THE NEW CHICAGO.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 38, 26 March 1873, Page 3

THE NEW CHICAGO.

Chicago was burned nine and a-half months, ago, and the remarkable energy shown in rebuilding ’the city is attracting general admiration. The reports of destruction stated that 98,500 people were left homeless, of whom 74,590 resided in 13,300 buildings on the north side, where, every house was consumed on a surface covering 1470 acres. The report how comes that dwellings for 70,000 people have, already been built in that division, of the city. In the south division, where the hotels, theatres, wasehouses, shops, and stores were located and mostly destroyed, 3,650 buildings were burnt on 460 acres, and it is announced that the ground on the burnt district is now covered, while the buildings completed and those under construction are said not only to outnumber, but also to exceed in style, value, and solidity those that were burnt; twentysix miles of streets are already reoccupied. For three months after the fire but little work was done, and then winter came, impeding operations to some extent, but still the work went on. Over all the burnt districts derricks are said to stand up like the masts of shipping. Five hundred buildings were burnt in the west division, and in this single district as many permanent buildings and blocks have been erected, as during the previous season was the case in all Chicago. The Chicago. Tribune says that notwithstanding labor troubles elsewhere, the workmen in Chicago have refused to' strike on any pretext; that the ordinary business of the city has been unprecedented; that since April last the Savings’ Banks deposits have increased nearly 2,000,000 dollars; and that at no time has money for commercial or building purposes been scarce. The Chicago Times says there is no decrease in the niynber of new buildings and the laying of the new foundations are going on. In the burnt district it says there is hardly a vacant lot where it is npt the intention of the owner to begin operations this season, and the 9th of October, the anniversary of the disaster, it says they will be able to show the world a “ stupendous city raised out of its ruins in a year.” Besides rebuilding, Chicago has done more. About twelve acres of land have been reclaimed on the lake front, at a cost of about 200,000 dollars an acre, and these are being built upon. The grade'of many low streets in the city has also been raised by the use of materials from the ruins. These two tasks alone are great enterprises. Chicago rebuilt will not much resemble the old city, and the work going on there is a fine exhibition of American energy.