The Penn's Grove record., 1894-01-12
THE WORLDS FAIR ABLAzt,
CASINO, PERISTYLE AND MUSIC
HALL MELT BEFORE THE
FLAMES.
Manufacturers Hall Doomed
Millions of Dollars Worth Of Exhibits Like
ly to Be Destroyed--Uncle Sam May
Have to Pay the Costly Bill.

CHICAGO, M.-Fire broke out in b
second story of the Casino at the
Worlds Fair grounds, and quickly
wiped out that building, the Peristyle
and Music Hall. Then the great Manu-
features Building caught fire, and that
immense structure vas doomed. The
roof fell IN in large sections, probably
destroying millions of dollars worth of
property, not more than half the x
hibits having been removed.
The fire started in the handsome Ca
sino, which hanked the Peristyle on
the right side, looking down the Court
of Honor from the Administration
Building. The inf1ammable material
was almost instantly wrapped in the
merciless flames.
When the flames broke out the soil
tary engine left of the Columbian Fire
Department quickly responded. An
alarm brought 20 city engines and later
20 more arrived. The wind was blow
ing a gale from the southeast and the
water seemingly had no effect.
THE FIRE BUSHES on.
Having made a shapeless wreck of
the Casino, the fire sought an even
more beautiful victim and attacked the
Peristyle. Column by column the noble
creation of art wasted before the de-
stroying breath. The graceful browning
statues and splendid Quadriga group
fairly vanished in air as the fire moved
resistlessly up TO them.
by 7.45 o'clock the Peristyle was
entirely destroyed. The flames swept
fiercely at Music Hall, which fanked
the Peristyle opposite the Casino, of
which it was the twin. This building,
likewise, was excellent food for fire.
THREE FIREMEN FATALLY HURT.
A ladder was put up against Music
Hall, but, just as William Mackie and
several companions reached the top,
the flames broke through the roof.
The men were forced from the ladder,
and Mackie and two otherswere fatally
hurt by their fall.
Now appeared the real danger of the
conflagration. From Music Hall the
fire leaped to the opposite corner of the
Manufactures Building. Flying en-
bers also started fires on the lofty roof,
on both the east and the west sides,
and that giant among worlds struct-
ures was doomed.
The tiremen, who had been working
like beavers, but in vain, to avert this
calamity, now turned most of their at
tention to the interior of the Manufac-
lures Building. There was still a large
number of exhibits in the big building,
and their destruction would mean great
loss to the Exposition management.
The size of the building was too
much, however, for even the army of
fighters. By l o'clock one-third of the
roof had fallen in and the firemen said
they could not save the building from
utter destruction.
AN ENORMOUS LOS.
Twenty thousand cases of exhibits
are still in the building and by some
thesr value is estimated at $50, 000, 900.
PERHAPS UNCLE SAM MUST PAY.
The Hall is now a bonded warehouse,
and, although much could be saved,
the Customs officials dare not allow
anything to be moved, and so it is
burning instead. Under the circum-
stances the Government may be held
responsible for such loss. If this is
true it will bankrupt the United States
Treasury. 2