Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-11
40 ARE DEAD.
Awful Horror IN.
Chicago.
FURIOUS FLAMES.
Appalling Loss Of Life at
the Worlds Fair.
SCENES WITHOUT EQUAL.
Wonderful Courage Displayed on the
Part ofthe Fire Fighters.
SCENES WITHOUT EQUAL.
Wonderful Courage Displayed on the
Part ofthe Fire Fighters.

CHICAGO, July 1.-THE cold storage
warehouse at the Worlds fair grounds
was burned yesterday afternoon, and
nearly 40 men fell victims to the fire which.
for time threatened the destruction Of
the entire White City.
The building contained q skating rink,
and the exhibits of the Hercules iron
works and ice and refrigerating machine
manufacturers It was $50 long by $50
feet wide, and was constructed entirely of
wood, covered with staff.
The main body Of the building was hve
stories high. In the center of this rose
the smokestaff, In the shape Of a cnpola,
TO the top Of which was almost 200 feet.
The base Of the cupola was about 30 feet
square.
About 80 feet from the base of this
supola there was . balcony. from which
another square tower rose, eliminating In
the mouth OF the smokestack. In the in
terror of this tower and around the smoke
stack were the wooden beams and frame
work on which the STAFF covering was laid.
It was at that point of the cupola that
at 1:l5 p. m. the fire was discovered. II Ia
supposed that the framework around the
mouth Of the chimney caught from q
Defect In the FIue.
At first 1t appeared to be an insignificant
affair, but knowing the infammable
nature of the structure, Captain Fitz-
patrick, who had charge Of the fire depart
ment on the grounds, sent In call for all
the companies to turn out.
With about 40 Of his men he climbed
tho tatf 10, laAA In Ho he -
the balcony, and from there ropes were
lowered to haul up tho hose. Only one
hose, that Of chemical engine, had been
hauled up, when a gust of wind caused the
flames to break out in an alarming manner
about 10 feet from the top of the cupola.
Meanwhile the fire had eaten it's way
down through the network of timbers In
side the structure, and, unconscious of
their danger, the firemen were standing as
1t were on the shell Of burning volcano.
No one of the $4,000 interested specta-
tors who had gathered from all parts of
the grounds had any intimation of the
perilous position in which the dremen
were then standing The fire had been
burning scarcely 20 minutes and the fire.
men were pulling and hauling at the ropes
when, suddenly, the flames burst cut
around the base Of the cupola with great
fury.
SO sudden was the outbreak and 40 ter
rible was the spectacle that for a moment
the crowd stood
Trans fixed with Horror.
Strong men wrung their hands In q hys-
terical manner and scores Of women
tainted. All alike were powerless to aid
the men imprisoned ON the balcony $50
feet from the ground. All the ropes save
one on the north side of the tower was
burned away in an instant.
The hose from the chemical engine
withstood the heat, however. and John
Davis caught hold of is and slid down 90
feet to the main roof Of the warehouse,
where he tainted. His face and hands
were terribly burned BY the flames which
enveloped his body a. he came down. He
was taken to the hospital, and the ply
sicians say he will recover.
Two Of bis fellow fremen attempted to
follow him, but, before they were half
way down, the hose gave way and they
dropped into the seething mass Of FIRE and
were lost. As the hose parted and the men
sank out Of sight In the fire the multitude
below uttered groan Of horror
Another Of the imprisoned men started
down the rope on the north side Of the
tower and had almost reached the roof
when II z I've way and he fell, striking on
his head, and was Instantly killed.
There now remained, according to the
counts OF various spectators, from 25 to
30 men on the tower. They were hope
lessly
Beyond the Reach Of Help.
The longest ladder fell short of reaching
them by full 80 feet. Death of the most
awful kind was fast spproschipg
At this moment Captain Fitzpatrick
tall form and white helmet appeared In
front Of the men huddlsd together on the
balcony. He appeatDd TO be addressing
his followers. What be said will probably
never be known, for he alone, of all the
men around him, escaped alive. and his
injuries are such that IL h doubtful II he
will ever recover consciousness.
The firemen appeared 10 realize the sw-
fulness of their position, and some of
them moved back and forth along the edge
of the balcony, ~ II In search of some
means Of escape. Suddenly one Of the un-
fortunates, either craEed by beat and fear,
or prefsrring to be crushed by the fall tc .
terrible death by fire. sprang from the bal
cony. Four Of his comrades followed, and
each was crushed to death on the roof Be-
low.
Many Of the frsmsn who lost their lives
might have been saved had the depart
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