Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-10-10
ENDED IN SMOKE.
The Disastrous Fate of the EX-
position.

From Pittsburgh Telegraph
A few minutes before 2 o'clock this
morning, October 3, an alarm of fire
was turned in from box l5, in Allegh-
env City, and as the sound of the clang-
/ ing bells reached the ears Of the people,
/ few dreamed Of the immense and de-
structive conhagration which the alarm
heralded 1t proved to be the Expo
sition buildings were on fire, and when
this fact was spread through the city,
! hundreds of men tumbled from their
beds and hastily made their way to the
scene. The entire HORIZON in a three
mile circuit was lighted up by the
flames aud made the roads to the
grounds as light as day. The usual
excitement incident to large fires pre-
vailed and men looked in each others
| faces for information concerning it,
which they knew it was hopeless toeX
pect to receive The frightened neigh
ing of horses, the shouting of excited
men, the roaring of the cracking flames,
all tended to make the scene one of
terror and grandeur combined, and will
always form a never-to- be-forgotten
event In the mems minds who witness
ed it. One Of the great curses in many
such cases, turned up here, viz: n
scarcity Of water, and when the de-
partments of both cities arrived on the
ground, much of their work proved in
operative from this cause. In very
quick time, Chief Evans and the engines
of district No. | were on the ground,
but the flames had augmented to such
pitch of ferceness that no amount of
water, had it been accessible, could do
any good, and the spectacle Of
thorough fire department forced to look
helplessly on, was an incident of this
fire.
How the fire originated is still
mystery The first alarm was given at
| so A. NJ. from the boiler room at the
south end Of the building, near Ma
chinery Hall The tindcr like condi
tion of the building made easy prey for
the flames, ard almost quicker than it
takes to write it, the whole southern
end of the structure was seething
mass of uncomfortable flames. The
hundreds of gingerbread jimcracks
which adorned the cornices and walls
served as powerful assistants to the
fierce flames, sending forth cracking
roar, which could be plainly heard all
round the enclosure. In short time,
Hope Engine Company were on the
ground, but to the practiced eye, it was
evident that human aid could not avert
the total destruction of the entire build
ings.
The following statement of an eye
witness will give an idea Of the rapidi-
ty with which the whole structure was
consumed. He said; 81 have been
boarding just across the street from the
building. | heard the alarm and was
soon on the spot, and, in company with
another man, made the first entrance to-
the building. When we got inside the
door the flames were in power hall, and
| thought | could save some Of my
property, but in less than one minute
the flags were burning about my head
and | barely escaped in safety. Ny
property was on the left of the School
street entrance. When we entered
there was policemen at the door. and
he made the remark that be and anoth-
er man were the only persons in the
building, which led me to believe that
the building was not properly guarded.
OF the hundreds who gathered on the
grounds, all agree that the destruction
was the swiftest and most complete
they ever witnessed Prompt action
hv the watchmen, was the cause of the
successful removal of the valuable
horses in the Exposition stables, aud
though much difficulty was experienced
in the task the men worked with
will and the frightened and frantic
animals were removed to places OF
safety. Among those so removed were
many costly horses Of the racing stables
Along the river front as far as the eye
could see, were gathered the thousands
Of visitors who witnessed the parade Of
yesterday and when the progress OF
the fire bad involved the whole form OF
the building, from the centre OF which
arose q vast cone Of fame and smoke,
studded with myriads Of sparks, the
scene was grand aud sublime to de-
gree, so much so, that in the pile or
more Of spectators, crammed on the
Ievee, perfect silence was maintained,
such as is always the ease when ilamcS
make havoc, beyond the control of hu-
man hands. The fire spread rapidly
from one building to another, and as
fast as the tiremen were ready to fight
for the safety Of building the yictori-
Gus flames leap towards it, driving its
defenders away by the binding smoke
and heat, and wrapping the doomed
building in waves Of flame, would de-
stroy it in q few moments. Not a
vestage Of any structure on the ground
is left even the fences being destroyed,
and the fire was as swift and fierce in
the remote parts of the ground
as at the main buildings The
heat was 80 intense from the main
buildings that The sidewalks and fences
Of the adjacent dwellings were being
scorched, forcing the lremen to retire.
The buildings which were the most in
jured were the dwellings, Of w. u.
Moore, Esq, the well known lawyer,
Robert McGraw, and James Thompson.
Each of these was burned about the
cornice, the frame work scorched and
many of the windows broke, the differ
cnt floors being flooded with water by
the streams thrown to extinguish the
fire. The loss by fire along School
street, however, Will not amount to
moro than lew hundred dollars, out
side of the destruction Of fences and
shrubbery. After fierce fight by the
Grcmen to save the dwelling houses,
they turned their streams of water an
the ruins Qf the gegter building, to
lessen the intense heat if possible. BY
the regulations Of the Exposition, there
| 4. f.I, ha ,rr,,np1