Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-11

around the mammoth electric coronaS.
Below frantic horses with heavily load
ed trucks were ploughing through the
Isles not encountered with wreckage
or drenched with falling cataractS of
water, most of which fell far short
of the flames.
Opinions seemed general that the
loss by water would be even greater
than by fire. Officers put the loss, if
the fire does not spread beyond the
liberal arts building at S1,0oO,0o0.
The f.emen We're handicapped by
lack of water. An heroic effort WAS
nladc 70 ret streams To the top OF
tie giant structure. but the water sup
ply WAS fc;lrIully inadequate. Finding
II impossible TO reach the roof the
chief ordered the engines into The
binding. With changing gU.l@S and
cllmor OF hoofs steamer after steamer
ratified through the smoke until tie
center of the building was reached.
Streams OF water We're hurled up
wards but with little effect. From
above Il fiery hail Of embers poured
down upon the tireluen and heaps OF
blazing merchandise grew more nu-
nle,ous and foot by foot the engines
were forced back to either end OF The
building.
The name OF the fireman killed when
the periStyle collapsed WAS William
Mackey. of Engine company No 81.
Captain Frederick GoetZ. Of Truck com
pHny 1G. fell from the roof Of manu-
faCtuIcrS building and broke lee
and received Internal injuries Eugene
ton. was hit on the head by II piece
Of falling debris and injured.
About 1915 great iron arch gave
way directly about the French section
and falling heavily buried the French
wares beneath the burning pile.
Around the Japanese exhibit adjOin-
ing, clustered crowd of scared and
frantic Japanese. This, like many eX-
hibits, had not been released from bend
and the goods could not be taken from
the building, but they were carted to
the doors and there guarded by natives
of the fiowery kingdom. All Ameri-
can exhibits were long ago removed,
but the formalities of the custom house
detained the goods of foreigners.
Supt Graham, of the manufacturers
building. said the loss could hardly be
overestimated. Il have feared this
ever since the fair closed" he said,
and now it has come, worse than [
ever dreamed" All through the great
structure frantic exhibitors rushed
seeking the safety of their goods.
The fire department fought with
energy ana skill, but the conditions
Wee against them. A fierce wind
came over the lake flying the fiery
eG,berS in every direction and tanning
them into life every moment Huge
pillows of flames, which were manful-
ly combatted by the men on the roof,
rolled northward.
The climax of interest was reached
shortly after midnight when Il com
pany of fifty men could be seen edging
their way along the roof of manu-
facturorS' building A cry Of horror
went up rs Il huge section of the roof
fell with Il crash.
The 1ircmen did not waiver and at
l o'clock it looks as if their heroism is
not to be in vain. The fire is still burn
ing, but it is thought TO be under CON
troll and is not expected to spread
further.
At midnight President Higinhotham
telephoned to the general manager OF
the Associated Press that he had been
in the burning building over two hours;
that the roof had burned and fallen,
but fortunately few exhibits were in
range Of the falling embers.
Il should say" said he. the loss by
water will be much greater than by
fire. The total loss to exhibits will not
exceed 100000. OF course the loss is
serious enough. The fire is now fair
ly under central. All told the contents
Of the liberal arts building did not eX-
coed Il million dollars. AS to the ca
sino, peristyle and music hall, there is
no loss. We should not regret their
burning as it is the cheapest way to
remove them.