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Show A VERITABLE FHCENIX. (i ditokmi.:cpiw7j",",c"- ;. Chicago, April 31, 1S7-1. "Burnt Chicago" Li in history; "rebuilt Chicago" is uf to-duy; yet it Is doubtful if even the most elaborate historical account can convey lo posterity pos-terity a vivid description of Hie awful destruction which occurred here two years ago Inst October." ' Nor" have 1 any idea that this brief letter will do more than awaken anew interest ii i'a matter which, though of comparatively compara-tively recent occurrence, seems by the swiftness with which this couutry makes history to bo already measurably measur-ably forgotLen. This afternoon, Mr. C. E. 1'age, of Pago Bros., took mo for a drive over the "burnt district. Mr. Ceo. A. Aider, of S.dt Lake, being in company. And during the rido the horrors of the vast conflagration conflagra-tion seemed to be rc-awakned. Driving Driv-ing south from Messrs. Pago Bros. placo of business on the corner of Stato and Lako streets, along Wabash I Avenue, wo traveled to Harrison street, whero tho fire had its "set- ' back." Without any intention of , boring tho Heu.u.d readers with any- thing so ancient as a detailed account of a nearly throe years' old occurence, ' some startling facts may be accepted. ; With a strong south wester blowing it took a quarter of a mile of burning to "set-back" tho fire. In the teeth of the wind, and with the flames leaping from street to street as driven by the clement, lapping tall buildings and striking alike majestic structure and unpretentious residences, it traveled southwards, the tierce beat passing through air heightened to gale velocity and reaching buildings ou tho opposite oppo-site side uf the street windward. This fact and phase of the tire were new to me, and readily suggested incendiarism. incendiar-ism. Ugly stories are told of men rinding themselves suddenly hanging from lamp posts, and not without reason. Who would have dreamed that starting where it did or starting anywhere a fire would lay in ashes four miles in length by one in width of buildings, the richest, most secure, and most lire proof in the world? Tnorc was-- incendiarism ufc work. Buildings of" marble and sand stone crumbled before the destroy ine power. Men who looked away in the far distant dis-tant :md deemed' themselves safe, in"' alow hours thought they were ; fortunate fortu-nate if they succeeded in saving their books. Mr. Tage, brother to our boat, saved his books by putting tLeru in a i carriage &od taking- them j several' miles around o.vcr to the extreme of; Liucoln Park. Driving out. we crossed the river, j having left the south ami west sides, 1 with tiicii miles of architectural ! grandeur; and tho north side lay' before us and on cither hand. Hurc i a hundred and ten thousand people, who on Saturday had been animated by til 4 fearf,; joys find hopes vVCcU hw.-iy ' humanity, found. theqiseKi homeless Vggars, and beggared in' an hour. The piteous sights seen and told oi are enough to harrow up the most callous feelings. Three miles and a hall from tho commencement j of the conflagration, in the park, j huubchould turniturc that had been catted thero for security, was burnt up. Siropg (iien stood by powerless; weak women were as great as they, in the hour of direst trial. The residence of Mr. Ogdcn on t he-north he-north side, one of Chicago's millionaires, million-aires, was a lumber buiiding. Around it everything went to the ground or to the .elements; but' it stood untouched. un-touched. Houses of brick and stone were consumed oh' every side of it, but that plain-looking, ' frame building build-ing stood. Strange, is it not, that one rich Irian's single building should thus escape, while flie residences of so many miserably poor should becomo ashes! In another place a conservatory escaped, and yet the buildings around it were destroyed. Tender plants bore the hot kisses of the "fire lieud" as he nwept along, and lived; tall structures adjacent fell before the fierceness of his breath, 1 - One travels through : street ' after street, miles on miles, and cannot conceive that two years ago there did not stand a designed, foot of brick and stone work in tho same place. Jfe asks himself was this the work of human, ' or tho eastern genii? Hero you see miles of tall trees growing where was tho fire Whence came they? Anywhere, that would cater to Chicago's desiro for a , rapid obliteration of her great loss. But is it obliterated? Hugo piles of burnt brick, charred and seared and seamed sandstone; places that tell of a conflagration bs of yesterday, still remain monuments of tho great destruction. Of the revival I may have moro to nay again. K. L. S. J |