The Plymouth Weekly Democrat

CHICAGO
CORRESPONDENCE

CHICAGO, Feb. 3, 1868.

Editor Democrat: One of the most pleasing, possibly I should rather say, the only pleasing feature connected with the great Lake street fire on the evening of the 28th ult., has been the remarkable power of recuperation which our merchants have exhibited. You have no doubt received the extended reports of the Chicago papers and so know all about the fire itself, for instance that it raged until about midnight. Well, all the firms who were burned out had cards in the next morning's papers announcing that they had "moved" to new localities and that they were ready to fill orders and transact business as before, the little incident of the fire not having any effect in deranging their business. Strolling down street by the ruins, the passer-by would even observe a sort of grim cheerfulness in the way in which such announcements were made. At one place where the ruins are still smoking, and bricks, a little below the surface are red hot yet, one firm announces that it has "moved on account of the intense heat." Another firm whose former store is now only a fantastic ice grotto, a sort of Arctic ocean, put up on a shingle stuck in a monster icicle. "Moved—building not adapted to our wants." Another laconically informs the public, "Frozen out,—gone to No.—." and still another with charming indefiniteness says "Used to have a store somewhere here, moved in consequence of an occurrence Tuesday evening last, to No.—" This latter is stuck up on a board over the remains of one big block, of which not two feet of wall have been left.

Among the most prompt to recover from the great shock, was the old-established and favorably-known firm of Messrs. Merrill & Hopkins, formerly located at No. 20 Lake street, but who have now secured a magnificent new store at No. 33 South Water street. Their reputation as dealers in crockery, earthenware, glassware, table service, plated goods, etc., is wide-spread, and throughout the north-west they have in years of trade made very many warm friends who will be glad to learn that they have not been seriously affected by this disaster, but are again able to go on filling orders at a moment's notice, as of old, and always satisfying their patrons. Fortunately, their warehouses, located at some distance from the store, were full of goods at the time of the fire, and large consignments have since been received from the manufacturers. All the goods they now have were purchased at the lowest rates which have prevailed for many months past, and they are consequently enabled to offer them very cheap. This fact, together with the additional advantage of their system of selling assortments packed by the manufacturers, should call the attention of north-western dealers to this house.

Quite a sudden change has been made in the editorial arrangement of the Tribune of this city, by the appointment of Sam. Medill, brother of "Josef," to the city editorship, in the place of Elias Colbert, a horoscopical humorist from England, who has held the position for about four years previously. Mr. Colbert, whatever the world may say, had some good qualities. He was very industrious, pains-taking, and had a considerable amount of versatility as a writer. He had one characteristic vice, making bad puns. When he uttered them he italicised them with a laugh; when he got them into the paper he underlined them. Now he goes into the commercial department of the paper, where puns are inadmissible. What the effect will be on his constitution, is a question which admits of even betting. Sam Medill is an active, sharp, good-looking young fellow, lucky at drawing sewing machines at church fairs, and glorious at matinees. He made a good local department for the Republican, when he was on that paper, and will, no doubt, do so for the Tribune. The best feature of the whole affair, and most advantageous to the paper, is that the change gives the commercial department to Colbert, and leaves Guy Magee free to run the financial department. Mr. Magee, although a young man, is one of the ablest financial and commercial men on the western press, and has for over a year past conducted these departments of the Tribune, with a vigor, soundness and foresight which have won for him the respect of all who had occasion to note the columns under his charge. The change alluded to will merely relieve him from a portion of the drudgery of his duties.

The play of "Undine," which made such a sensation here, was, financially, a failure in Pittsburgh, and the people who went on from here to appear in it complain loudly of the way in which they were treated by the management. The poor Chicago coryphees, who only got the starvation wages of $6 per week here, when they were taken to Pittsburgh were still worse off, the management only allowing them $11 each for the week's performance, out of which meagre sum they had to pay their board, their meals in traveling and other expenses, altogether, leaving them very considerably on the debit side of the account.

The Grover and Maretzek opera troupe opens at the opera house to-night a one week engagement.

Edwin Booth is playing to crowded houses at McVicker's, and all this week will appear only in Shakspearian characters.

Mrs. Landon, who assumes to be the rival of Ristori, is to be here next week. Her tour through the small towns of the west, up to the present, is said to have been a decided failure.

The grand "Grosser Turner Maskenball," an immense display of the wildest, most fantastic and extravagant German humor comes off to-night. A frog quadrille is to be one of its principal features.

C.