Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-01-09

CmCAGo, January S-The Worlds
! Fair Pompeii came tonight. A rush
ing volcano OF flame, huge gothic
architecture tumbiing into chaos-be-
wildered mobs Of peoplo-all were there.
under great starry sky OF Italian
ciearness, with Lako MchIGau's broad
expause a second Mediterranean.
Probably no more magnificent, yet
terrifying spectacle has ever been
Witnessed on this side OF the Atlantic.
Il was long after dark tonight when be-
lated people returning from work to
their homes Ia tho southern suburbs
along the elevated road, familiar to
hundreds OF thousands Of Worlds Fair
visitors, noticed constantly enlarging
column OF fire and smoke ascending
skyward in the east
The Worlds Falr is on fire." was
the cry, and a few indeed OF the fasclnat-
ed watchers from the train windows
alighted until the famous terminal at the
Exposition Grounds was reached. The
last half mile Of the journey is directly
east to the Fair, so that all view OF the
blazing pleasure houses was shut of for
time completely.
Directly past the scene OF the fright
| iul fire OF the Cold Storage warehouse,
hundreds of spectators hurried from the
! trains into the celebrated Court OF
/ Honor.
There, suddenly the confagration
came into fun view.
wHIRLwINDs or BLAZING FMBERs
were being carried from the end OF tho
| court OF honor furthest from the Ad-
ministration building, high over the
mammoth roof OF the Liberal Arts
| building, tho largest structure on
| earth. The great golden statue OF the
/ Republic could be seen lifting her liDer-
/ ~ cap defiantly aloft through the clouds
| OF smoke and flame.
! The fire had been burning less than
an hour when thunderous crash Of
! falling timber aud a tremendous shout
/ from the crowd announced the collapse
| OF the Peristyle. A moment later an
other terrific yell from tho crowd told
that the Liberal Arts building had
| caught fire and that the wholo eKposi-
tiou was threatened.
A dramatic Incident marked the de-
struction OF the Peristyle. one Of the
/ ladders bearing up group OF fremen
| fell with the columns, and one Of tho
| heroic fire fighters went down 20 death,
( while number Of others suffered in
7 juries.
/ The FIRE started in tho Casino. Just
/ east Of the Agricultural building and
south OF the Peristyle. The Casino
was quickly devOurcd and the flames
surged north on the top Of the Peri
| style and, dropping, made a second
| line Of fire along the base OF the col
umus. The flames then sprang through
/ the Music hail which CORES ponds at
the north end OF the Peristyle 10 the
Casino at the south.
WHILE TIE FIRE WAS BURNING
! there was one of the most singular and
/ fascinating sights Of the night. Along
the top Of the Peristyle were scores OF
statues The spectacle for those peO.
ple fortunate enough 20 be on
,he moving sidewalk just east Of the
/ Peri-tyis. wa. that OF succession OF
gigantic human beings pluuVing, ono
after au0,- ,1hcadIOng into the waters
/ Of the lake below
The origin Of the Gre is said to DO
revenge on the part of couple Of
tramps. The solitary guard In the
/ NusIc bali says THAI Just before the
/ flames broke out he Kicxed two vaga-
bonds out Of the Music hall and
! told them 10 find qUaEers elsewhere
They left 100 the direction Of the Cusino
/ and soon after tho fire broke out and
soon everything 90 tue grounds was ter
| r1r aud confusion.
Fears of lOotinS added TO the horror
| Of The scene. Atab0ut lO o'clock, with
possible loss OF about a million
/ dollar, by fire boo the Manu-
/ actures building alone, the au-
tu0rlte- began 20 realize that
o. large element boo the crowd was com
posed OF oilers who once started IN Law
l.-.ucss. would be hard 20 control
Such preparations as could bs hurriedly
made were sat boo motion 90 remove goods
and guard other buildings, but all such
efforts were the merest Chtd's
play. The utter h0pclessness Of such
attempts ON such short notice was made
apparent 40 once. The few officers on
guard could hardly do more than
smut their eyes and grit their teeth,
hoping against hope that the flames
would spsdily De stayed.
rur rfHE BoArs AvD ENGINES
on the lake side had ~ this time SUBJ
dued the flames iu t1e ashes OF the
PerIstyIe and in tho lower colOnads OF
She southwest side OF the Liberal
Arts buildings and hopes we're
raised that The dre bad been
subducd. bus shortly after 1II5
o.. m. the flames got beyond control
away up ON the top promenade Of the
Liberia Arts building aad the main
aisle OF the buIdiu2 was mass OF
flames arising from the blazing brands
which came from above.
T1rce days ago The number % pack
ages awaiting shipment in each build
Ing vas. Manufacture, ll,g7f. Mid
way PIaisance. 1900, Fine Arts, 73O:
Womeus, $40. Horticulture, 1000:
Transportation. COO, Mining, 1880:
Electricity. 1867; Agriculture, 500.
and =. 500 scattered ln other buildings.
making total of %. 900 packages.
Less than 1900 packages had been