The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-07-13
!. HUMAN SACRIFICE


WoRLD's FAIR GROUNDS, July IL
No less than so fremen lost their lives
at the worlds fair yesterday AFTERNOON
just before o'clock. AZ that, time the
cold storage warehouse Just south Of
the 64th street gate caught fire in the
top Of the cupola, which rises fully zoo
feet Yrom the ground. Through this
cupola the chimney passes. The cupola
Is built Of wood overlaid with staff, and
is highly ornamented with columns and
pillars. Near the top is a landing. The
fire broke out about 81 feet above this.
AS soon as the firemen arrived about
IS or 40 of them climbed up the ladders
to this landing, and were preparing to
throw streams Of water to the burning
portion, when the fire, which had eaten
its way inside the staff to a point be-
low, where the firemen stood. broke
out with volcanic ferocity on all sides.
An exclamation of horror went up from
the lips of 10000 people who had as
sembled about the building to see the
fire. Five Of the men saved themselves
by sliding down the ropes. Before
others could follow, the flames had
burned away the ropes.
The unfortunate fellows who re-
NAMED huddled together on the north
side of the cupola were doomed. 1t was
beyond the reach of any Of the ladders,
and the crowd stood horror-stricken
and helpless to rescue the hapless
crew. = The flames ran higher and
higher, until the men were almost con-
cealed from view.
At this moment one of the fremen
sprang far out into the air and was
dashed to pieces on the roof fully 80
feet below. Another and another fol-
lowed his example, crazed by the awful
heat, and doubtless preferring to be
killed by fall than burned to death.
When five had jumped the upper por-
ton of the cupola gave way and the
remaining firemen were swallowed up
in the seething mass of burning tim
bers. Meantime all the fire engines on
the grounds had been called and aid
had been summoned from Hyde Park,
but the main portion of the fire was
above the reach of the streams of
water. #A
It will be some time before a full list
of the victims will be ompleted, as
some bodies were entirely consumed.
The loss will reach fully half mill
ion dollars. In the cold storage vaults
food products to the value of $3.50, 900
were stored; all destroyed.
When the fire broke out there was
large crowd of fair visitors in the ware
house looking at the ice machines and
other exhibits.
AS fire trap the cold storage ware
house could not have been more per-
fectly constructed. The structure was
$50 feet long by $50 feet wide, and was
constructed entirely of wood, covered
over with staff. The main body of the
building was five stories high. In the
center Of this rose the smolzestack in
the shape of cupola, to the top of
which was almost 200 feet. The base
of this cupola was about 80 feet square.
About 80 feet from the base of it there
was a balcony, from which another
square tower rose, eliminating in the
mouth of the smokestack, where the
fire was discovered. The interior of
this tower and around the smokestack
were the wooden beams and framework
on which the staff covering was laid.
It was at the top of the cupola that the
FIRE was discovered.
The warehouse, engines and the ice
plant, which were the prop
opt n h0 90
Chicago, represented an expenditure of
$500, 900. There were three engines
which cost $4,000 each, operated by
three immense boilers, now exposed
The ice making machinery was turning
out 100, GOO tons of ice day. In the
center of the building under the towers
was the engine house. ASA
+ Mayor Harrison was almost overcome
when he heard of the calamity, but he
finally said:
''Wen, this settles one thing. The
city of Chicago Is going to assume con-
troll over those buildings, as far as pro-
tecting life is concerned, and will do 30
at once. will see that these buildings
are carefully inspected, and whatever
changes are necessary for the safety of
the people must be made. Every day
5000 people visit the top of the Manu-
features building. have seen myself
fully 5000 people there at one time. In
the event of fire, or even of panic,
hardly 200 of them would escape alive.
These things must be looked to, and
they will be, if it takes every police Of
fcer in Chicago. Ffsf9s
COnvicts Fight.
low Mich Tr1ry ~ E,,1r- oor.