Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-07-12
THIRTY LIVES LOST.
Brave Firem8n Carried Down in the Ruins
of a Big Building at Jackson Park.

OF d Big 6ulIOlng dG JACKSON PdPK
WORLDS FAIR GROUNDS, CHICAGO, ILL.,,
July 10.-No less than thirty fremen
lost their lives at the Worlds Fair
this afternoon just before o'clock.
At that time the cold storage
warehouse just south of the
Sixty-fourth Street gate caught
fire in the top of the cupola
which rises fully 200 feet from the
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 80 feet above this.
AS soon as the fremen arrived about
thirty or forty of them climbed up the
ladders to this landing and were pre-
pairing to throw streams of water on the
burning portion when the fire, which
had eaten its way inside the staff to a
point below where the firemen stood,
broke out with volcanic ferocity on all
sides. An exclamation of horror went
up from the lips O. 10000 people who
had assembled 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 remained to-
gether on the north side of the cupola
were doomed. It was beyond the reach
of the ladders and the crowd stood
horror-stricken and helpless to rescue
the helpless crew.
The flames ran higher and higher
until the men were almost concealed
from view. At this moment one of
the firmen sprang far out into
the air and was dashed to pieces on the
roof fully eighty feet below. Another
and another followed 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 re-
manning iremen were swallowed
up i'll the seething mass of
burning timbers. Meantime all
the fire engines on the grounds had
been called and aid had been sum-
moned from Hyde Park, but the main
portion of the fire was far above the
reach ofthe streams of water.
1t is probable that the entire
building will be totally destroyed
1t cost $25O,OOO and is stored
with meats, fruits and wines.
The whole loss will probably reach
100000. 1t was built and occupied by
the Hercules Iron Works Company,
manufacturers of refrigerating houses.
At 2:15 the entire warehouse was in
flames. 1t was reported that three
women and several clerks employed in
floor were crushed by the falling cupola
The wind is blowing strong from the
north and is sweeping the flames from
one of the buildings to the other. II
the wind does not change to south
or west the fire will probably
be confined to the cold stor-
age, but if the wind should veer
around it would sweep directly into the
administration building after destroying
the Pennsylvania railroad building.
The flames at this writing are eating
their way indirectly into lower building.
About ten minutes after the fire broke
out both cupolas of the north side fell
into the building carrying the third
floor down to the second Thirty or
forty streams are playing on the build
ing from all sides but with no apparent
effect
The cold storage building though sell
dom entered by visitors, was one Of the
most notable landmarks INTELLECTUALLY
in Jackson Park. 1t pas within a short
distance of the elevated railroad term
inal, and instantly attracted the
attention of people entering the fair
grounds from the west by reason of it's
peculiar high tower and unique win