Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-07-14

today in a frightful holocaust at the
worlds fair that claimed nearly two
score victims and for time threatened
the destruction Of the entire White
city.
The disaster was all the more dread
full because of it's sudden transformation
from an innocent fame into a death
dealing catastrophe.
The structure that burned was the
cold storage warehouse, one of the
smallest buildings at the fair; but not
belonging to the exposition. 1t was the
exhibit of the Hercules Iron Works and
Ice and Refigerating Machine manu-
facturers.
The building contained skating rink,
three 12O-ton ice machines, some forty
barrels Of linSeed oil, which added fuel
to the flames, and in it there was
stored a quantity Of meat, fruit, etc.
That the fire was not communicated
TO the other worlds fair buildings was
due to favorable winds
scene Of horror was witnessed by
many thousands Of people who had
flOcked to the locality when the alarms
were sounded and strong men wept
AMI women tainted as one life after
another was Snuffed out within full
view Of the multitude, but beyond the
reach Of human aid. The fire was not
generally observed until about / 10 D..
IN, and whiting thirty minutes a 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 preparations to fight the flames
II first appeared at this point.
Before the hose could be coupled a
cry Of horror from the crowd below
caused the fremen to look down. The
whole shaft below was encircled with
flames. The men stood Stoldly for a
moment IN full realization of their
danger, then one graSped a rope which
was lowered for the purpose Of raising
the hose, and, half slinding and half
falling reached the roof ninety feet be-
low in Il bruised and burned condition,
hut still alive.
The crowd below became wild with
excitement, and weeping women and
frenzied men rushed round, wringing
their haondS and moaning in anguish
over their inability to help.
Suddenly every eye was turned up
ward by the preparations of fireman
to jump. He gave Il quick, SIaSlnodic
leap and turned over AMI over half q
dozen times before he struck the roof
ninety feet below When the body
struck the roof ;hvrr was Il frigntful
crash and it bounded up again far into
the air. From this u.s.c GA bodies
rained from the stCeple, rs after the
first wild leap one man after another
jumped in quick succession as the
flames closed in below and the heat
became more intense.
The very horror of death turned every
eye to the scene and while men and
women shouted Historically the guards
were almost IowerleSs to keep the
crowd away from danger.
AS fire trap the cold storage ware
house could not have been more per
fectly constructed. 1t was situated
south OF the transportation building
annex close TO the Stony Island boun-
street entrance. 1t covers Il ground
space of 40 by 30 feet, and its eN-
terror was severely plain, having less
ornamentation than any of the other
exposition buildings.
The warehouse was fitted out with 4
complete apparatus for the manufac
ture of ice and for cold storage. II
contained restaurants and cafes and the
roof was arranged for a promenade
while the big tower which cost the life
of the firemen was used for an OBJ
servatoly.
The building had been on tire on two
previous occasions and each time the
flames were discovered in the tower
Chief Swenie had made thorough eN
animation OF the structure and had de
cided that it was not properly built. The
chimney did not reach high enough and
he had ordered that changes be made
in it.
It is supposed that the frame work
around the mouth of the chimney
caught from Il defect in the f1ue. A
first it appeared an insignificant affair
but knowing the intlammable nature
of the structure Fire Marshal Murph.
called al the companies out. Witt
about forty of his men Capt. Fitzpat
rick climbed ladders inside the towe
to the balcony and from there rope
were lowered to haul up the hose. ON
had been gotten up when the wine
caused the flames to break out in n
alarming manner about ten feet iron
the top of the cupola. In the meantim
the fire had eaten way down inside tn
structure and all the unconscious tlre
men were standing on the shell of
burning volcano
The fire had been burning scarcel
twenty minutes when suddenly tn
flames burst out around the base Q
the balcony in perfect fury.
So terrible was the spectacle that 70
with horror All We're alike powerles
to aid the unfortunate men imprisone
on the balcony d5O feet from th
ground All the ropes hanging froI
the tower were burned away.
One hose withstood the heat, howee
and John Davis caught hold of it an
slid down to the main roof where h
tainted
His face and haJ.ds We're terribl
burned by the flares which envelope
him as he came down. He was take
to a hospital and physicians say /
will recover.
Two of Lis fellow firemen attempte
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