The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-04
A GREAT DISASTER.
EXPOSITION BURNED.
The BalldIuEs R4tIr.lI Con.um.d By fire Together
with Their ylluIbis COn.ents-CO.tIy P.lnt.
,-s' Ing. aud Priceless CariO.ltls. and g.lle,
= D.stroysd-orisla OF the Fire.

PITTSBURGH, October Sat LOO o'clock
this morning fire was discovered in the
boiler room attached to the Machinery
Hall Of the Pittsburgh Exposition. In
twenty minutes the entire large structure
was in flames, and in leas than an hour an
open waste Of hot embers marked its sight,
and hundreds Of thousands Of dollars had
been swept out Of existence. The pyro-
technical display made by the burning
edifice called forth thousands Of people,
who lined the rivers bank and adjacent
bridge and streets, and viewed the wrath
OF the unbridled element in awe. The
fire department quickly responded to the
alarms sent out, hut all efforts Of subjugs.
ton were futile. The building was Of pine,
much OF its contents ipaammable matter,
and with its peculiar construction Of open
space and broad galleries, there was nothing
to impede the flames. They sprang up in
the boiler room and shot down the aisles
OF exhibits, from south to north, ran along
the light woodwork Of the galleries and
Jumped from beam to beam ol
the exposed roof with incredible rapid.
ity. In ten minutes after their outbreak
the building was doomed, and in an hour
il was no more. The city was crowded
with guests from the adjacent country,
called hither by the g. A. K. celebrations,
and as many were keeping late hours, the
news OF the contlagratlon- spread like
magic, and in short time all the city
seemed TO know that the Exposition build
ing was burning. The greatest day OF the
Exposition seas5f had been the proceeding
one, when over ertwenty-threet Thousand peo-
pie visited the exhibits, and in the evening
It was estimated that eight thousands per-
sons were under it's roof ut one time, The
losses, both actual and sentimental, are
very heavy. In actual destruction, Secre-
tary Patterson estimates that the building
and appurtenances represented an expeu-
diture OF Sl25000, upon which there Is
only $4,000 insurance; the goods on ex-
hibi,ion destroyed may bs safely estimated
at 100000. Many place much higher
valuation upon the destruction, but in
market values the sum mentioned is about
correct. In sentiments, however, and 1t
may be argued that the sentiments in
volyed have q monetary significance, the
loss ia very htavy. There were collections
Of relics that can never be replaced, and
the blow to Pittsburgh's historic and
antique sentiment is beyond calculation.
IMMENSE CROWDS
have collected around the smoking debris
all the morning. A wire aud large special
police force keeps them back from the ruins,
which in many places are mines Of wealth,
where exhibits Of articles made Of precious
metals have melted down. Many of the
owners Of these collections were prod ling
around among the mbers, and it was ludl-
crous as well as well as pathetic to watch
their fluids" One you,g lady lugubriously
hugged 70 her bosom a dismantled teapot
top, consisting OF the headless, legless and
armless trunkof female figure; another
wept over the blackened and twisted scab.
bard OF q sword, which she honored as the
last mundane souvenir OF Gen. Mad An.
thony Wayne, until gentleman who was
nursing what.might have been disreputa
Bic cold chisel, but which he asserted was
the remainder OF the head of Black Hawks
hatchet, told her that Gen. Wayne's swerd
scabbard was made OF leather and had gone
up in smoke. twill be many days before
the remnants Of destroyed property eau be
recovered from the ashes.
The intensity Of
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