The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-09
Big BUILDINGS ABLAzE.
Disastrous Confagration on the
Worlds Fair Grounds.
VALUABLE EXHIBITS DESTROYED.

VALUABLE EXHIBITS DESTROYED.
The Loss Estimated Mt Million Dollars.
The Casino. Peristyie. Manufactures and
liberal Arts Buildings Destroyed-One
Fireman Killed and Others Injured.
CHICAGO, Jan. 9.-The Worlds fair Pom
peii came last night. Probably NO more
magnificent, yet terrifying. spectacle has
ever been Witnessed this side OF tho At
lantio 1t was long after dark last night
when belated people returning from work
to their homes In the southern suburbs
along the elevated road noticed constantly
enlarging columns OF fire and smoke as
cending skyward in the east. Hundreds
Of spectators hurried from the trains into
the celebrated court of honor. There,
suddenly, the confagration came into full
view.
Whirlwinds of blazing embers were be-
ing carried from the end of the court of
honor furthest from the Administration
building high over the mammoth roof of
the Liberal Arts building, the largest
structure on earth. The fire had been
burning less than an hour when thun-
derous crash of falling timber and a
tremendous shout from the crowd an
nounced the collapse Of the Peristyle. A
moment later another terrific yell from
the crowd told that the Liberal Arts
building had caught fire and that the
whole exposition was threatened.
A dramatic incident marked the des-
truction Of the Peristyle. One Of the lad
ders upon which was group of flremen,
fell with the columns, and one of the
heroic fire fighters went down to death
xuhila n ,l,ar. or bor ottfF INT, III
more or less severe.
The fire started in the Casino, Just east
of the Agricultural building and south of
the Peristyle, The Casino was quickly de-
stroyed, and the flames surged north on
top of the Perlstyle, and dropping, made
second line Of fire along the base Of the
columns. The flames then sprang through
the Music hall
While the fire was burning there was
one of tho most singular and fascinating
sights OF the night. Along the top Of the
Peristyle were scores of statutes. Tho
spectacle for those people fortunate
enough to be on the moving sidewalk
Just east of the Peristyle was OF success
ion of gigantic human beings plunging
one after another headlong into the lake
below.
The origin of the fire is said to be re-
venge on the part of q couple of tramps.
The solitary guard in the Music hall says
that just before the flames broke out he
kicked two vagabonds out of the Music
hall and told them to find quarters else
where. They left in the direction of the
Casino. Directly after the fire broke out,
and soon everything on the grounds was
in terror and confusion.
Fears OF looting added to the horror Of
the scene At 10 o'clock, with a possible
loss Of about 81 900, 600 by fire in the Man.
ufactures building alone, the authorities
began to realize a large element In the
crowd was composed Of idlers who would
be hard to control. Such preparations an
could be hurriedly made were PUT in mo-
tlon to remove goods and guard other
buildings but all such efforts were mere
child's play. The utter hopelessness of
such attempts on such short notice were
made apparent at once The few officers
on guard could hardly do more than shut
their eyes and grit their teeth, hoping
against hope that the flames would be
speedily stayed. The spectators were,
therefore, driven by the police westward
over the bridges from the lake, and lined
up In a solid mass against the Electricity
building
Here they could see great blazing frag-
ments dropping upon this exhibits below.
Through the glass roof and buildings
could be seen the fine pieces flaming like
boulders in an avalanche, crushing and
burning the exquisite French section
and threatening to destroy the Russian
and British sections.
The fire boats and engines on the lake
side had by this time subdued the flames
in the ashes Of the Peristyie and In the
lower collonade of the southeast side of
the Liberal Arts building and hopes were
raised that the fire had been subdued, but
shortly after 1l;15 the flames got beyond
control away up on the top promenade of
the Liberal Arts building, and the main
aisle Of the building was soon mass Of
flames.
The fair officials put the maximum loss
at 81. 100000 On the other hand, the esti-
mates made by the people connected with
the local directory made the highest
figures only t250,o00 in the Liberal Arts
building. At 10;45 great iron arch gave
way directly above the French wares, and
falling heavily buried them beneath the
burning pile and they were abandoned.
Back Of the French was the Japanese ex-
hibit, and about it clustered crowd of
scared and frantic Japanese. This, like
many exhibits, has not been released from
bond and the goods could not be taken
from the building.
Superintendent Graham, of the Manu-
facturers building, says it will be weeks
before schedule of the damages could
be prepared. ut can hardly be over esti-
mated" said Mr.. Graham. "It is an awful
sacrifice of wealth. have feared this
ever since the fair was closed. and now it
has come worse than / even dreamed"
The great fire was not without its work
ofd daatb nd inft E0 ba
within the history of the exposition fire.
men risked life and limb to save the prop
erty Of others, and saddened homes are
the result. The dead and injured are:
William Mackey, pipeman of Engine No,
6l, fell from ladder on Peristyle, inter
nally injured and died at Mercy hospital;
Captain Frederick Getz, of Truck No. 10,
leg broken and internally injured; Eu-
gene Dur and, watchman in the French
section of the Manufactures building,
badly cut and bruised.