The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-07-21
A SETTLING FURNACE.
A Scene of Unprecedented Horror
at tho Worlds Fair.
Ovcs . score Of Lives Lost and Many Men
Injured by the burning of the Cold
storage Building within
the Grounds.


CulCA0o, July lo.-DcSeh ''s' ~'~
done such swift and CHASTITY work at
Ore in this city since the dark days OF
October, 1871, as that which turned
the Worlds fair grounds into scene OF |
mourning this afternoon The horror
of the spectacle will forever remain as a
hideous nightmare in the minds OF
many men and women who gazed upon |
it. 1t was intensified by the dizzy |
height from which the victims were |
seen to fall into a vast furnace OF blaz-
ing timber and other infiammable ma
terial. Deeds of heroism were done by
the firemen who persisted and those
who live to grieve over their lost COM
rades. The Columbian guards we're
not lacking in bravery and devotion TO
duty in the hour of danger and even in
the face Of death
There is mourning within the White
City tonight. for the blackened rem
nants Of humanity full of life but yes
terday are lying beneath the water
soaked wreck or stretched out in the
morgue outside the gates The loss OF
property will proba bly, amount to $685.
900. but no one except those who have
suffered financially is thinking OF the
money loss
The sun was shining its brightest
from a blue sky at 1880 o'clock this az
tcrnoon, and the plessure-seeking peo-
pie passed under the shadow OF the
cold storage warehouse. Suddenly
boy. VIM. sheppard, son OF the guide
book publisher. saw tongue OF flame
escaping from the cupoia. or observa-
tory, which is the topmost section OF
the warehouse. From the ground to
that first flame there were $50 feet OF
space. The boy gave the alarm. and
In a few minutes the heroes OF the fire
stations at the Casino and the Terminal
depot came dashing along with hose
cart, engine and hook and ladder,
many alas that never returned alive.
The altitude of the blazing tower
and its isolation from the roof made
the work of the firemen hazardous and
slow from the start. Before the men
got to work several painters. electric
light men and others employed in the
building assembled by the elevators to
the main roof and afterward climbed
nm the spiral staircase which was built
around the great death trap OF
smokcstack until they reached the bal
couv underneath the burning cupola
They found the fire had gone too fal
70 be smotlsered by the chemicals a
hand. They waited for the firemen t.
ioin them, thinking they could be Q
help.
Capt. Hardness of the guards or
dercd Sergt- Douglass to take eigh
men M to the blazing tower and ai'
the frcmen. The sergeant gave hi
superior officer one look. such one a
the officers Of the light brigade at Bala
klava may have given the commandin
general when he gave the order I
charge in the midst Of roaring Russia
cannon. But the sergeant went. an
eight guards followed to do their duty
BY strange chance all are alive t
night and mourn the loss OF brave con
rades.
Not SO with the fremen. They wer
out on the roof and hauled up the no:
with ropes to the first story Of II
tower on the south side Of the war
house. Others rushed up the spir
stairway to the landing next the bla
ing top and lowered ropes on thr'
sides 10 the men below to attach II
hose. Until this time the fire reser
blcd the flaming mouth Of sma
blast furnace. and Mt distance the
seemed to be no Danger. The expel
enccd eye OF Chief Murphy. in col
mapd OF the Worlds fair fire depal
ment, failed to suspect any danger
his men when he ordered them to
TO the tower below the blaze. But.
sent nearly all of them to a death, I
horror and agony of which no hum
tongue or zen can describe. Inc
few moments of realization that I
flames surrounded them above and
low followed by their last act in
must have been as an eternity OF n
TO every one.
A sixtccn-foot ladder was plae
from the first section Of the tow
70 the landing where the men we
but no one thought 81 placing a
ladder from the main roof to the toy
30 as to connect with the small one
tho main roof The men were at w
on the east and south sides. All
time the flames were burning thro'
tie larger section of the tower.
first intimation of danger came to
victims when the smoke appeared
der them. and as the wind blew it
their faces they retreated around
landing TO the north side Of the to
with the exception OF one man
painter. who slid down the hose, WI
had been brought up to the south
Of the tower. II may be that n
would have taken this apparently
means Of escape had it not been for
smoke which envcloped them.
seemed as IL the victims changed
ton because they feared the fla
would soon follow the smoke W
they saw.
Dsath quickly came to put an CT
IL all. The flames had been dcvou
Ave feet Of framework which
rounded the cast-iron shaft that pie
the tower below the men. Quick
fash, like band of molten gold, III
burst through the SQUARE. The
letters, Hercules Ice. Skating
and Cold Storage Warehouse" wei
the center Of the tower, and ar
Sa,... xha n ,v,ns circulatsl and r,