Morning journal and courier., 1883-10-04

the building was packed to it's utmost capac-
 tty. Had the confagration occurred last night at 9 o'clock, considering the rapidity with which the flames spread, the loss of life would have been appalling, as 1t would have been almost impossible for even part of the crowd to have escaped. The buildings which were destroyed were
 erected in 1S75.T The main building was six hun
 dred feet long and one hundred and fifty feet
 wide. Machinery hall was four hundred feet
 long and one hundred and fifty feet wide.
 The other buildings were small
 There never was Q more complete destr uc-
 t1on by fire. The scene is one of the greatest
 confusion. Moving down along South ave-
 remains of the great exhibit of stoves. Back
 of them are two safes turned upside down
 and guiltless of paint. A little further down
 pulled partly out of the wreck is the safe of the Exposition society. It is bulged with the heat. Gas escaping from the broken Charrsd piles stick up everywhere Lines of twisted shafting and pipe cross and cross again, but all else in the main building has gone down to 8 common level. The adventurous spirits who dare the dangers of hot embers and pools of dirty water can ind lots of iron, this part of an exhibit, this from car, this from one of the fire car riages that steod on the north aisle. this from one of the many pianos, but not one thing can they discern that is of any value except for old junk. As Machinery hall is approached the wreck looks more disastrous The big engine towers high in air. the greatest of all that is left. It was mounted on stone foundation and stands there com- plete, the fy-wheel in place. the nickle plating on the cylinder still bright, but it's glory has departed, and even if the steam were there it would not answer to the call of 1 the lever The boilers have settled down on the piles that supported them, each band of the three boilers hanging together with the brick jacket still in place. The huge smoke stacks are twisted and bent and have fallen toward the west with their fern mountings partly buried in the earth. Down among the piles that supported Machinery Hall are the remains of some of the best machinery ever put up in PittsburR. The old "ArabIan, /" the Baltimore and Ohio en- zine that stood the perils of the rail for gen. erations to perish in fire, is pitiful look ing object The cab has disappeared entirely and the wooden buffer in front is only a smouldering ember. The smokestack is boiler. The bolts holding the water tank in place are burned of and it lies over on one side. The small parts have disappeared around it and fifty ruined engines, agricultural machines and electric machinery and all the iron work that was in the hall are strewn near by. It is junk and nothing else. Very early the crowd began to swell; men. women and children came focking down and all the ef- forts of the police force could not keep them back. The iremen were working away, the old Hope engine being hauled down by four horses the four streams it can throw being sufficient. The craze for relics has broken out and the people are risking everything for the sake of a memento.
 The origin of the fire is uncertain. Many theories have been 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 from a spark from the furnace or the accidental ignition of some sub stance from the gas jet left burning in the boiler house. The loss will probably reach $1,000, 900. Secretary Patterson places the value of the buildings destroyed at $150,- 900, the insurance being $4O,OOO. The ex- hibitors will sustain loss of about $80O,000. The safe, which contain ed $6,OOO and Levy's famous cornet, was saved and Levy is wild with joy.
 The following is list of insurance com panies and their losses as far as can be ascertained: On building, Niagara of New York, Lyon of England, Pho- nix (England), London and Pro vincial, London and Liverpool, each $1 ,50O; Norwich Union, of England, Watertown(New York, Transatlantic, Queen, Delaware Mutual, Kenton, Allemania, Birmingham, each $1 ,0OO; Farmers (New York; and Ger man-American, each $750; Connecticut, $500; Ohio, $2,oo0; Orient, $1 ,5oo.