Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-07-11
TRAPPED IN THE TOWER
Eighteen Chicago Bremen Meei
 Most Fearful Fates.
FRIGHTFUL LEAPS DOWN TO DEATH

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 Cold Storage Warehouse Just Inside tn, Worlds Fair GrOunds-A Number of Co lumbian Guards Perished.
 CHICAGO, July 1.-The fear that has ex isted for months in the minds of nearly every citizen in Chicago was realized ii | the frightful holocaust at the Worlds fail that claimed nearly two score of victims | and for time threatened the destruction | of the entire White City.
 The disaster was all the more dreadful because of it's sudden transformation from an innocent flame into a death dealing catastrophe. Like an animate monster it enticed its victims to the topmost stage oi a high pinnacle and then encircling the | whole shaft in a sheet of flame held them in trap until one by one they fell a sacri flee on the fiery altar that ragged beneath them while 5000 people stood helplessly l about.
 The structure that burned was by com partson one of the smallest buildings oi the fair It was the cold storage warehouse and skating rink and was not the property Of the exposition. It was 8 concession and exhibit of the Hercules Iron Works and Ice and. nd.Hefrlgerating Machine manufacturers In addition to the skating rink there were three 120 ton ice machines and 30 or 40 bar rels of inseed oil. The oil no doubt great ly hastened the confagration, and that the fire was not communicated to the other Worlds fair buildings was due to the ia. vorable winds
 The scene of horror was witnessed by many thousands of people, and strong men wept and women tainted as one life after another was snuffed out within full view of the multitude, but beyond the reach of human aid.
 Within 80 minutes the great loss of life occurred. At the first signal the firemen rushed up the huge shaft surrounding the smokestack and when at the summit be gan preparations to fight the flames which had first appeared at this point. Before the hose could be coupled a cry of horror from the crowd below caused the firemen to look down, and the whole shaft below was found to be encircled in flames.
 Instantly every man realized his danger but there were few to find an avenue for escape. One man suddenly grasped rope or hose, and half sliding. halt falling, reached the roof. 90 feet below, in a bruised and burned condition, but still alive.
 Fearful and Fatal Leaps.
 Suddenly one of the firemen was seen preparing to jump, and every eye was turned upward. He gave a quick, spas
 
 dozen times before he struck the roof, 90 feet below. To the spectators he seemed a minute falling this distance, and when the body struck the roof with frightful crash and bounced four feet into the air a groan of horror went up from the crowd. From this time the bodies rained from the tower but in nearly every instance breath and life had fled when the victim was picked up on the roof below.
 Alter the first wild leap, one man after another jumped in quick succession as the flames closed in below and the heat be- came more intense. In nearly every in stance the victim turned over and over again before he touched the roof, and in nearly every instance the result of the leap for life was the same-death. For the last man on the cupola was reserved the most dreadful fate of all. After all his companions had leaped to apparent death, '1'tSas the last man was hesitating the whole shaft began to tremble and vibrate The lone fireman gave quick wild leap He was too late. At the very instant he sprang, the whole structure gave way, and this human being, quivering with life and wildly graspinG for support in the frenzy of despair, was seen to drop into the labyrinth of flame and fire and finally disappear en- tirely in the roaring furnace below.
 Perfect Firetrap.
 As firetrap the cold storage warehouse could not have been more perfectly con. structed. The structure was 25o feet long by l5O feet wide. and was constructed en- tirely of wood covered over with staff The main body of the building was five stories high. In the center of this rose the smoke stack in the shape of a cupola to 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 balcony, from which another square tower rose, eliminating in the mouth of the smokestack, where the fire was discov- cred. The interior of this tower and around the smokestack were the wooden beams and framework on which the staff cover ing was laid.
 It was at the top of this cupola that the fire was discovered. It is supposed that the framework around the mouth of the huge chimney caught from a defect in the aue. At first it appeared to be an insignif- cant affair, but knowing the inflammable nature of the structure, Fire Marshal Mur- phy, who had charge of the fire department on the grounds sent in a call for all the companies to turn out.
 With about 49 of his men Captain Fitz patrick climbed the stationary leaders in, side the tower to the balcony, and from shere ropes were lowered to haul up the hose. Only one hose, that of a chemical engine, had been hauled up when gust of wind caused the flames to break out When there remained from 25 to 30 men on the tower hopelessly beyond the reach of help Captain Fitzpatrick's tall form and white helmet appeared in front os the men, who were huddled together on tks narrow bal cony. He appeared to be addressing his brave followers. What he said will never be known.
 An oil Fed Fire.
 large quantity of linseed oil was stored on the top floor, and when the tower fell 1t crashed through the roof to this inflam mable fuel, and then the flames rolled up high in the air.
 As the firemen fled from the roof one of them picked up the usangled form of one of the unfortunRtes who had jumped from the balcony. and carrying it to the edge of the roof dropped it to the ground, thus saving it from cremation. As yet the body has not been identified, as the face was burned black. Many of the unfortunate firemen who lost their lives might have been saved had the deparfment been sup-