The Iola register., 1889-09-20
THREE BAD FIRES.
Burning Of the New Era EXPOSE
tion at St Joseph.
Almost Nothing saved-Destructive and
Fatal Fire at Loulsville-LOss,
$1,000, ,O0O-Medina, N. u,
Burned.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Burned.
New Era Exposition was destroyed by fire
last night, and over one quarter OF q mil.
lion dollars is now represented by q mass
Of smouldering ruins and q heap Of ashes
while Captain Foster, connected with
the cereal department, 10 thought to have
lost his life.
At 1880 last night, just as the evenings
entertainment in the amphitheater had
closed. and while yet 4. 900 people were in
the buildings and scattered throughout
the grounds, smoke was discovered issuing
from the art hall, and before it could be
realized the entire collection Of buildings
Immediately adjacent to the main hall
was in flames.
From the time the first spark was seen
until the fire had worked its will, the
local fire department and that of the city
were powerless to retard its progress.
Constructed of the most inf1ammable
material and filled with exhibits equally
susceptible to fire. art hall and main hall
burned like tinder. The origin Of the
flames is supposed to have been a defective
electric wire connecting the art hall with
the main building. For over an hour the
flames were fought but efforts proving
futile to save the two principal buildings,
work was directed to prevent them from
spreading.
Art hall was the first to burn and the
excitement was heightened by the rumor
that Captain Foster, connected with the
cereal exhibit, had perished in the flames
He was seen in the building a few minutes
before it fell and has not been cen since.
The New Era Exposition Company had
provided what they thou ght to be ample
facilities for fighting fire. A fire engine
was kept on the grounds and the water
mains extended within the grounds. A
company of firemen were engaged and
the Exposition was thought to be secure
from possible loss by fire.
The distance prevented the city fire de-
partment from rendering effective aid,
and though they responded promptly to the
call, the Exposition was doomed long be-
fore their arrival. Beginning in art hall
the flames soon reached and enveloped
the main hall, 1000 feet long. Here were
stored all the textile fabrics and costly
exhibits of machinery, and as the flames
shot skyward each spark represented
dollar. Owners of exhibits whose value
reached into the thousands stood helpless.
ly by and watched them burn.
Within thirty minutes after the first
alarm, the destruction was completed,
and, where at eight O'Clock stood an expo
siton never before equaled in the West,
nothing but a smoldering ruin remains.
The principal losses were: Main hall
building, totally destroyed $50, 900; cylin-
drical steel car, City of st. Joseph"
$40. ODO; Studebaker carriage display, $12,-
600: Huyett's piano display, $500.
Hardman's printing presses, $1,000 and
numerous smaller losses ranging from
$50 to 81, 900. In addition to the pecuniary
losses many heirlooms and curiosities
were destroyed whose owners wouh not
have parted with them for any sum Of
money. Some insurance was placed on a
portion Of the stock. but the amount is not
known. The carriage which was built to
convey General Lafayette during his visit
to this country was saved through the
heroic exertions of the Indians under the
leadership of Broncho John.
DESTRUCTIVE AND FATAL
LOUISVILLE. KY, Sept. 16,-The store Of
Bamberger, Bloom & Co. one of the larg-
est wholesale dry goods and notion houses
in Louisville, was completely destroyed by
fire last night and four firemen were cer-
tainly caught by falling walls and killed,
while two more are reported under the
debris. The poor fellows were working
close up in the rear when the walls
fell and were crushed beneath the huge
mass Four have been taken out dread
fully mangled.
The alarm struck at eleven minutes Of
ten O'Clock, and in ten minutes flames
were bur sting from the third story win
dows Five minutes later part of the roof
went in.
The guests of the Louisville as we'll 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 in the rear by
means of ladders. They Joined at once
the crowd of sightseers which gathered in
half an hour to the number of 10. 0O0
The fire originated in Bamberger. Bloom
& Co.'s cellar. and Watchman McGrath,
who turned in the alarm, says the whole
cellar was aglow when he discovered it.
An EXPLOSION occurred soon after, and a
fireman just after they arrived was
knocked over by II, but not hurt.
A conservative estimate on the loss on
stock is $3.50, 900. The insurance is heavy
and will about cover the loss The build.
ing was double six story, own by the
firm and valued at $4,000. The fire at
midnight was slowly eating both ways
between Main and Seventh streets, de-
stroying the following smaller places:
Louis Grain, boots and shoes; L. Brtez-
fielder & Co, wholesale hats, and Baer's
saloon.
The firemen whose bodies have been re-
covered are Captain Ed Early, Ed
Wheeler, Pat Foley, Sam Stacklighter
and John Menohan.
The fire is completely under control and
there will be no further loss.
NEW YORK TOWN BURNED.
MEDINA, n. ", Sept. 16-Fire started
in the oven of the pail manufacturing es-
tablishment of A. NJ. Ives & Sons on Main
street at about $50 yesterday morning
and was not subdued until property val
ued at nearly $780, 900 had been destroyed.
A new building recently erected by s. C.
Bowen and used by him as an evaporation
caught fire from the flames and was
burned to the ground. Ives s. Sons loss
will be 500, 900. The building used as a
pail factory was owned by Erastus Fuller
600 Bowen's loss is SIC, 900, partially in.
sured.
There is a bird in New Guinea called
the megapodius which, in the sizs of its
eggs and its manner of Matching them,
must be considered as being within the
bounds of the marvellous. This rara avis
is about the size of our common Plymouth
Rock hen. but its eggs are three and
half inches long by nearly three in diam.
eter. 1t does not attempt to sit upon them
in the ordinary way. A colony of the