The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-01-05
WORLDS FAIR FIRE
The Casino. Peristyle and Music Hall
Totally Destroyed by the
DevOuring Element.
The Liberal Arts Building Ruined
The Manufacturers Building
Badly Damaged.

CHICAGO, Jan. ct was long after
dark last night when belated people re-
turning from work to their homes in the
southern suburbs along the elevated
road, familiar to hundreds Of thousands
of worlds fair visitors, noticed a con-
stantly enlarging column of fire and
smoke ascending skyward in the east.
"The worlds fair is on fire." was the cry,
and few indeed Of the fascinated watch
ers from the train windows alighted
until the famous terminal at the EXPOSE
ton grounds was reached.
Whirlwinds of blazing embers were
being carried from the end of the court
of honor farthest from the administra-
ton 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 'defiantly
aloft through clouds of smoke and
flames. The fire had been burning less
than an hour when the thunderous
crash Of falling timber and a tremendous
shout from the crowd announced the
collapse Of the peristyl e. A moment
la.or a terrific yell from the crowd told
that the liberal arts building was on fire
and the whole exposition was threatened.
A dramatic incident marked the de-
struction Of the peristyle. One of the
ladders bearing up a group of iremen
fell with the columns and one heroic
fireman went down to his death, while a
number of others suffered injuries more
or less severe.
The fire started in the Casino just east
OF the agricultural building and south
Of the peristyle. The Casino was quick
ly devOured and the flames surged north
on top Of the peristyle and dropping,
made a second line of fire along the base
of the columns. The flames then sprang
through the music hall, which cor
responds at the north as the peristyle to
the Casino at the north.
The origin Of the fire is said to have
been revenge on the part Of a couple Of
tramps. The solitary guard in the
music hall said that just before the fire
broke out he kicked two vagabonds out
Of the building. They left in the
direction of the Casino and soon after
that the fire broke out, and the terror
and confusion ensued.
By this time the fire boats and en-
gines had succeeded in subduing the
flames in the ashes Of the peristyle and
on the lower southout side Of the liberal
arts building, and hopes were entertain
ed that the fire was subdued. But
shortly after II o'clock the flames got
beyond control upon the top of the
promenade of the liberal arts building,
and the main aisle of the building be-
came a mass of flames. Remorselessly
the fire hurled itself through the in
terstices of the big arches of the dizzy
heights above.
At 1O:45 the great iron arch gave
away directly above the French section,
and falling heavily buried the French
wares beneath the burning pile. Around
the Japanese exhibit adjoining clustered
a crowd of scared and frantic japanese.
This, like many other exhibits, had not
been released from bond and the goods
could not be taken from the building,
but were carted tie the doors and there
guarded by the natives. All the Ameri-
can exhibits were long ago removed, but
the formalities of the custom house de-
tanned the goods of foreigners.
At midnight President Higinbotham
telephoned the general manager of the
associated press saying that he had been
in the burning building more than two
hours; that the roof had burned and fall
len, but fortunately few exhibits were in
range of the fallen embers. 81 should
say" said he, "the loss by water would
be mucn greater than by fire. The total
loss to exhibits will not exceed 100000.
OF course the lose is serious enough, but
the fire is nov fairly under control and
there is n, more to fear. All told, the
contents Of the liberal arts building did
not exceed the value of sl.OOO,OOO. AS
to the Casino, peristyle and Music hall,
there is no loss. We should not regret
their burning, az it is the cheapest way
to remove them"
Three days ago the number of pack
ages awaiting shipment was: In the man.
ufacturer's building, 1874; midway,
plaissnce, 1900; fine arts, $50; woman's,
BIO; horticulture, 1000; transportation,