The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-09-20

Valuable Property Consumed and
Several Lives Lost.
A Big Dry-Goods House In Louisville.
KY, Reduced to Ashes = The EXPOSE
lions ut st. Joseph, NO., and Chi
cago Swept by Fire.
SIX FIREMEN KILLED.

SIX FIREMEN KILLED.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Sept 16.-Five firemen
were killed and several badly hurt in ire
here Sunday night Soon after 10 o'clock
flames were seen bursting from the win
dows on the third floor of Bamberger,
Bloom a Co.'s wholesale dry-goods and
notion house. which fronts on Main street,
between Sixth and Seventh streets.
Five minutes later part of the roof
fell In. The fire department. was
out In full force promptly and
dozen streams were playing on the burning
building, but it was soon clear that moth
ing could save it, and the hose was turned
upon the Louisville Hotel, two blocks
away. That building was smoking,
and 1t was a sharp half-hour's fight
to make its safety reasonably sure.
The guests of the Louisville. as well as
of Seelbach's Hotel at the corner of the
block, poured out A number, mostly
frightened servants, were taken from the
second and third stories by means of lad
ders They joined at once the crowd Of
sight-seers, which gathered in half an
hour to the number of 10000. The
fire originated in Bamberger, Bloom 81
Co. Is. and Waterman McGrath who turned
in the alarm, said the whole building
was aglow when he discovered the fire.
An explosion occurred soon after, and q
fireman who had just arrived was
knocked over by it. but not hurt.
A conservative estimate of the loss on
stock is $4,000 The insurance is heavy
and will about cover the loss The build
ing was double six-story, owned by the
firm, and valued at $75, 600.
EXPOSITION BUILDING BURNED.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo-. Sept. 16-The St. Joseph
exposition met with great disaster Sun
day night. The crowd during the day and
night was far greater than at any time
since the opening About 1880 o'clock p.
m, just as the entertainment in
the great amphitheater had closed, fire
broke out in the main hall, magnificent
building 900 feet in length and filed with
all manner Of exhibits The entire building
and contents were consumed In spite of the
most heroic efforts on the part of the fire
department. 1t is understood that moth
ing was saved but the carriage which
was built to convey General lafayette
during his visit to this country in 1872 The
exposition grounds are located two miles
from the city and at this hour details of the
fire have not been received The origin of
the fire is said to come from the electric
lights. The exposition will continue, but
will be short of its vast exhibits in the
main hall The loss must exceed $3.50, 600
FIRE AT CHICAGo's EXPOSITION.
CHICAGO, Sept 16-Shortly after 10
o'clock Saturday evening fire started in the
Exposition building from an electric arc
light in the booth containing Gossage q
Co. q exhibit, and spread to other booths
containing the display of Marshall Field &
Co., Gossage & Co., j. III. Walker 4 Co.,
Schlessinger & Mayer. the leading dry
goods houses of Chicago, causing loss of
nearly 100000 Many pieces of costly
fabrics imported, and having no dupli-
Gates in this country, were on ex-
hibition. Costumes from Worths, fur
niture of the most exquisite make,
pianos and frail stained-glass pieces,
were near by. In the building was $780,
600 worth of valuable goods and machinery,
and within 200 feet more than $500, 900
worth of paintings and statuary Rarely
was 30 exquisite and costly spread laid
before o fire. Plate glass a half inch
thick melted like icicles, and the rafters,
seventy feet above. blistered in the heat
The fire was quickly put out The janitor
OF the art gallery closed its doors before
the alarm was sounded, and not the slight
est damage was done the works on exhibit
ton. Except the booths in the immediate
vicinity, no damage was done either by fire
or smoke.
Ten thousand people were in the build
ing, and 5000 lost their wits. The big
doors in the center were wide open, and
the people near them stopped to watch the
fire. Those at either end of the building
and farthest away went wild> They
smashed windows, climbed over each other
and burst open doors. At the lunch counter
people seized chairs and flung them at the
windows when doors were open within
forty feet of them Several ladies tainted
and were bruised in the crush, but no one
was reported as seriously hurt