p.2

[Left Page]
thing to describe. If you can imagine
a forest fallen and consumed with the
smoking stumps sticking up out of
the ashes, that is what Chicago is to
day.

Our friends of the [Revenere?]
Steamer were in the city on Tuesday, and
we walked through the [worst?] of the ruins.
The Captains kind heart overflowed for
the sufferers and he filled his ship
up with women and children and
set his cooks at work distributing
tea, coffee and biscuit, as long as
his supplies held out.

My report will be crippled, a
little, for the lack of the note book and the
loss of the shipments will detract from
the success of the [illegible?] work. The
dredging specimens, I think, are safe
at Dr. Stimpson's home.

Would you take the trouble to
ask that gentleman, I have forgotten his name,
[Inspector?] I mean, if any report as ever
been made of the number and kind of [nets?] in

[Right Page]

Wisconsin, and by whom?

The stories in the Sentinel,
about the "[illegible]" and the "insanity" of the
people, are altogether sensational. The
city is oderly and though there has
been a fight, here and there, and
a few attempts at incendiary, by
drunken men, that [met?] a swift
and severe penalty from the polise [police],
there have been no disorderly gatherings,
or anything approaching riot. The
people are cool and cheerful, to a
surprising degree, under the circum-
stances.

Your state has suffered,
in the north, from this same scourge. I was
all through the region of the fire, along
the shore, during my boat tour, and
am acquainted with some of the
people that have suffered. Fortunately
for them, they have had heavy rains and
are out of further danger.

To Dr. I. A. Lapham
Milwaukee

Yours truly,
James W. Milner