The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-15
WORLDS FAIR FIRE.
The Colonnado Dotweon Two OF
tho Circuit Buildings Burned.
MORE WORK OF INCGuDIRRIES.
Tho Agricultural Bnilding aud Nc.
ohanicnl rnIHcc Narrowly Escape
Destruction and Twenty Flrcmcn
Have CIoSC Cnll-SlXty Fcot of tho
Beautiful COlOnmndo Destroyed.

r. CHICAGO, Feb l4.--Fire broke out at
IL n. m. to-day in tho colonnade bo.
tween tho agricultural building and ma.
chinery hallin the Worlds Fair grounds.
lt.ained rapid hcndwAy aud the fro dc.
partmont available in the district was
inassod at tho point Of damage.
III Tho fro started near tho point ut
which tho tlrcmcn made fierce fight
against the flames last woek. When
first Scon flames wcro crawling up tho
4 pillars. Quickly thoy mounted higher
md the fire grow hotter aud more dan.
gerous. Tho first alarm was soon fol.
loved by d second call, but before tho
additional engines reached tho burning
structure iiS destruction and that OF the
large buildings adjoining OIL either side
was threatened.
~ Another call was sent out and all tho
available engines in WooAlnwn and
Hyde Park were soon hurryihg 10 tho
HCeno. DrlilGd snow in tho grounds
mado the work Of tho fireman slow, aud
/ before sufficient streams wero directed
toward tho burning structure It's tim.
& bers we're cracking in Il rapidly spread.
ing blaze.
The fire was first Heen about 100 yards
west Of tho part burned last week. 1t
was inside the colonnNdo and skirting
the south end OF the canal separating
the agricultural building and machinery
hall. The fire was wost OF tho central
line and nearer machinery hall. Start
ing ut point near y back Of the Egyp-
tian obelsk, it spread cast and west
through the colonnade, covering dis
lance OF eighty feet.
: The light wood work offered little ro-
sistancc TO tho flames and the pillars
and ornate ROOT decorations along the
colonnade were soon in ruins. Three
groups OF animals in statuary standing
on the roof were burned. The tircmen
were hnmpered not onl Y in reaching tho
Z colonnade by tho snow, but the drifts
4 delayed them in fighting tho blaze. 1t
= was difficult TO move the engines and
q lines OF hose werc clogged in tho snow.
4 Tho engines drew water supply from
\ the canal aud no difficulty in this sup
Z ply was encountered. Shortage oil coal,
however, was one disadvantage, as the
\ supply wagons made slow trips. Fire
4 men and fnir officials agree that the fire
was OF inccndiary origin. They regard
it as another attempt Of tho kind made
SO frequently recently.
81 Twenty iiremcn were under the main
j part OF the colonrade when Fire Mar.
4 Bhal O'MaIlcy, fearing that tho central
portion oil the structure would fall, or.
i dered them out. They had hardly drew
s. away from the place when the top OF
4 the colonnade was seen to rock for &
y moment, and the same instant it fell
" crashing to the ground. carrying with
y it tho magnificent quadriSal by Wayne,
I that adorned the central part OF the
I top Of the Colonnade. Manager L. K
Graham, Of the grounds and buildings,
directed that the smaller colonnade:
connecting the machinery hall and ag.
ricultural building BIO destroyed to kecr
the flames from reaching these build
Z ings. Tho fire damaged the assembly
hall in the east portion OF the structure
and threatened to reach the rooms on
the west side occupied by Artist Frank
Miilet as headquarters for his depart
ment during tho fair. The fire was
practically extinguished before Up. m
Sixty feet OF the colonnade was dc
stroycd, and tho assembly hall and
Prof. Millets studio were damaged, bu,
left standing.