The herald., 1893-07-11
WORST FEARS REALIZED.
A Horrible Holocaust at the
Worlds Fair.
What Was Long Expected Has
at Last Occurred.
A Large Cold Storage Warehouse and
Other Buildings Burned.
Nearly Two Score Lives Lost in the
Flames-Most of the Victims We're
Firemen-A Close Call for the
White City.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, July 10.-The fear that ex-
listed tor months in the minds OF citi-
zens of Chicago found realization today
in frightful fire at the worlds fair that
claimed nearly two score victims, and
for time threatened the destruction OF
the entire White city. The disaster
was all the more dreadful because Of it's
sudden transformation from an innocent
flame into deadly catastrophe.
The structure that burned was cold
storage warehouse, one OF the smallest
buildings at the fair, but not belonging
to the exposition. 1t was the exhibit of
the Hercules Iron works and Ice and
Refrigerating Machinery Manuiactu ring
company. The building contained a
skating rink, three 120-ton ice machines
and some 40 barrels OF linseed oil, which
added fuel to the flame, and in it there
we're stored large quantities Of meat,
fruit, etc. That the fire was not COM
municated to the other worlds fair
buildings was due to favorable winds.
was witnessed by many Thousand people
who focked to the locality when the
alarm was sounded, and strong men
wept and women tainted as one after
another life was snuffed out within full
view of the multitude, but beyond the
reach of human aid.
The fire was not generally observed
until :15 p. m. and within 30 minutes
great loss of life had occurred. At the
first signal the fremen rushed up the
huge shaft surrounding the smoke stack
and when at the aum nit began prepara-
tions to fight the flames, which first ap-
peared at this point. Before the hose
could be coupled q cry oil horror from
the crowd below caused the firemen to
look downs for the whole roof below was
ENcIRcLED WITH FLAMES.
The men stood soiidly .s moment
in full realization OF their danger. Then
one grasped rope which was lowered
for the purpose of raising the hose, and
balf-sliding, half-falling, reached the
roof 80 feet below in a bruised and
burned condition, but still alive. The
crowd below became wild with excite
ment and weeping women and frenzied
men rushed around wringing their
hands and moaning in anguish over
their inability to render aid
Suddenly every eye was turned up
ward by the preparations OF fireman to
jump.
He gave quick, spasmodic leap, and
turned over and over half dozen times
before he struck the roof below. When
his body struck the roof below there
was frightful crash and it bounded far
up again into the air. From this time
on
BODIES RAINED FROM THE sTEEPLE,
as after the first wild leap one man after
another jumped in quick succession as
the flames closed in below and the heat
became more intense. The very horror
of death riveted every eye to the scene,
and while men and women shouted hys-
terically, the guards were almost DOW
erless to keep the crowd away from dam
ger.
PERFECT FIRE TRAP.
As fire trap the cold storage ware
house could not have been more per-
fectly constructed. 1t was $50 feet long,
150 feet wide and made of wood, covered
with staff. The main body of the build
ing was five stories high. In the centQs
rose smoke stack in the shspe of a
cupola. 200 feet high. Its base wa
about 30 feet square, and 80 feet up
there was balcony from which rose a
tower eliminating in the mouth of a
smoke stack where the fire was first dis
covered. In the interior OF the tower
were wooden beams and framework on
which the staff was laid. 1t is supposed
the framework around the mouth of the
chimney caught fire from de-
feet in the .hue. AT first it APP
peared an insignificant affair, but
knowing the inhammable nature
OF the structure, Fire Marshal Murphy
called all the companies out. With
about 40 men, Captain Fitzpatrick
climbed ladders inside the tower to the
balcony, and from there ropes were
lowered to haul up the hose. One had
been gotten up when the wind caused
flames to break out in All alarming man
ner about 10 feet from the top of the
cupola. Meantime the fire had eaten its
way down inside the structure and, all
unconscious, the firemen were standing
ON THE SHELL OF BURNING VOLCANO.
The fire was burning scarcely 20 min
utes when suddenly flames burst out
around the base OF the balcony in per-
feet fury. So terrible was the spectacle
that the firemen and the crowds stood
transfxed with horror. All were alike
powerless to aid the unfortunate men
imprisoned ON the balcony, $50 feet from
the ground. All the ropes hanging
from the tower were burned away.
One hose withstood the heat, however,
and John Davis caught hold of it and
slid down to the main roof, where be
tainted. His face and hands were terri
bly, burned by tn. flames which envel-
oped him as he came down. He was
taken to the hospital and the physi-
clans say he will recover. Two OF bis
fellow firemen attempted to follow him,
but before they were half way down
the hose gave way and they dropped
INTO A sEETHING MASS OF FIRE
and were lost. Another man started
down 8 portion of the roma hanging fro-o