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Show FEARFOL CONFLAGRATIONS. The world has no previous record of destruction by fire equal to that of the past three weeks in tho United Slate?. Had not the astounding Chicago ca- , lamity fallen upon the country like a thunderbolt, public attention would have been riveted upon the fearful conflagrations of Wisconsin and iMiehi- , gau. As the details of the loss of life and propoity in those two States, and tho wide extent of country over which the flames have .swept, have been re- ceived, the mind endeavors to imagine ' an ocean of lire, surging, sweeping and consuming everything with which it comes in contact. With the long continued drouth of the past summer sum-mer tho prairie grass would be as dry as tinder, and the fearful rapidity with which the flames travel over a dry prairie can only be renli.ed by those who have ; witnessed it. On tiie open plain there ; is a possibility of successfully lighting ' tsuch a firo, by burning tho prairie in , ' advance so that the flames in the rear 1 might bo exhausted lor lack of inflam- ruablc material; but where farms, liouaos, fences, timbered lands, and villages are in its path such a plan . cannot be resorted to, and, as in tho ascs of tho conflagrations of Wisconsin Wiscon-sin and Michigan, everything falls before the devouring clement. What tho loss of life has been it is difficult to estimate, but it is enough to stir into active exercise every sympathy of humanity. It is stated that some twelve Uuudrcd persons have lost their lives in the llauics, in thoso two States, the bare contemplation of which is appaling. On the loss of property no correct estimate can be placed. But though the actual wealth destroyed 1 cannot begin to compare with that of Chicago, in point of suffering, in loss of life and in the long continued horrors of a lierco conflagration it is probable the tires of the prairies and woods are more terrible than was that which laid Chicago in ashca. One of the most paiuful uharaeteris- tics of the age is rccklcs-s carelessness. It has given us during the past few moult is sonic of the most terrible of steamboat and railroad accidents, hurl-iug hurl-iug hundreds to horrible deaths. It has filled the mountains of the west, in Utah, Nevada, California and Oregon with destructive tires. And there is little doubt that it i.s mainly the cause of the eastern eoiitlngnilions which now call for the active sympathy of tho nation. Aided by cupidity or impe-cuuioity impe-cuuioity il rushes up the flimsiest and inflammable structures in large cities, which become like pine torches to the touch of tire after a dry season; and when llie U.unes ;-prcud from them, huildin-s of durable material even ttio.se considered lire-proof are endangered en-dangered and often destroyed. We do not know of any way by which this characteristic can be successfully wet. The age is a fast one essentially so; and until it has reached its goal, we may look for a succession of horrors as a result of iu madly careless course; but that the uatiou and the world may be -spared a rcpctiliou of such as those of Chicago, Witcousin and Micbigau, even the most reckless with regard to results in the destruction of tile and property must desire. |
