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Top of page is written 'Emma's letter, 2 days after Great fire' and crossed out

                                                                                     Chicago, October 11th  1871

Darling Mother -

                       I beg of you not to be alarmed, we are

safe, sound and I can almost say happy - as happy as we could possibly be under the circumstances with so much suffering all around us. Our home on Huron Street is in ruins but we have as comfortable a one as one could wish at George Broomell's with the heartiest kind of a welcome. Although Mr. H's losses will be heavy, still it is not half as bad as we had reason to expect. He had $75,000 dash with 2 zeros above the dash to indicate zero cents in Securities 'in Securities' inserted by caret deposited in one place and the first rumor was that it would be a perfect loss, and that the 'other' written but crossed off banks where he had made deposits were afraid their vaults would be worthless, but the reports yesterday were very encouraging 'for nearly all' written but crossed off and he does not know but all 'all' is underlined of those in which he is interested are in good condition. The safe belonging to him in his office will be taken from the ruins where it is buried today, still he is not much concerned about that for he went down town Sunday night soon after the fire began and took the most valuable papers out and has them here, so he is not at all distressed about it, so you see he may be thought comparatively rich yet