Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-09-16

WAS blowing and the fire spread
with wonderful rapidity, quickly
cop pmunicating to surrounding
buildings. In short space OF time
the main building, with all it's con-
tents, was heap of ashes. The
fiames leaped across the avenue to
newspaper row, quickly swallow
ing up the buildings of the Times,
the Journal and the Mail, and a
number of refreshment stands.
They next attacked the grand
stand, on which not less than IL, 200
people were seated at the time
watching the races. The people fled
in terror before the advancing fire.
Many fell and were trampled upon,
and q large number had their legs
and arms broken and were other
wise manned and mutilated.
The confusion was indescribable.
The panic had seized upon
vast multitude and it seemed
impossible to quiet their their
fears. There were no facilities for
extinguishing the fire, and 1t did
not stop until there was no more
material for it to feed on. Fire
companies arrived, spreading out
hose 1,500 feet in length to reach
the fire, but the main building
and all its contents, and the grand
stand, over 500 feet in length, with
oil the booths beneath, are a total
loss, The fire originated in a pile
of straw and shaviEgs, near the
west end of the main building.
The total loss foots up $4,000 The
exhibitors lost everything. One
firm lost $4,000 in fine dry goods.
Tne ruins are being searched to.
day, but 1t is thought everybody
escaped from the burning building.
Injuries We're confined to broken
limbs and bruises where people
had been trampled on or struck by
falling timbers. New seats are
being erected and the Fair will be
continued to-day.
s-aator Van Wycn,s Views.
OMAHA, Sept. 14.-United States
Senator Van Wyok spoke out to-
day in favor of the transfer of the
Indian Bureau to the War Depart
ment.
A Easai Duel.
ARKANSAS CITY, Sept. Is. May
or Leatherman and James Rucker,
a prominent attorney, fought a
duel to day. Both were wounded
at the first fire, Rucker probably
fatally.
Bene Cnak WsHs the 20.MIie BHce.
CHICAGO, Sept. l5.-At the fair
grounds this afternoon, Miss Belle
Cook, Of California, in the 20-mile
race with Miss Emma Jewett,
made the best time on record 45
minutes, 16 seconds-beating her
competitor by about seven-eigbths
of mile. Jewetts horse, soon af-
ter she mounted him for the last
mile, bolted the fence, threw her
and caused her to faint.
ApprsnensiOos about the AssIsnde
OF FrencP.
CHICAGO, Sept. 15.--The Zimes's
London dispatch says: The think
ing financial thermometer is more
delicate than any other apparatus
for indicating approaching storms.
We visited yesterday several of the
banks in the city. The conclusion
was almost unanimous among
them that the stu tion was very
grave, and in many respects critic
al; but they do not epprehend any
general or permanent disturbance.
Values are already disturbed and
are likely to be more so, but the
common sense of nations, IL is be.
lieved, is sure to prevent anything
like extreme acts.
The 1Snaes's Paris correspondent
does not think there is any likeli-
hood of France doing anything
hasty, owing to the fact that the
situation Is growing every moment
more grave, Affairs in TuDis, the
projects with reference to. Soudan
ana the necessity Of augmenting
French political influence in Mo-
rocco, not only demand great efforts
but have given rise to q project for
the formation of u special army for
the service of occupation in AL
geria. composed Of veterans of not
less than twenty-five years Of age,
with special pay during service as
well as after discharge, and not less
than fifty thousand in number.
Whatever France may do in the
case of Egypt, she is not prepared
To undertake any movement which
will make additional demands on
her resources.