The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-11
POSTSCRIPT
$50 O'clock.
For Late Evening News See
Second Page.
HAD NO FIRE NETS
So ChicagO'S Brave Firemen
Burned to Death.
SOME ONES BLUNDER
In Sending Men to That Roof With
out Hose or Ladders.
BURNED BEFORE THOUSANDS.
SOME ONES BLUNDER
BURNED BEFORE THOUSANDS.


Ciremen Penned In Over . Fire which
Burns with Volcanic Fury Many Feet
From the Ground-Ladders Not Long
Enough to Reach Them. aud . Rope
Burns While Men Are Sliding For Life.
Horror-stricken Multitude Watches tho
Awful Destruction of Human Life
CHICAGO, July 1.-THE fear that has ex-
listed for months In the minds OF nearly
every citizen in Chicago-a fear that none
dare utter to bis fellows. but that all felt
found realization In frightful holocaust
at the Worlds fair.
The disaster was all the more dreadful
because of It's sudden transformation from
an innocent flame into a death dealing
catastrophe Like an animal monster, 1t
centered the victims to the topmost stage
of high pinnacle, and then, encircling the
whole shaft In sheet of flame, held
them In trap until, one by one, they fell
n sacrifice on the fiery altar that ragged be-
neneath them, while $4,000 people stood
helplessly by.
The structure that was burned was,
by comparison, one of the smallest
buildings OF the fair. It was the cold
storage warehouse and skating rink, and
was not the properly Of the exposition. 1t
was concession and exhibit of the
Hercules works and ice and refrigerating
machine manufacturers. In addition to
the skating rink there were three l20-ton
ice machines and 30 or 40 barrels of lin
seed oil. The Gil no doubt greatly
hastened the confagration, and that the
fire was not communicated to the Worlds
fair buildings was due to the favorable
winds.
The Scene Of Horror
was witnessed by many thousands of peo-
pie, and strong men and women tainted
as one life after another was lost within
full view Of the multitude, but beyond the
reach of human aid. The fire was not
generally observed until about lisp. M,
and within 80 minutes the great loss of
life occurred At the first signal the fire.
men rushed up the huge shaft surround
ing the snfokestack and when at the sum-
nit began preparations to fight the
flames, which had first appeared at this
point.
Before the hose could be coupled the
circled in flames
Instantly every man realized his danger
but there were few to find an avenue Of
escape. One man suddenly grssped rope
or hose and, sliding, reached the roof 30
feet below in bruised and burned condi-
tion, but still alive. Suddenly one Of the
fireman was seen preparing to jump, and
Every Eye Was Turned Upward.
He gave quick leap and turned over
and over half dozen times before he
struck the roof 90 feet below. When the
body struck the roof it bounded four feet
into the air. From this time the bodies
rained from the steeple, but in nearly
every instance breath and life had fed
when the victim was picked up on the
roof below. After the first leap one man
after another jumped in quick succession
rs the flames closed in below and the heat
became more intense
The very horror of death riveted every
eye to the scene, and the guards were
almost powerless to keep the crowd away
from danger. The spectacle Of death be-
came more terrible as minutes passed, and
for the last man on the cupola was re-
served the most dreadful fate of all After
all his companions had leaped to apparent
shaft began to tremble and vibrate. The
lone fireman gave a qui ok, wild leap He
was too late. The whole structure gave
way, and he was seen to drop into the
labyrinth of flame and finally disappear
Into the Roaring Furnace Below.
As fire trap the cold storage ware
house could DOT have been more perfectly
constructed. The structure was $50 feet
long by $50 feet wide. and was constructed
entirely of wood. covered over with staff
The main body Of the building was five
stories high. In the center OF this was
the smokestack i'm the shape of q cupola,
90 the top Of which was almost 200 feet.
The base Of this cupola was about 30 feet
square. About 80 feet from the base of
this cupola there was a balcony, culminat-
ing In the mouth of the smokestack, where
the fire was discovered. The interior of
this tower and around the smokestack
were the bearhs and framework on which
the staff covering was laid.
II was at the top OF the cupola that the
fire was first discovered. IL is supposed
that the framework around the mouth OF
the chimney caught fire. Fire Marshal
Murphy sent In n call for the companies 10
turn out. With about 40 OF his men he
slimbed the STATIONARY 'sdders inside the