The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-26
MENLOSHTHEIRLIVES'
-
By the Burning Of the Armory at
Chicago,
BUILT FOR A FORTRESS,
The Doomed Men Insiae Tried Hard % Get Out Bat
tsrlng Rams railsd 10 Break Down he tssst
pcors,-A Public Calamity

CHicAao. April 20. The magnificent
new armory 81 the First REGIMENT, lllf
nois National guards, was destroyed by
fire Tuesday morning Two men are
known " have persisted Ia the ilameS,
and II is supposed that six others shared
their fate Two others were rescued
from immediate death Nv hcroism OF
the firemen. but not until they we're
badly injured The casualties ARE:
Dead Harry johnson. colarea iani-
tor. slept in building; Walter Williams,
colored janitor, slept in building.
Injured +. w Latina. electric light
lincman, burned about head and neclss
will recover. Christopher Virgins,
electric light linernan, burned about
back and shoulders; will recover.
The loss Of property Is placed at
about $aiS,0O0, which is very inade-
quately covered by insurance Thisin-
cludcs the loss 81 si50,nO0 on the build
ing, the scenery az the Trocadero con-
cert troupe, the arms and aceoutrc-
ments, the dress and service uniforms
and the handsome furnishings 81 the
various first regiment militia ,campa-
mics.
The fire started IN the kitchen % the
armory, located on the southwest cor
ner Of the second story How II started
isunlsnown, Init IL mnae rapid progress
and worked It's way around the gallery
20 the north before IL was discovered.
Then the FIRE breaking through the
windows was seen hy people on the
streets, and an alarm was turned I'M
1t was too late, for the fire had secured
"a firm hold, and when the engines
arrived the fircmen found NIL entrances
barred by the blank walls OF masonry
and the huge iron barred saliy-port on
Michigan avenue. The building was
constructed 70 withstand u siege. and
the event showed II was admiralty
adapted for the purpose.
Had the FIRE been III an ordinary
structure with as little food for flames,
1T would hayc been easily extin-
'guished. AS II was, there WAS little
chance 10 fight Ii The death of
those II the building was attended ly
particularly narrowing circumstances.
They reached the great door Ia SAFETY
while the fire was spreading within
AHttG otttt1cA 7bO utllltftF ftiltls tsssttti pc
WAS apparently certain They 1t.
tempted toupen the small Wicket gate
in the center II the door and then for
the first time their perilous situation
dawned upon them. The wicket was
4oclsed and four inches 81 solid oals,
bolted and barred with hinge steebl
locks, stood between them and escape
Gradually the fire spread behind them
The western galleries were all abIaze
and the flames were spreading rapidly
along the north side and approaching
the spot where the men were now fran
tically beating on the doors ana yainly
endeayoring To force them open.
The crowd outside heard their frantic
appeals for aid, and an effort was
made to batter in the doors. lint the
stout oak was too well braced. The
blows rained upon it had no effect, aud
while the crowd outside was engaged.
in the fruitless attempt tho cries 81
those entrappcd ceased and at the same
instant the north wall and the roof
seemed % separate, the bright fame
leaped to the sky, and with crash the
roof and top Of the wall fell III, while
In the increased draft the flames spread
with redoublcd fury and the building
was nothing but furnace.