The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-11
INCIDENTS OF TIE FIRE.


Those who Jumped Were Held Fast by the
Sticky Material Covering the Roof.
Special To the Indianspolis JournAl.
CHICAGO, July l0.-At the little white
fire station between Machinery Hall and
the Terminal Station the remnants of Com
pany ID gathered TO rest themselves
after their terrible days work. The COM
pany, st half past l o'clock. numbered
twelve; tonight just one-half that number
were present. Capt. Thomas b. Barry was
reported as being IN the Emergency Hospi-
tai. suffering from serious internal injuries.
His brave followers. "PhiP' Breem.
Paul Schroeder and VIM. Denning. were
dead. John Cahill was thought TO be under
the pile of blnckened debris which ocou-
pied the space upon which but a few hour
ago the handsome cold storage building
was standing. John Mcbride, the driver
OF the truck, was in the hospital. but MS
comrades could not speak of him. for his
injuries were reported to be fatal. The
brave fireman had made the jump with his
fellows and, while not gong TO instant
death. was slowly being tortured ont OF ex-
i~stence. Both the poor fellows legs and
one arm were broken In several places. and
he was badly burned about the head.
II ulou uuu ul6Ob tUc tt1ElDlo
leap as che only possible chance of
saving their lives and landed on the tar
and gravel roof, only TO be SO solidly en-
bedded In the sticky, yielding composition
that they could not have extricated them
selves had they been granted the siren 9Th
TO do so. Thus imprisoned on the roof they
held firmly until the huge tower crashed
upon them and sent them down in the fiery
furnace underneath. Tn survivors of the
company who were lucky enough to es-
CRna with COafa lu1rppd nff thar taPKa vera
too confused by the horrible ORDEAL to give
any further details of the accident.
Alr. Moore. of Omaha. Neb.. roomed in
the ill-fated building. A gentleman who
that he saw Mr.. Moore just before the fire
broke out. This was the last seen of him.
His wife WAS there also. and just AZ tho
caller left the lady started upstairs. A
woman was seen on the roof sfter the fire
had gained great Roadway. INT she was
injured by falling while attempting to 60
down a ladder. Mrs. Moore was taken out
of the grounds. but nothing has been heard
OF her husband. and he Is still among the
missing and is thought to be dead.
While the bulk of the fre-tighting force
was engaged in their hazardous work In
the doomed building q scene of great
bravery was enacted on o little shed be-
tween the barn and the color department
In the rear OF the cold storage building. di.
rectIy In the path of the not ait and dense
smoke that was swept south ward by the
wind. Capt. William }. Sandorson, OF the
Columbian Guard, assisted by ten of his
company. engine company No. 80 from the
stockyards. and several willing visitors had
placed three leads of hose upon the shed,
and in the midst of a storm of fire and
smoke. stood their ground fighting like
demons TO keep the fire from the paint shop
of the lntiammable paint building. Had
the fire reached the paint shop iG would
have quickly spread TO the storehouse OF
the Wellington Catering Company and
from there there would have been no bslk-
ing the progress of the destructive element
until 1t had burned it's way through the
train sheds and dairy barns to the south
edge of the park. The men stood their
ground for an hour and after seeing their
| object achieved retired with bllstered faces
| by thousands of people.
The guards arrested many persons in
various parts of the grounds who were
taking up subscriptions supposedly for the
benefit of the bereaved families.
The FLOODED fend was upon tbs
scene In the form OF the man who pushed
the button of q kodak. While the doomed
men were buddled together on the
just previous to taking their terri
bic leap for life. the man with
camera appeared on 1.-THE platform of the
elevated road. He rested his box upon the
railing and after a deliberate aim, photo
graphed the men. many OF whom were
hanging from the corner. He took three or
fOu snapshots as the men were dropping
and then walked away 20 a more
advantageous place. The act was wit
messed by many people. who Kissed the
perpetratOr OF the cOld-blOoded act and
loudly denounced his penuriOus instincts.
Al soon as the bodies were discovered
Coroner Nc carefully gathered up the
charred aud Dlackened pieces, and placinQ
the remains of each separate VICTIM in o
gunny sack. sent them TO RolstoD's mcrgue.
In an interview tonight Chief Sweenie
said that the probable cause of the OK
plosiOns which wrecked the tower was tho
ammonia used In the manufacture OF ice,
and that while those VINO handle this
maintain other wise. he was GER
tain that the ammonia exploded. The
chimney, he said. which passed mp through
the tower was not bricked up. and TO that
defect was due the beginning of the blaze.
Director-General Davis, Colonel Rice and
Director of Works Burnhsm were early on
the scene. They were too much overcome
to say much on the spot. The Director
general stood with blanched face like
Napoleon at Waterloo when all was lost
but honor. The horror of the specta Gle
forced him TO turn away. He sal
more 20 do with the Hercules Iron
Company. its exhibit and concession
to supply ice and store p%erishable goods
than it had with any other exhibit or CON-
cession. He understood that every one
affected by the loss of the
individual arrangements to have
their Immediate wants supplied.
A cold storage on the grounds was neces-
sary, Colonel Davis said, and he minated
that the concession To the Hercules Iron
Company wonld DO taken from them.
Colonel Rice said little. but that little
went n long way. "This is the result ofthe
reduction in the forco OF the guards. If
the guards who were taken from the ware
house last week had beenithere. they could
have eXtiDguished the fire with the chem
ical at hand. as they have done before at
the Same place."
A relief fund was the subject of dis
cussion in the rooms of the council of
administration as soon rs the full
extent of the calamity was
known. Commissioners Massey said:
"OI course. the authorities VIII do every
thing 10 relieve the sufferlnqs that must
necessarily follow such an unusual ca
lamIty. and Will do IL Immediately they
nave any facts as a basis of action
While Mr.. Massey was talking Byron l..
Smith. president of the Northern Trus,
Company. came into see what was beina
sufferers and their families. lie
was told q general relief move
ment had been started and immedi.
ately subscribed $1,000. President Hlein-
bosham put down $500 for Marshall Field
~ Co.. and Mr.. Massey handed in his check
minutes the funds bad reaohed
5000. The Philadelphia Cafe sent over
500. Secord ~ Hopkins. who hold the
concession for candy. contributed 500. and
$50 was poured In by people who had wit-
messed the awful scene.
Mayor Harrison was almost overcome
I A. 49,