 1 think it will not be over nfty millions, Mr. WHITE—But you cannot tell. We are so mixed oP With the interesta of we would have had a dozen failures to-day if stroug men were not standing the prunt. Mr. CLERKE—Yes, that’s it. Our strongest men are supporting the weaker, Mr. WiHiTrg—But to-morrow there will undoubt- edly be FIFTY FAILURES. As soon as the loss is defined the ruin will become tangible, Mr. CLERKE—I don’t believe there isa single man Connected with Wall street, however cool-headed @nud prudent, who won’t lose a great part of his means. Jt 18 not only the speculators, Lut the men Who never gambie—the men who. always carry their wits about them—that must suffer, Tats isan event against which no provision could be made, br ag Ao bey hae Ad worse one one tat °67, HITE—| greatest calamity that ever affected Wall stréet. It comes like, w LIGHTNING IN A CLEAR SEY. Mr. CLERKE—And it 1s 0 unexpected ana such @ dire reality, We are yetin the dark as to its real extent; but we Know that the work of ruin is not of ani nary kind. 1g is not like the bursting of Paper 6 ge A is beget A bs & great city me ings Palaces of trade, Ah! there will be terrible suffering. RELIEF FOR THE SUFFERERS The Empire City to the Rescue-Mayor Hall's Invitation to Aid the Sufferers—The Cham- der of Commerce and the Produce Ex. change—Jay Gould’s Generosity— Voluntary Contributions of Citizens—Help Wanted. Succor Tendered from All Over the Country. ° ‘The tidings of the dire visitation thet has fallen ‘pon the fair Weatern city of the, Plains could. not fail to awaken in all hearts such thoughts as flow from generous impuisés aria do honor to humanity, The imprompta feeling of the multitude could be expressed in these words: ‘yt Us sineD stoon 1” To all business Leap ong pap Meee men where the pursuit of gain has not deadened the love ot What is noble, this sentiment t# outspoken. Even those who apprehend feastal losges, and even Tuin, Dave ® strong sympathy for the ones whose Getaal dufferthig is equal'to Of greatér’ than tnetrs, and (orget their own woes in of the dd badgem. of our fellow of Unis dispensation thas Chamber of Com a Board of Brokers and all of which he gave to the reporter:— MEBTING OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Dear Sin—In view of the extensive now in. the ‘of Chicago, bh has already destroyed a vast amount of pro; erty the intense suffering which will: follow calamity, the undersigned, members of the Chamber ree, t you to call 4 meeting for Tuesday, the 10th inst., at 12M., to rd am Opportunity to the merchants of New Yt wre spond to the appeal for ald made by the Mayor of Gans emmicced caty. ‘wii not be to m feisty Sak tees Matann ieee Sp catvais tro whole city, and Wil ‘fina kindly excepted from this sweeping exclusion by the doorkeeper, who took him to the presence ol Mr, Oxden White, the Secretary of the Board. The bedlam of voices all around was more than usual, and the whole burden of proclamation was the sale of values, which was threatened with nullity by the ruin wrought in the fair clty of the West. The ‘Secretary Knew nothing. of any proposed action of the Governing Boara, and cx pressing bum- self a desire for further Knowledge of probabilt- Hes, ne went with the reporter across roud street w the'oMoe of Mr. Clarke, we President. Mr. Cletke said tnat it was impossible imme- lately to call @ meeting, pecause ali miads were Yet unsettled, and the excitement was so intense a8 to precjude eMcient acuon. They did not even know yet tne full extent of tne losses and sufferings; bat a m will probably take place to-morrow PPh e in New York propose to take the 1 steps. Porser ‘eund thls remark aropped barons me. rem mer- “ven Joe: ba: since thus mea rage 3 since this fall we are men, you That is @ pi statement of the: public The latent Pe ser of humanity is hever ok distinguisned as in the miast of troubie, The Preduce Exchange. The membera of the Produce &xchange were deeply excited over the distressing news as to the fire, and several of the leading members expressed themselves as anxious to join in any movement that might be set on foot for affording relief the suf- to terers. Nh doubt to-day the full board will take ao- ton In regara to the matter and that an independ. ent subscription will be the resuit. Generosity of the Erie Rallway Company. An additional eviderice of the spontaneous sympa. thy awakened ts the following communications from Jay Gould:— 10 THE PUBLIC. OcroseR 9, 187L The Erie Ratlway company Will receive and for ward, free of charge, any and all contributions which the citizens of New York may be disposed to contribute for the relief of the sufferpra by the disas- trous fire in Chicago. cated for. Donations may be sent to ine bard Wikre they willbe packed! and forwarded ‘Obes, free of charge, by fast wey ent, TO MAYOR HAUL. Hon. A. Oarry Haris Mayor ot New York: escaoe tants aves tore ee Tents rind neg of barge, aa Sees President Hrié Halves Company, ellis ‘The Preshytery of New Yerk. At the regular fall meeting of the Presbytery ot New York, ‘held inst evening im the Murray fu Presbyterian ohyrch, Bev.) Dr. Prime alluded ro she terrible calamity in Chicago, and moved the follow. ing resolution, Wich was utianitoesly adopted!— Pek RTE ATS Ps Ree Re sorrow and want, \enton oS SERN aie 2 Sera wo lection is to be continued at the mesting of we City Relief for the Safferets. — ‘Wo have recelved $240 from 8, 0. Bernard & UO in ald of the Chicago sufferers, as will appear irom, the following :— Naw Yorm, Oot, % 10h To THe Epiton Oy rie Henan wT it eb ema