Morris tribune., 1883-10-06
ONE MILLION IN ASHES,
Is the Spectacle that Meets the Optics
of Pittsburgers.
The Great Exposition Building With
it's Valuable Contents swept
Away--irrcparable Losses
The Origin.


science and mechanical skill, which were
visited since the opening, Sept. s. by hundreds
of thousands, is now a miniature mass of
splintered and powdered embers and
curled and tangled iron. The de-
struction is complete, and nothing
but the site remains of the home specimens of
the products of brain and Drawn, in which
Pittsburgers felt so much pride
The fire was first discovered at2 o'clock in
the morning in the boiler-room attached to
the m; inery hall, at the south end Of the
building, and before the watchman could
give an alarm the flames had spread to
floral hall, machinery hall and the main
buildings, and in less than ten minutes
| the buildings were on fire from end
to end, and when the fire department
arrived on the grounds the flames were be-
yond control Nothing was saved, and the
| firener turned their attention to saving the
adjacent property. many residences on South
avenue being in flames. By hard work, how
ever, they succeeded in saving all these, with
noSnore damage done than burning fences
and cornices. The repeated alarms soon
aroused almost the entire population
of the two cities and it is estimated
| that not less than $4,000 to
| 100. .O0O people witnessed the confaSration.
The reflection of the flames illuminated the
country for miles around, making possible the
reeding of the finest newspaper print.
| In one hour from the discovery of the fire,
q mere attenuated skeleton of the once mag
nificent structure was all that was left.
The origin of the fire is still uncertain.
| Numerous 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. and may have been caused from a
spark under the boiler or the accidental lgnl-
ton of some contiguous substance from a
gas-iet left burning in the boiler house.
Among runlOrs current concerning the
origin of the fire is that it was caused by an
explosion of banZne in the bOiler-room The
story is to the effect that Prof. Warner, the
baloonist, and his assistant, Edward Will
lam. were oiling their balloon in the boiler
room, when an explosion occurred from the
careless handling of benzine, which was be-
ing used as dryer. The only evidence in
support of this theory is the fact that a
druggist named Neely sold Warner three
gallons of benzine. If this should prove the
true theory it would raise an Interesting
question on the payment of the insurance.
Another theory is incendiarism. Considerable
BAD feeling has existed against the Exposl-
ton society by parties who lived i'll boat
house located near the exposition building,
which the society had removed, much against
the will of the occupants.
The loss will probably reach 81, ,00O, 600.
Secretary Patterson places the value Of the
| building destroyed at Sl50,0O0, the insurance
being 10000 The exhibitors will sustain
loss of about $500, 900. An irreparab!a loss,
however, was occasioned by the destruction
of the relic department. The cash value OF
| the articles contained therein did not exceed
| 1000, but many cannot he replaced. In the
annex was the Arabian, the first locomotive
ever run in the United States, which was also
| DESTROYED The Great Western land lose a
| full set of splendid Instruments.
The following is list of those whose
losses are $1,000 or above that amount:
Exposition society, sI5O,000; Alex Speer G
| Sons, agricultural implements, S3,00O; Dex-
ter Spring company, buggies and carriages
| S.. 600: White & Co, carriages, etc, S3.OOo;
Reed & Smith, agricultural implements, 81,
coo; C. Aultman & Co, harvesters, s4,oVO
Russell & Co, portable saw-Inilis, 5000
| Wood & Co., harvesters, s., 600; Thomas Rus
| sell & Co., spool-cotton machinery, So,OOO
George P Woelpel, wagons, 81, 500; +. & j
Heinz, pickles and preserves, $1,000; A
Anshutz & Co, stoves, 81, 900; Little & Nc
Clinton, carriages, ETC., $1,000; Rosenbaun
& Co., millinery, 5000; the McCormlcl
Machine Co., reapers. $1,000; A. Hume
pianos, s., 900; Duff, Mexican & Co., agri-
cultural implements, $4,000; Wood & Co.
sheet iron, $4,000; Henry Coulter, boats
81, 500; J. A. Able, silhouettes. etc, 5000
J. Steel & Son, wagons, $1,000; G. West q
Co., carriages and buggies, IS, 900; H. Alder,
brass goods, So, 600; J. J. East & Sons, sta
tionery, $1,000; w F Zimmerman, steam
boilers, Sc, 000
In the safe was $4,000 cash, receipts from
admissions, and Levy's gold cornet Th
safe has been taken from the ruins, but it
contents have not yet been examined Th
attendance at the exposition was the larges
of any previous day tB its history; the ad
missions of day and evening were q, 900 ant
the crowd at night was SO great that th
building was packed to its utmost capacity
Had the confagration occurred at o'clock
considering the rapidity with which tn
flames sprerd, the loss of life would hav'
been appalling, as it would have been almos
impossible for even part of the crowd tt
escape, The buildings which were destroyed
were erected in 1875. The main buiidin!
was 600 feet long and $50 wide; machiner,
hall was 400 feet long and $50 feet wide, Til
other buildings were small.
LATER-The safe bas just been opened ant
the contents, including $4,000 in cash ant
Levy's cornet, were found in good condition
The cornet was somewhat discolored, but
is not thought that the tone has been injured
The following is list of the insurance com
panies and their losses, as far as can b
ascertained: On the building: Mag
ara, of New York; Lyon, of En-
gland; Phoenix, England; London and Pre-
vincial, London and Liverpool, Pennsylvania
of Philadelphia, each $500. Norwic
Union, of England; Watertown, of Ne'
York; Trans Atlantic, Queen, Delawar
Mutual, Kenton, Allemania and .Birming
ham, each 81, 900; Farmers, New York, an'
German American, each $3.50; Connection