The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-12
WAS A FIRE TRAP.
The Burned Worlds Fair
Building Had Been Con-
demned as Unsafe.
Only Eleven Eiremen We're x iiled-The
Others We're Workncn and Column
bian Guards.

CHlCAGo. July II, The center of at
traction al the Worlds Fair tins morn
ing was the ruins of the cold storage
building. burned yesterday. with its fear
ful results and loss Of lives. Ten thous-
and people gathered around the debris
this morning watching the search which
still goes on for the bodies Of the vic
rims. Early this morning three more
bodies We're recovered from the ruins, SO
badly charred as To make recognition i'm
possible From the fact that one of the
bodies had on IA leather belt. carrying a
pair Of pincers, it is believed that the
victim was an electri, linemah. This
discovery opens the question. how many
persons besides the firemen lost their
lives in the burned building. The total
dead bodies so far recovered number
fifteen. but search iu the ruins thus far
has been very slight owing to the heat
and confusion. and there is no doubt the
list sstill incomplete. The electric light
+ company had a number Of men IN the
lower part Of the building strngng wires
when the ire broke out. and several Of
these agr still missing -Four Columbian
guards are still unaccounted for. II has
been definitely ascortained that only
eleven tiremen lost the lives
An examination Of the remains Of the
structgret this morning reveals its iiimsy
character. and many blame the eonstluc
T.. = ~ t,.t
allowing il Ia 90 up in that form.
: tew weeks ago Marshal Murphy in,
spacted the burned building aud re-
ported i 10 I've extremely unsafe. Or
account of his report the insurance com
panies cancelled all risks upon il. s. the
loss rs complete.
II Is said the Council of hamiHlstra
tioa bad been warned iine and again %
the dangerous character Of the struc
ture incIudin. one warning by Iaesh0
Murphy. aud thai the Council. 10 Gu
down expenses. ordered the withdfa~a
81 the Columbian guards on duty thert
ii spite af protest from the com
mander. Bat for the favorable difec
tion ot the wIHd yesterday il Is believed
nothing could have prevented the iin
from sweeping right through the Whit
: City,
Tie Council ii administration ha
L been ii secret session ali the mnrniai
and from ghe tone ri voices heard iron
within it Is evident The session VIZ
stormy. Director Of Works burnhu
VAS before tie Council an hour. He dc
: cined To say anything that was aske
him. It is not doubted that the iii
; was under consideration.
i coronors jury Was impanele,
;, viewed the bodies and adjourned unit
d Thursday, 10 gise time for prelimil
!. AIRY investigation. The coroner sd,
he understands the first plans Of tn
burned building called for steel lath. bl
that other plans. subsequently adopte,
allowed of wooden lath. Of which IL
building was constructed. Great GROVE
is surrounded the morgue all day.
y Mayor Harrison is arranging to +
= ceiye subscriptions for the families
in the unfortunate tiremen. Worlds Fa
IL officials have also approved the sugge
tion that all pass holders next Thursda
u on entering the grounds, deposit Il
of amount of admission to the fair for Il
same purpose. On the assembling
the National Commission. President Pi
~ mer expressed the opinion that the
- were several buildings from which
Id would be impossible to take people
Us "a - ,ra..
= and suggested the inspection OF bull
is ings on which the public is in the hal
OF going. and a resolution to that etfe
= passed; also resolution OF respect
III the memories of the dead.