The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-08

Big Blaze ut the Chicago West Side
Ball Park.


CHICAGO, Aug. 5.-The discovery of
fire in the grand stand at the West Side
ball park this afternoon caused a wild
panic among the spectators. in which
several met with serious injury, and a
large number OF others We're slightly
cut and bruised in endeavoring to make
their exit. Those most seriously injured
are:
F. w. Bartlee. forty-eight years of age.
leg fractured.
Ed Ahrne, Of the Fire insurance patrol
severely burned about the hands and
face.
Following are those treated at the
county hospital whose injuries consisted
of lacerated hands aud fingers from seal
ing the barb wire.
George l.. kemper.
Dewitt Smith.
J. Il. Martin.
NJ l.. Lawrence.
Simon Armstrong
Henry Parker.
NJ. Rawley.
The Chicago and Cincinnati base ball
clubs We're battling with each other
and crowd of not less than 10000
crowded into the grounds at Polk and
Lincoln-sts. 90 witness the game. Every
available seat In the grand stand and
bleacher WAS occupied, and a large crowd
of men and boys cOntented themselves
at not finding seats in taking up their
positions on the ball field. The game
had advanced TO the seventh inning with
the Chicagos leading the Red Stockings
by seven runs, when suddenly a cry Of
fire was heard from the bleachers and
a thin veil Of smoke was seen creeping
through the seats from below. The cry
Of fire was taken up on all sides and i'm
a very short time terrible panic en-
sued
The four exits leading from the
grounds We're Jammed with anxious men
and boys and also a sprinkling of
women. The exits were not large
enough to permit the terrified throng to
90 through, and hundreds of men sought
places Of safety by jumping over the
barbed Wire fence and into the bali
ground. The four rows Of barbed wire
which encircle the stands proved very
disastrous 10 the people who attempted
to make their way through them to the
grounds. 4 jam Of men and boys
crowded To the barbed wire fence but
they were not able TO get through.
owing TO the eloseness of the wires.
The first TO the fence scaled il success
fully, but those that followed, i'm their
anxiety 10 get to safe quarters. tried 10
crawl through. and in nearly every in
stance became wedged between the
wires. Clothing was torn i'm shreds and
hands and legs We're lacerated by the
sharp barbs.
When the fire department arrived the
entire fifty-cent stand on Lincoln-st. and
also a portion Of the grand stand were
a mass of flames The fire spread with
lightning-like rapidity and the small
force of fremeu which responded 10 the
first alarm were unable 10 cope with the
raging flames Fire Marshal SWeeuie.
seeing that the entire buildings i'm the
ball park were threatened. sent in a Pill
alarm and with the reinforcement of
engines. the fire was kept from spreading
TO the grand stand proper.
The heat from flames was in
tense that the hremen were unable TO
get within twenty yards of it, The
sidewalks on notn SIDES OF Lincoln-st.
and also the cedar paving blocks in the
street were burned
Edward Ahren, fireman connected
with the Insurance patrol No 6. en-
deavored 10 reach the ball ground by
going through that portion of the stand
which was in flames. He only went a
short distance when his clothing caught
fire. He was compelled 10 retreat into
Lincoln-st.. where comrades extinguished
the fire IN his clothes. He was badly
burned about the head and hands
During the stampede W. Bartlett. who
became wedged in the barbed-wire fence.
severely cut his hands and legs and sew
eral others who followed fell on top of
him. smothering him into unconscious
ness. He was rescued from his perilous
situation by police officers. lie was re-
moved 10 the county hospital. where il
was found that his left leg was broken
below the knee. He was also badly
bruised about the body and limbs.
The close proximity OF the county and
presbyterian hospitals stood the injured
I'm good stead. For an hour after the
first alarm the physicians OF both hos
pitfalls were kept busy attending 10 the
injured. Twenty or more were sent 10
the county hospital
None Of the men save Ahren and Bart
lett were kept at the hospital the others
being turned away as fast as their in
juries Were attended to-
After an hours hard work the blaze
was gotten under control The damage
was about $4,000. covered by insurance.
The cause of the fire is thought TO be
due 10 a lighted cigarette being thrown
among the shavings and other combusti-
BILE material under the stands.