The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-10-10
PITTsBURG's SHOW GONE.
The Exhibition Buildings Burned -
Exhibits Which Cannot be Replac
ed Destroyed.

PITTsBURG, October 3.-About .
o'clock this morning the magnificent
buildings of the Pittsburg Exposi-
ton. on the north bank OF the Alle-
ghenv river, caught fire and in twen-
ty minutes the entire structure, with
the machinery and floral halls, was
in ashes. The fire was first dlscov-
cred in the engine room, in the ma
chinery department, and in order
not to frighten the citizens a still
alarm was sent in and in this way
the flames got beyond control, so
that before the fire department
reached the grounds the buildings
were almost bnrned down When
it became known that it was the Ex-
position, although it was so late, i'm
mense crowds were soon on their
way to the scene of the fire. The
reflection from the fire lighted up
the country for miles around, and
in the farthest end of the city pa
per could be read as easily as in
daylight. The destruction is COM
plete and nothing but the site re-
mains OF the home OF specimens of
brain and Drawn, in which Pittsburg-
ers felt so much pride. Nothing was
saved and the fremen turned their
attention to saving adjacent proper
ty, many residences on South avenue
being in flames. By hard work,
however, they succeeded in saving
all these, with no more damage than
the burning of cornices and fences.
Repeated alarms soon aroused al
most the entire population of the
two cities, and it Is estimated that
not less than from $4,000 to 100000
people witnessed the confagratlon.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
1t started in the boiler-house and
may have been caused from spark
frorn the boiler or the accidental ig-
milton of some contiguous substance
from the gas jet left burning in the
boiler-house The loss will probably |
reach 100000. Secretary Patter-
son places the value ofthv buildings |
destroyed at $4,000, the insurance /
being $4,000. The exhibitors will
sustain a loss of sS00,000. An irrep-
arabic loss, however, was occasioned |
by the destruction of the relic de-
partment. The cash value of the |
articles contained therein did not ex-
ceed $4,000, but many cannot be
replaced In the annex the Arab
ion" the first locomotive ever run
in the United States, was also de-
stroyed. The Great Western Band |
loses full set of splendid instru-
ments. In the safe were $4,000, the
cash receipts from yesterdays admis-
sions, and Levy's gold cornet. The
safe has been taken from the ruins,
but the contents have not yet been
examined. The buildings which
were destroyed were erected in 1915.
The main building was 600 feet long
and 80 wide. Machinery Hall was
400 feet long and 80 feet wide. The
Otner buildings were small.
A SCENE OF DEsoLATIoN.
The ground on which the building
stood presents a scene of desolation.
Charred pieces stick up everywhere.
Lines of twisted shafting and pipe
cross and cross again, but all else in
the main building has gone down to
a common level As Machinery
Hall is approached the wreck looks
more disastrous. The big engine
sticks high up in the air, greatest of
all that is left. 1t was mounted on
a stone foundation and stands there
complete, the fiy-wheel in place.
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 falling toward the west.
Down among the piles are the re-
mains of some of the best machinery
ever put up in Pittsburg. The old
Arabian, the Baltimore and Ohio
engine, that stood the perils of the
rail for generations, to perish in a
fire, is a pitiful-looking object. The
cab has disappeared entirely and
the wooden buffer in front is only a
smouldering ember. The smoke
stack is smashed in and lays doubled
up across the boiler. The bolts
holdingthe water tank in place burn
ed off, and it lies over to one side.
The smaller parts have disappeared.
Around it are half hundred ruined
engines, agricultural machines, elec-
trio machinery, the wire fence outfit
and all the iron work that was in
the hall. 1t is junk and nothing
else.
IL