The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-11
Special to the REcoRp-UNIoN.


CHICAGO, July 10.-The fear that had
existed for months in the minds of citi-
zens of Chicago found realization to-day
in a frightful holocaust at the Worlds
Fair that claimed nearly two score of vic
Tins and for a time threatened the de-
struction of the entire White City. The
disaster was all the more dreadful be-
cause of its sudden transformation from
an innocent flame into death-dealing
catastrophe.
The structure that burned was the cold
storage warehouse, one of the smallest
buildings at the fair, but not be-
longing to the exposition. 1t was the ex-
hibit of the Hercules Iron Works and
Ice and Refrigerating Machine Manu-
tacturers. The building contained a
skating rink and three l20-ton ice ma
chimes, some forty barrels of linseed oil,
which added fuel to the flame, and in it
were stored large quantities Of meat, fruit,
etc.
That the fire was not communicated to
either of the Worlds Fair buildings is
due to favorable winds.
SCENES OF HORROR.
A scene of horror was witnessed by
many thousand people, who tlocked to
the locality when the alarm was sounded,
and strong men wept and women tainted
as one life after another was snuffed out
within full view of the multitude but be-
yond the reach of human aid.
The fire was not generally observed
until Ills P. NJ, and within thirty min
utes great loss of life had occurred. At
the first signal the firemen rushed up a
huge shaft surrounding the smokestack,
and when at the summit began prepare
tions to fight the flames, which first ap-
peared at this point. Before the hose
could be coupled cry Of horror from the
crowd below caused the firemen to look
down, for the whole building below was
encircled with flames The men stood
stolidly for moment in full realization
of their danger. Then one grasped a rope
which was lowered for the purpose of
raising the hose, and, half-sliding, half
falling, reached the roof ninety feet be-
low in a bruised and burned condition,
but still alive.
The crowd below became wild with ex-
element, and weeping women and
frenzied men rushed around ringing
their hands and moaning in anguish over
their inability to render aid.
JUMPED TO THEIR DEATH.
Suddenly every eye was turned up
ward by the preparations of a fireman to
jump. He gave quick, spasmodic leap,
and turned over and over half dozen
times before he struck the roof, ninety
ha1Nx1- Whar, h., -,
roof there was a 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 sue
cession 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 Historically, the guards were
almost powerless to keep the crowd away
from the danger.
The spectacle became more horrible as
the minutes passed. and for the last man
on the cupola was reserved the most
dreadful Of all. Afrer his companions
had leaped to apparent death, and he was
hesttating, the whole shaft began to
tremble and vibrate. The lone fireman
understood the ominous warning, and
gave a wild leap, but too late At the
very instant he sprang the whole struc-
ture collapsed, and this human being,
quivering with life and wildly grasping
for support in the frenzy of despair, was
seen to drop into the labyrinth of flame
and fire and disappear into the roaring
furnace below.
A VERITABLE FIRE TRAP.
AS fire trap, the cold storage ware
house could not have been more perfectly
constructed. 1t was two hundred and
fifty feet long, one hundred and fifty feet
wide, and was made of wood covered with
staff. The main body of the building
was five stories high. In the center
rose smokestack in the shape of a
cupola, two hundred feet high. Its base
was about thirty feet square, and ninety
feet up there was balcony, from which
arose a tower eliminating at the mouth
of the smokestack, where the fire was
first discovered. In the interior of the
tower were wooden beams and frame
work on which the staff was laid.
WHERE THE FIRE STARTED.
1t is supposed that the framework
around the mouth of the chimney caught
fire from defect in the fiue. AT first it
appeared an insignificant affair, but.
knowing the intiammable nature of the
structure. Fire Marshal Murphy called
all his companies out. With about forty
men Captain Fitzpatrick climbed the lad
ders 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 the flames to break out
in an alarming manner about ten feet
from the top of the cupola.
Meantime the fire had eaten its wav
down inside the structure. and all the I'M
conscious firemen were standing on the
shell of a burning volcano. The fire had
been burning scarcely twenty minutes,
when suddenly flames burst out around
the base of the balcony in perfect fury.
A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE.
So terrible was the spectacle that for a
moment the crowds stood transfixed 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 had
burned away. One hose withstood the
heat, however, and John Davis caught