The evening world., 1894-01-09
THE BIC WORLDS FAIR BLAZE.
Damage Caused Probably Will
Not Exceed 100000
Monrnful Scenes To- Day Where the
White City Lately Flourishcd.

CHICAGO, Jan. N-I.Hst nights fire In
the Worlds Far grounds has produced
greater changes in the appearance Of
Chi'arD's 1mOu7 pleasure park than 1t
was 'Np-C.c cd wOul1 he made by a months
building wreck. To the gloomy sight OF
vacant buildings AMI almost deserted
d~rinv"ways. sincc tn" gates were closed.
is now added TIL" spectacle Of smoking
and blackoncd heaps or debris.
tn" Casino, where Thousands spent de-.
Lgh'ful hours Watching gay scenes upon
and about the grand basin. was wholly
DESTROYED.
OF tho p"r.styl,mX, once illrm.ncl with
thousand of Inclnlc>cent lights and
Greek tire, anl Diminishing endless en-
joNm"nt. nothing r"mlins. It's arches
were burned away. and ia stately col
nmns half burned and charrcd lie in CON
tu,,ei masses upo nthr brick promenade
which surrounded II. The colossal fig
ures which surmountcd it toppled to the
ground when their supports turned away.
AMI are hrOkn" in pi""as. columbus and
his herllds. with their war horses and
chariot ar" ulr.CogniHIble among the
mass Of ruins.
Music Hall likewise is a melancholy
heap Of ASH, Save here and there whsr.
u twisted iron girder prptrules. not a
portion Of IL was saved from the flames.
All tine walks are streWn with debris,
rharr"d brands which the wind blew from
tn burning buildings, ana little piles Of
white ashes wher" some OF the brands
wrr" consumed after falling.
Manufacturers building. both within
and Without prccents II mOnrnful igh
The lattic"-wUrk between tn" top roof
and the curved one, covtr ring the cen
trnl aisle on the east side, was burned
away from u puinl above I'll" southern
end of the United States section. south,
o.. .,,., =, lu,Ns.. tI. HtlgGi.t, .A.IiAN
Upon the tin and glass arrh"h roof lie
half burned boards. which formed II part
of In. lattice and which. when lousenri
10y the lire. slid downward.
lnsid. III" building. within the region
burned over and Tor some distance ON
either side, the floor is covered with
water. Standing In the water. which IN
some places Is two Inches in depth. are
~innumrrublr boxes containing precious
wares. bul.d and bound for r~c-shipment
~ soon ~ they could l." released from
bond. Upon and about them lay the now
destroyed decorations of the paviliuns.
Tn" French. Belgium and English sec
tions suffered most.
When the lntticc-wOrk in the roof be
gan to burn and the embrasure was seen
to fan upon the light decorations be-
meath, lines of hose were conveyed into
the building and an attempt made to
c%Ntinguish each falling mass of fir. be-
fore amy blaze began below. In spite OF
all that could be done. however. the
trIumphal archway before the French
section caught fire, ana In an instant
was ahlaZr until the framework fell
into Columbia avenue
The 'lamagt VIII probably not exceed
81. 900. CDl. but to ascertain even approx
mately the loss sustained by exhibitors
many boxes must he opened and their
contents repaCked.
II was 22o O'Clock this morning when
tn. fire. though still unrXtinguished from
II iayman's point Of view. was formally
struck out" according to Fire Depart
! ment usage. The alarm from tn" Manu-
facturrrs' building was sent In at 81
o'clock the preceding evening. making
the record Of the fire four minut" more
thar siN hours.