Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-07-15

adjoining on tho south ana threatened
the structures outside OF the grounds |
on Stony Island avenue. 1t was
o'clock before the flames were under
control and by that time the building
had been reduced to heap of charred
timbers.
The large building north of the Stor-
age building used as stable was
wholly destroyed. 1t required hard
work of the firemen to save the Color
building and paint shop. The loss on
the stable is $4,000. The buildings
across the street outside the fair grounds
were scorched, but the fire did not
make any great headway among them
and the damage was trifling.
Many Wild Rumors.
Rumors of scores of lives being lost
flew thick and fast and gained in num-
bers as they left the fair and travelled
to the city. One statement was that
party of thirty or forty had been eating
lunches in the observatory of the build
ing, all members of which were incin-
Grated. There was no truth in this,
neither in the statement that half
dozen young women had been burned.
Searching the Ruins.
The work of recovering the bodies
was begun at 4:30 o'clock. The ruins
were yet smouldering and the steaming
heat prevented the firemen from prose-
cutting their work long at time. The
first body was taken out at $3.50
o'clock, charred stump bearing no re-
semblance to human form. Another
was found fifteen minutes later and at
frequent intervals until eight had been
recovered At the approach of night
the work was discontinued on account
of the dangerous condition of the ruins
and lack of light.
Fully Twenty Thousand Witnesses.
The awful sight was witnessed by
| fully 10000 horror-stricken visitors to
| the fair. The crowd shuddered. and as
the men jumped or fell on the roof,
some killed outright and others
manned and mangled for life, cries of
80! o! Isn't that awful" were heard
on every side. A good many women
evinced their emotion by crying oLt-
right, for it was one of the most pitt
full sights ever witnessed. There We're
good many men in that crowd who
cried like little children and some were
SO overcome by their EN- otion that they
almost went frantic, the sight was so
heart-rending. 1t seemed as if the
bodies of the men would rebound from
the roof when they struck it, sometimes
going or feet up in the air. 1t was
sorrowful sight as viewed from the
1 crowd in the vicinity of the burning
building.
Called on the Troops.
The crowd, horror-stricken as it was,
was beyond the control of the Column
bian guards, and although 500 of them
tried to keep the people back and to open
lines through which the ambulances
and fire apparatus could come their
efforts were utterly futile. Forty-five
United States soldiers appeared on the
scene at double trot in the nick of time,
and with their bayonets forced the
crowd back and did what the SOC
guards could not do, kept it in order
and at safe distance from the burning
building.
The Burned Warehouse.
The cold storage warehouse was stu
ated south of the Transportation build
ing annex, close to the Stony Island
boundary and not far from the Sixty
fourth street entrance. 1t covers &
ground space of $50 by 255 feet
and its exterior was severely plain, hav
ing less ornamentation than any of the
other exposition buildings The ware
house was fitted out with complete
, apparatus for the manufacture of ict
and for cold storage. 1t contained
, restaurants and cafes and the roof wa!
r arranged for a promenade, while th'
5 big tower which cost the life of .th,
firemen was used for an observatory.
1t is probable that the entire building
7 will be totally destroyed. 1t cost S250,
, 600 and is stored with meats, fruits ant
, wines. The whole loss will proba bl,
reach half million. 1t was built an,
occupied by the Hercules Iron Work
n company, manufacturers of refrigerat
, ing machinery.
The Loss 100000.
w. n. Donaldson, superintendent o
the burned building, said: '"rhe los
, on building and machinery will run u
, toward 5000. 900. Some of the ma chiner
may be saved. Building and machiner
, are covered by insurance, l under
c stand"
The loss is by no means confined t
= building and machinery and compan.
y property. Every government on tn
t globe and every state in the union req
I resented at the exposition is a loser t
A some extent, as they all had goods i
A the cold-storage. These goods cor
a sisted principally of wines, beer, al
and last years fruits that We're to b
put in competitive exhibition whe
the jury of awards commences i,
9 work. 1t is estimated that TIL
{ Spanish government sustains' los
= of $4,000 on fine wines an
!. liquors, and Lowney, of Boston, lose
l. SO, 900 worth of chocolate candies TIL
II other quantities of wine, beer and a
d destroyed were worth probably frol
e S25, 900 to $50, 900. No estimate can |
d placed on the value of last years fruit
.e that We're stored in the building. A
,e the states and Canada We're represel
A. ted tfIf.t.ff VIZ
~ In the Hospital.