ADDRESS. 
Gentlemen of the 
Rocky Mountain Medical Association : 
It has been our privilege to meet this year in the 
inland metropolis of the United States, the city of 
Chicago, one of the greatest marvels presented in his- 
tory. Located but half a century ago, deep within the 
western wilds, on the hunting-grounds of the red man, 
not only in its sudden rise and commercial importance 
did it seem more like enchantment than the work of 
man, but when a mighty conflagration had almost ex- 
tinguished its early greatness, rising Phoenix-like from 
its ashes, it has shown even more conclusively in its 
restoration and increased grandeur the irresistible 
energy and enterprise of its people.* It is fitting at 
^The first United States miiitary post was established at Chicago 
in 1804. Settlers began to locale around the fort shortly after the 
close of the war of 1 81 2. 
The city of Chicago was incorporated in 1837. Its population had 
reached 298,977 in 1870. The most disastrous conflagration of mod- 
ern times look place there on the 8th and 9th of October, 187 1. The 
fire fiend raged uncontrolled for thirty-six hours, in the heart of the 
city, and burned over 2,124 ^^cres, equal to nearly three and one-third 
square miles — destroying 17,450 buildings, the homes and possessions 
of 98,500 people. Property to the value of ^196,000,000 was destroyed. 
Relief sent to the sufferers from all parts of the world exceeded 
^7,000,000, and 8,000 temporary buildings were erected by the relief 
committee to shelter the homeless, who were supplied wilh food by the 
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