Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-10-04
BIG FIRE IN PITTSB URG.
The Exposition Buiidin"; Destroyed
Loss Expected TO t."srh s2.ooO,-
600 Valuable Exhibits turned ap.

khe Exposition ButIu'NT nestr"ss"
Loss Expected (" t.",srh s2,o0O,-
GOO Valuable Exhibits turned aip.
rirrsnuRG, Pa, 0aL. 3 About =
u'clonls tblr morning, the Estns 'inp
Building caught fire and in 20 mi n'a-
.l..- -utirh structure With th- "@t 5'iefg
At,i floral laIls wsrr - "a
The fire was frat disco ~
the engine room 10 tue IA
chinery department and, in order not to
frighten the citizeus' still alarm was
sent in and in this way the flames got
beyond control, go that bsfore the fire
department reached the ground the
buildings were ALMOST burned down
Wh.n it srrame krnur tl"' i was ths
Exposition Building, although IL was 81
late. immense orowdS Wnuded their way
to the scene Of the contlagrstion. The
r-fsctiop from the fire lighted np the
country for miles around, aud in tho
farthest eud of the city paper conld be-
read as easily as in daylight.
At this hour il ia impossible TO estimate
the loss but it ia believed thai it will not
fall below 81, 500, 900. The exhibits CON
sisted of all varieties Of our produce and
industries, iBeiuding many valuable
relics, among which was the "Arabian,"
the old locomotive Of the Baltimore q
Ohio railroad, which was the fret loco
motive bniit in this country. -
Additional Particulars OF the be-
structiop of The Exposition Build
fngs.
PlTrsRuRG, Oct. 3.-The magnificent
buildings of the pi.tsburg exposition, on
the north bank of the Allegheny river,
have been totally destroyed. The i'm
mense structures with their almost end
less variety uf exhibits, illustrative of
every branch of art, science aud
mechanical skill, which was yes
terday visited by thousands of
people, aud since the opening Oh Sep
TENDER 9Th by hundreds of thousaI ds, is
now mere mass of splinters AND pr@-
dered embers, and ourled and tangled
iron. The destruction is complete, and
nothing but the site remains of the home
of specimens of brain sud Drawn in which
Pittsburgers felt so much pride.
The fire was first disrovered IL the
boiler room attached to Machinery Hail.
at the south end OF the building.
and before the Waterman could
give the alarm the flames had spread to
Floral Hall, Machinery Hall and the main
bmildings were OH fire from end to
end and when the fire department
arrived on the ground the flames wer1
beyond control. Nothing was saved and
the firemsn turned their attention TO saw
ing adjacent property, many residences
on South avenue being in flames. by
hard work, however. they suecseded IN
saving all these, with no more damage
Al a. af saa.o ND
Repeated alarms soon aroused the en-
| tive population of the two cities ana 1T Is
estinl ated that not less than from 70 900
| TO 100, 900 people witnessed the confis-
| grafton. The reflection of the flames
| illuminated the country for miles around.
| In one hour from the discovery of the fire
s mere atter uated skeleton OF once
| magnificent structure wss all thst was
| left.
The origin OF the fire is still uncertain.
| NumsToua theories have been advanced
| but so far most OF them have fallen to the
| ground. 1t is known to have started in
| the boiler house AMI may have been
| caused by spark from the boiler or the
accidental ignition of some contiguous
substance from the gas jAt left burling
| in the boiler house.
| me estimate Of tlb tDLSl loss tSlpIc
given was greatly exaggerated it will
probably reach 100000. Secretary
Patterson places the value of The build
ings destroyed at $l50,0O0'; the insur-
ance being 100000. The exhibitors will
sustain q loss of about $500, 900
An irrepsrable loss, however, was occa-
stoned by the destruction OF the relic da-
PAL tment The cash value of the articles
contained therein did not exceed $40, 200,
but many cannot be replaced.
Ia the annex the "Arsbia }" the first
locomotive ever run in the United States
was also destroyed. The Great Western
Band loses full set of splendid instru
ments. Iu the safe were 5000, the cash
receipts from yesterdays admission, ard
Lsvy's GOLD cornst. The sate has been
taken from tae rains, but thief contents
have not yet been examined.
The attendance at the exposition yes.
terday was the largest of any of the pre-
vious days in it's history. The admissions
in the day aud evening were $1,000 and
the crowd last night was SO great thai
the building was packed TO its utmost
capacity. 5--.
Had the fire occurred last night at
O'Clock, considering the rapidly with
which the flames spread, tho loss # lift
would have haAn appalling, a. it TDuld
have been almost impossible for even 4
part of the crowd to have escaped.
The buildings, which were destroyed
we're erected in 1875. The Main Buildius
was 600 feet long and $50 wide
Machinery Hall was 400 feet long ard l5(
feet wide the other buildinge were
small. The loss OF the Exposition Society
will be about $l50,000 Speer & Sons
plows, harrows and agricultural nipple
ments, So, 600, and the losses of eXhibi
tors generally will be- probably il
amounts ranging from 81 600 to So, 600
Among the rumors current con
corning the origin of the fire 10 that i
was caused by al explosion of benziue il
the boiler room. Tbs story is to th'
effect that Professor Warner, til,
balloonist, and his assistant, Elwarc
: Williams, were oilipg balloon in tn,
the boiler room when an explosion oc
Cured from the careless handling o
: the bepzine which was beini
, used as a dryer. The only evidence il
$ support of this theory is the fact that
Z druggist named Medley sold Narne
three gallons OF benzina. Ii this shoulC
prove to be the true theory ii woult
r raisa an Interesting question OF tn
b payment of the insurance. Anothe
r theory il that of incepdisrism. Cot slider
: able bad feeling has existed agaiuht tn
society by parties who lived in hoat
r house, located near the Expos tiop B iild
= ing, which the society hal removed
/ against the will Of the occupants.
. A Deaf Mute's Revenge.
8 BURLINGTON, Iowa, Oct IA specii
!. from Iowa Junction. III gives an aacour