Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-10
The Administration Buldilg
in Danger.
Three Hotels Near the Fair Grounds
Reported Afire.
A Company of Regulars Sent to
the Scene.

Special STAFF Dispatch to The Evening star
| CHICAGO. July 10, 1898.
The worlds fair has had it's first awful
calamity. AT lao O'Clock this afternoon a Ere
broke out in the cold storage building on the
fair grounds.
1t is thought that upward Of fifty men have
been burned to death.
| The grounds were crowded with people ct
the time and every one rushed toward the
doomed building, SO that thousands saw the
luckless men ngulfed in the flames.
The building was finished at the top with .
lofty. airy tower, and this furnished excellent
fuel for the fire. Most Of those who were
killed were fremen on the roof Of the building
near the tower where the flames seiz ed upon IL.
Within a very few minutes the tower fell with
| a crash and buried men by the score.
Men dropped of by the dozen, while others
leaped clear off.
Intense excitement prevailed, and all the
shocking scenes were witnessed by the immense
crowds.
The fire broke ont in the tower, and the ire
men at once rusned 10 ngnt H.
1t then worked down inside, and cut Oh the
men from all hope of escape. e.
The fire is still burning at O'Clock, and 10
is certain that the whole building will 60, but
it may not spread beyond the one building.
| v.K
By United Press.
CAPT. FITzPArRIcK's BODY REMOVED.
-
the fire department, stati oned at the service
building, has just been taken from the ruins.
He went upon the east side Of the tower and
fell when it collapsed. He was seen to reach
out for help. and in spite Of the efforts Of three
men. who kept hose on him, he fell below and
was burned.
Another victim is Dennis Lynch He fe1 10
the floor below He the last to leave the
tower and he fell His legs were broken andhe
cannot live.
Henry Geduldig, superintendent Of the
painters staff employed on the building, il be-
lieved to be dead 1t is thought he went balow'
into the fiery furnace.
| NINETEEN VICTIMS.
II is now said that nineteen men were killed.
A company of regulars has been sent to the
scene to aid the Columbian Guards.
The building is one mass Of flames, tosally
beyond the control Of the firemen, and the
paint shop. building 100 by $50 feet and two
stories high, is on fire in many places. II viii
also go.
The heat from the flames is intense, the
crowds being kept back distance of 500 feet
A panic was narrowly averted when some
person started rumor that the ammonia used
in the building about to explode
Women aad children rushed pell NELL away
Al. l...ll - 49, a.,
while the men, in endeavoring to keep them
quiet, added to the excitement by their shouts.
Fire engines and Ere fighting forces are
irving upon the grounds rapidly, sent from diff
ferent departments in the city. Some Of them
will be valueless, as there is insufficient num-
Der Of hydrants in the vicinity to furnish water
to them. The paint shop is now ablaze all
| over and il will also be totally destroyed.
Ali the meats and vegetables used by the
hundreds of restaurants in the grounds were
in cold storage in the burning building.
The loss from this source will be large, 10
| which will be added the inconvenience suffered
by the eating houses while they have 10 pro-
cure new supplies.
The cold storage house is $50 by ass feet
has a massive tower running together with
the height to an altitude Of 260 feet.
The place was Quilted with complete APP,
paratus for the manufacture Of ice cold stor-
age &C., and was on the grounds an
exhibit An artificial ice rink in the top
story had just been completed and the
place was usually thronged with sightssers.
THREE HOTELS now ON FIRE.
2.55 p.m--t is now reported that
three hotels outside the grounds on Stony
Island avenue are on fire. The street ID
very narrow, and the fences have been
burned away il was an easy matter for the wind
to lodge sparks on the buildings. Two Of the
hotels are frame buildings, all being three sto-
ries high
The French commissioner on hearing Of the
fire sent detachment Of twenty five marines 10
assist the guards and regulars in preserving
| order.
Director General Davis was on the scens
early. but said not . word, watching the de-
struction Of the big building, however,
with much anxiety. The national commission.
which was in executive session, adjourned
hastily upon hearing of the catastrophe. and
the members went over to the scene Of the fire.
At 2I5 pm. the entire warehouse was In
flames. and it is reported that three women
and several clerks employed in the Office OF the
concern on the third floor were crushed BY the
falling cupola-
The building cost s25o, 900 and was stored
with meats, fruits and wines The whole Loss
will probably reach half 9 million
| ADMINISTRATIONS BUILDING IN DANGER
I.ater-The wind is blowing from the North
and is sweeping the flames from one
of the buildings TO the other. IL
the wind does not change to the south or west
the fire will probably be confined to
the cold storage, but il the wind should veer
around it would sweep directly into the admin
istration building after destroying the Penasyl-
sAnia rsiro~a building.