New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-04
AN EXPOSITION BURNED.

GREAT LOSS OF PROPERTY AT PITTsBUR6.
RAPID SPREAD OF TEE FLAMEs-THE BUILDING
AND CONTENTS DEsTRoYED--oRrGE OF TIE
FIRE UNKNOWN.
PTTsBURG, Oct. 3.-The magnificent build
ings of the Ptsburg Exposition the north bank of tie
Allegheny River have been totally destroyed The i'm
mense structures with their almost endless variety Of
exhibits illustrative Of every branch art science and
mechanical skill, which yesterday visited by thou
sands Of persons and opening September by
hundreds of thousands mere mass OF splineIs
and powdered embers and cured and tangled irou,
The destruction Is complete; and nothing but the ste
remains OF the Exposition In which the people Of Pitts
burg felt 8 much pride.
The fire was first discovered in the boler-room at
taehed to Machinery Hail. the south the buid~
ing; and before the Waterman could give an alarm the
flames had spread to Floral Hail. Machinery Hall and the
main building; and In les than ten minutes the buildings
fire from end to end; and VIXEN the fire depart
meht arrived the ground flames beyond
troll. Nothing saved. and the fremen turned their
attention to saving adjacent property many residences
South beng In flames. BY hard work, however,
they succeeded in saving all those with more damage
than the burning of cOrnices and fences
Repeated alarms aroused almost the entire popu-
lation Of the cities and estimated that not less
than from $4,000 100000 persons witnessed the
nagratlon. The reflection OF the flames illuminated tho
country for miles around. In hour from the dseoV
nihcent structure all that left
THEORIES OF THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
The origin Of the fire is sull uncertain. Numerous
theories have advanced, but so far most OF them
have fallen to the ground It is known to have started
in the boiler house and may have been caused by
spark from the boiler the accidental igDng OF some
substance near the gas-jet left burning.
Among the concerning the Orgin or the
fire is that it caused by explosion OF benzue in
the Ooer-rOom Tho story is TO the effect that Pro-
fess0r Warner the balOOnt and his assistant, Edward
Williams. we're oing balloon 10 the boler-roOm when
explosion occurred from the careless handling Of tho
benZne which was beng used as dryer. The only
evidence in support OF THIS theory is the ac that drug
gist named Neeley sold arner three gallons OF benZne
II should prove be the theory It would raise
an interesting question ON the payment OF the nsur-
bad feeling has existed against the Exposition Society
by persons who lived in boat-hOuse near the E1pOa-
ton building which the society had removed much
against the viii OF the occupants.
THE LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The loss will probably reach Sl,0OOOOO. Secretary
Patterson places the value Of the buildings destroyed as
SlJOUOO the insurance being $4,000. The exhibitors
WILL sustain loss OF about S5OO0OO. An eparaole
loss however IsiOned by the destruction OF tho
relic departmcnt The cash value OF the articles
tained therein did not exceed $4,000 but may cannot
be replaced IN the annex tue htaOlan' Inc ur5S
locomotive In the United States was destroyed.
The Great Western Bald lose I'M set OF me hssrl-
ments IN the satc we're $4,000 the c1sG receipts from
yesterdays admissions. ana Levy's gold corneL Ino
safe mas been AIKEN g1 o lf0 10 runs % %a% an Opener anu IA ~
oornet, found IN good condition Ihe cornct was some
III,
their losses lar can be asccrtaincd:
Phunl1 OF England; London and Provincial; London aud
Liverpool and tiODei ana Pennsylvania; OF lhl'adcphL
New-YOrk; Transatlantic, OF Hamburg; queen, ot
Lyerpooli Delaware Nut iali hentOn, AucLlhS. ahi
Birmingham each $1,000; Farmers, OF New York and
German American, eacl 9fJI; CONNECTICUT fJvVi OLIo'
On the b"iIcr-Lou,svlo Underwriters. and Lanca-
shire, each $1,000; Mutual $1,000 Guardan lag and
SUU fS@en PhsdsphS HSi hV5S eaGn 5CG and Lou 500
1t Is impossible as yet TO obtain comp,Le ist OF tne
surauce company In this county had risks, except the
TeutOuia Merchants and Manufacturers, ana Prhnyi-
vania. few interested companies are As ,0.-
lows: Pngnix Louisville Underwriters Citizens, New
York. and Shoe aud Leather, sl,5OO eaChi Lima aLd
si.7oO; Western, $500; Peoples aud Artisans 500
eachj London AssuiunGe Northern anl hunaDU1IG'
traders, HamOurg-ijIemen, NOrth German, Ono Ae-
mania, and German American $1,000 eaen delaware
Insurance Company OF North America, Pe1Asylyana'
Howard Franklin, Royal, GeTman3 ND,"''n, TI9a a.
Glcuns Falls Union, Sau0ndL ALegneny, ana ,I bsn
Franklin ~ ,OOO each New Orleans, Sl,O3Vi larIOlI
Citizens, 5000 each. majority Of tue eHmhltors are
said not ID have been insured. ~
We. Sbcgns sbs.,a o%Ppese Sa@PGfs tHor IeS
Uuou. JonnectcGI cry OF L-ndoh SnTt. q, ~,
S5. 900; frausItlantic 5000; New. Hampshire. RJc-
ester German, shoe aud Leather, CuZons Oi Ne% lofH
british America AMI Guardian, $500 eac y aSati
and Union, OF Francisco, SlOOOi secure, FogV6
Merchants sl25Q tGo iaaaInee AsdoesI ] Ion oG' SSSo
Alta meeting OF the directors tbs evening C was de-
ctded not 10 rebuild. Thcra strong ieciug tn02S
business men, however, In favor OF IeOlulng
with ron aud several OF them have aread OH red 10
contribute nberaliy.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED.
The attendance at the Exposition yesterday was the
largest OF any OF the previous days The admissions IN
the day and evening were 81 OOO and the crowd last
night WAS so great nat the building was packed TO us
utmost capacity Had the cOnfagration occurred last
nigur IA o O'clock, considering the rBpldy Wlth wbloh
ihe flames spread tue loss OF e would nave Dceu Sp-
pauy as would have been almost lmposslDe lot even
a part or the crowd to have escaped -,,
Fhe buildings which were destroyed were erected ln
Isz5 TDe main building 900 feet long ana 10y
feet wide. Machinery Hail was iCO feet long ana lou
feet vide The other buildings we're small.