The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-07-11
THEIR FUNERAL PYRE
Forty Worlds Fair Htemen Surrounded
By SssthinS Plimx.
BRAVE ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE
Marshal Murphy Risks HIs Life to
Save = Comrads-LonR List OF
Dead and wounded-Ths
White City Threatened.

White City Threatened.
CHICAGO. July 10. The fear that has OK.
listed for months In tho minds OF the c!ti.
Gems OF Chicago, found its realization To.
day Ia frightfui holocaust at the worlds
fair. that claimed nearly two score vic.
tins and for time threatened the dc.
struction Of the entiro White City. The
disaster Was all the moro dreadful. bo.
cause OF its sudden Transformation from
an innocent hamo into isati,-lcaling
catastrophe. The structure that burned
was the cold storage warehouse, one OF
tho smallest buildings Of the fair. but not
belonging to the exposition. II was tho
exhibit Of the Hercules Iron Works and
OF Ice and rcfrigeratins machine manu-
factures. The building contained q
skating rink. three i30-ton ice machines.
some 10 barrels Of linsced oil. which ad-
ded fuel to tho flames, and in il there wero
stored large quantities OF meat. fruit, etc.
That the fro was not communicated TO
the other worlds fair buildings was due
to favorable winds. Tho scene Of horror
Was witnessed by many thousands Of poo.
pls who iiocked to tho locality when the
alarm sounded, and strong men wcpt and
women faintod as one life after another
Was snuffed out within full view of tho
multitude. but beyond the reach of hu.
man aid.
The fire was not generally observed un-
ill about :l5 O'Clock p. m., and within 20
minutes the great loss OF life occurred. At
the first signal. the firemen rushed up the
huge shaft surrounding the smoke stack,
and when at the summit, began prepara-
tions to tight the flames, which first ap-
peared ut this point. Before the hose
could be coupled. a cry Of horror from the
crowd below caused the firemen to look
down, for tho whole shaft below was en-.
circled with flames. Tho men stood stol-
idly for moment in full realization OF
their danger. Then one grasped the rope
which had been lowered for tho purpose
OF raising tho hose and. half sliding. half
falling, reached the roof, 90 feet below. In
q bruised and burned condition, but still
alive. The crowd below became wild
with excitement, and weeping women and
frenzied men rushed around wrinRinR
their hands and moaning In anguish over
their inability to tender aid.
LEAP TO DEATH.
Suddenly every eye was turned upward
ny the preparations of . fireman TO jump.
He gave . quick spasmodic leap aud
turned over and over half doscn times
l,efore he struck the roof, 90 feet below.
When his body struck the roof, there was
friehtful crash and Il bounced far up
again into the air. From this time on.
bodies raincd from the stceple. as after
the first wild 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 while men and
women shouted hystericaliy. the guards
were almost powerless to keep the crowd
away from danger.
THE BUILDING.
As flre trap. the cold storage ware.
house could not have been moro perfectly
constructed. II Was $50 feet long, $50 feet
wide and made Of wood covered with
staff. The main body OF the building was
five stories high. In the center rose a
smoke stark in tho shape Of o cupola,
| 200 feet high. Its base was about 30 feet
square and 10 feet up there was balcony
| from which rose tower eliminating In
| the mouth of the smoke stack, where the
| fire was frat discovered. The interior oi
the tower was OF wooden beams aud
frame work. on which the stan was laid.
1t is supposed that the frame work
around the chimney caught hro from a
defect In the hue. Al first, 1t appeared
mn Insignificant affair. hut knowing tho
inflammable nature OF the structure, Fire
Marshal Murphy called all the
companies out. With about 10 OF
his men Captain Fitzpatrick climbed
the ladders inside tbs tower to the bal.
cony. and from there ropes were lowered
10 haul up the hose. Ono had been gotten
up, when tho wind caused the ilames Ia
break out in an alarming manner about
| 10 feet from the top OF the cupola.
CAUGHT IN A rEAp.
In tho meap,imo tho IRA had .,,a, Il.
| - H. ,..,S. 80 a.. .,.,,...,
| s,I ,rcon.cio,. tho src,ncn wsr. A.. ,d
in, an the shcII of a burning voIc.no I'll.
n. h.d -, e,,rrir. .c.rr.,,, an ,,,,,,