St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-09

iron arches at the dizzy heights above.
The flames would, bOaconstrictor fash
ion, III and around the mammoth cleo
trio light coronaS suspended from the
roof. Below these fearful circles of
iron, likely to drop at any moment, no
man dared to go, even the hardest not
venturing within a hundred feet. Fran
tic horses, with heavily loaded trucks,
were plunging through the aisleS not
encumbered with wreckage or drenched
with the falling
CATARACTS OF WATER,
most of which fell far short of the top
most flames. The clouds of smoke and
vapor that every moment or two shut
out the view OF the fire in the roof
were colored in the most fantastic fash
ion, running from green and viOlet to
vivid scarlet. Just what caused the
extraordinary views none seemed to
know. GueSSeS were that the dye
stuffs and chemicals in the exhibits
drowned in water were the origin.
Opinions seemed to be general that the
loss by water would be even greater
than that by fire. The federal officials
put the maximum loss, if the fire does
not spread beyond the Liberal Arts
building, at 100000. On the other
hand, the estimates made by the people
connected with the local directory made
the highest figures only $4,000 in the
Liberal Arts building.
About 10:45 the great iron arch gave
way directly above the French wares,
and, falling heavily. buried them be-
meath the burning pie, and they were
abandoned. Back of the French wares
was the Japanese exhibit, and about it
clustered crowd of scared and frantic
japanese. This. like many other
exhibits, has not been released
from bond and the goods could not be
taken from the building. Under the di-
rections of some of the japanese officials
the wares were carted to the doors and
there they stood guarded by natives of
the Flowery Kingdom, who sorrowfullY
awaited the destruction that seemed in
eyitable. The
AMERICAN EXHIBITS
had long ago been removed, bat the
formaiities of the custom house had de-
tsined the goods of the foreigners.
Supt. Graham, of the manufacturers
building, said it would be weeks before
a schedule of the damages could be pre-
pared.
All through the great structure frantic
exhibitors rushed, seeking the safety of
their goods. "Our hands are tied, said
one. I'VE cannot remove our wares
from the building. We must stand idly
by and see them burn. We can do
nothing" The fire department fought
with energy and skill, but the
conditions were all against success.
A fierce wind came over the lake,
flinging fiery embers everywhere
and tanning the flames into
life every moment. Huge pillows of
flames rolled northward over the great
glass roof, being manfully combatted by
the men upon the roof, who were han
dicapped, however, by the lack of
water. An heroic effort was made to
get streams to the top of the giant
structure. for the only apparent saliva
tion of the structure lay in getting men
upon the encirclirg promenade and pour
ing streams into the furnace below. But
the water supply was fearfully in
adequate. The and again the streams
were cut off almost entirely. Scattered
throughout the fair grounds are
hydrants from which the supply was to
be drawn, but they were insufficient in
the hour of need. Finding that it was
impossible to reach the roof, the chief
ordered his engines into the building.
The great fire was not without Its
work of
DEATH AND INJURY.
For the second time within the history
of the exposition, the firemen risKed
life and limb to save the property of
others and saddened home as the result
The Dead-William Mackey, pipeman
Engine Company No 81, fell from a
ladder on peristye. Internally injured
and died at Mercy hospital.
lnjured-Capt. Frederick Getz, Truck
No. 16, fell from roof of Manufactures
building; left leg broken, chest badly
Injured, and internally hurt.
Eugene Durand, watchman in the
French section of the Manufactures
building, struck on the head by plank.
Badly cut and bruised.