The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-09
For a Time the Whole White
City Seemed in Danger Of
Destruction.
The Worlds Fair Grounds Repro.
duce the awful Scene Of
Pompsii Of Old.
Tho Fire Supposed TO Have Been
Started by a Couple of
Tramps.
Wierd Scenes Witnessed by Thousands
Who Quietly Gathered at the scene
OF the CoHnagration.

Cmc1Go. Jan. 8.-Ths Worlds fair
Pompsii came Tonight rushing volcano
of tams. n huge gothic architecture tumb-
ling into chaos, bewiide ed mobs of people,
ali were there under a great starry sky OF
Italian olearness. with Lake MichiRan'a
broad expanse a second Mediterranean.
Probably no more magnificent, yet tsrrify-
ing. spectacle has ever been witnessed this
side Of the Atlantic. Il was long after
dark tonight when belated people return
ing from work to their homes in the south
ern suburbs along the elevated road.
familiar 10 hundied Of thousands of
Worlds fair visitors. noticed constantly
enlasRinR column Of fire and smoke as
oending skyward in the east
'The Worlds fair is on freF' was the cry,
and few indeed Of the fascin ated watchers
from train windows aliehtod until the
famous terminal at the exposition grounds
was reached. Ths last hall mile OF ths
jouiney is directly east Of the fair. so that
all view Of the blazing pleasure houses Of
the World WHs shut off for time COM
pletely.
Directly past the scene of the friRhtful
fife at the cold storage warehouse. hundreds
of spectators hurried from she train into
the celebrated court OF honor. There sud
denly. the conhagration came in full view.
Whirlwinds Of blazing embers we're being
carried from the end of the court Of honor
farthest from the administration building
high over the roof OF the mammoth liberal
arts building, the largest structure on earth.
The great golden statue of the republic
could be seen lifting her liberty cap def
ently aloft through clouds Of smoke and
flames.
The ire had been burning less than an
hour when thnnderous crash Of falling
timber ond tremendous shout from the
crowd announced she collapse Of the peri
style. A moment later q terrific yell from
the crowd told that the liberal arts build
ing was on fire, and tie whole exposition
was threatened.
dramatic incident marked the dostruc-
tion Of the psristyle. One of the ladders
bearing up group OF fifemen fell with the
columns and one he oio fireman went down
TO deatb. while a number of others auf-
fered injuries more or less severe. The skv
was livid at this time with falling sparks,
which fell upon the roofs Of the ar. palace
women's building and various state struc-
lures. Every train and street car added
momentafily thousands 90 the throngs AMI
but for tho terrifying spectacle IL seemed
as II the greatest gala night of she fair was
on in ell its glory.
The hre started in the casino just eAst of
the agriculture building and south Of the
peristyle. The casino was quickly de-
voured and the flames suFged north on top
Of the peristyle and, dropping. made a sec
ond line of FIRE along the base of the col
umns he flames then sprang through
she music hall. which corresponds at the
north end of the eristyle 10 the casino at
the south.
While the Ere was burning there ons
OF the most singular and oinating aights
OF the night was witnessed. Along the top
OF abe peristyle were scores of heroic stat
ues. The spectacle for those people on the
moving Sidewalk east OF the peristyls was
that Of succession OF gigantic human be-
ings plunginR. one after smother, hesdlong
into tho waters OF the lake below.
The origin OF the ire is said to have been
revenge on the part Of q couple of tramps
Tie solitary guard In the music hall said
lust before the flames broke out he had
kicked two vaFabonds ont Of the building.
They left In the direction OF the casino and
soon after that the hrc broke out, aud ter
ror and confusion ensued.
Fears OF lootnR added 90 the horror OF
tho scene. Al 10 o'clock, with the possible
loss of about $40 0O0O. 900 by IRE in the mann
factufers building alone. the authorities
bsgan So realize that large element in the
crowd was composed Of idlors who. once
Q srted in lawlessness. would be diflioult 20
cont ol.
such preparations as cOuld be hurriedly
made were ret in motion to remove the
goods ana guard the other buildings. but
nll such efforts were mersst child's play.
The utt-T hOpoleesuess of such attempts on
such short notice Was made apparent al
once. Tho few officers on guard could do
no more than houe shat the flames would
be spec tily stayed.
Gn.rtatns At fhIa Alma uawtfw fnK ~
and 10 prevent wholesale robbery Of sxhib-
its. we're d;iFon back by the police and
lined up aRainst the elestricity building.
Here they could see the great blazing frag-
meats dropping upon exhibits below. crush
ing and burning the exquisite French sec
ton aud threatening 60 dest oy the Rus-
slnn aud British sections. ly thia time the
fire boats and engines succeeded in subdu-
ing the iiames Ia the ashes OF the peristvle
and on the lower southeast side OF the lib
ersl pTts building aud hopes we're enter
tanned that the nee was suhdned, but shortly
after n the flames got beyond eontroi upon
the top OF the promenade Of th0 liberal arts
building. and the main aisle of the building
became "A mass of flames.
ktmorselesslY the ire harlsd itself
through the intorslicos Of the big iron
arches q the dizzy heights above. Ihs
names wound. boa constructor lika. In anu
a Quad tue mammoth electric light coro-
mas, below frantic horses with heavily
loaded trucks were plunging through the
aisies NOS euoumbered with wreckRge or
dr. uched with falling oataracts Of water.
most of which fell far short of tho flames.
Opinions ssem general that the loss b.
Wab-r would b. even greater than by FIRE.
Fodefai officers put the loss. u the FIRE
should uct sprosd beyond the liberal arta
butldinl. "a SLooQ.u00. On the other hand,
estimatas hy people connected with the
local aifeetoFy, made the highest nRufes
Sl00o
Abant l0:45 the great iron arch gave way
directly above the French section aud fall
inR heavily buried tho French wares beneath
a burning pile. Around the japanese ex-
hibit adjoining clustered a crowd OF scared
aud antie japanese This. iise many ex-