The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1894-01-09
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AT
EXPOSITION GROUNDS.
The Casino, Peristylc and Manu-
facturers' Hall of the Worlds
Fair Buildings Burned.
THE LOSS ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN
A MILLION.
The Origin Of the Fire Traced " / Double o.
Tramps Description Of the Scenes,
A Fireman Killed.

Chicago. january s.--The Worlds Fair
Pompeii came tonight. A rushing VOL
cano of flames. huge Gothic architec-
ture tumbliug into chaos. bewildered
mobs OF people. all were there. under a
great starry sky OF Italian clearness. with
Lake Mlehigans broad expanse n second
Mediterranean. Probably no more mag
nifceut yet terrifying spectacle has ever
been Witnessed this side of the Atlantic.
II was long after dark when beiated peo-
pie returning from work to their. homes
In the southern suburbs along the ele-
waited road familiar to hundreds OF thou
sands OF Worlds Fair visltora noticed a
constantly charging column Of IRE and
smoke ascending slSyNv,ttls in the cast.
ahe WORLDS Fair Is on lire was the cry,
and few indeed OF the fascinated watchers
from the trala windows alighted untii the
famous terminal az the Exposition grounds
was reached The last half mule of the
journey Is east to the Fair SO TINT all view
OF the blu1ing pleasure houses oc the
Worlds Fair were shut OF for o. time.
Directly past the scene OF the frightfui
fire OF the cold storage warehouse. where
scores OF iiremen lost their lives during
the Fair, hundreds uc spectators hurried
from the trains into the celebrated Court
of Honor" 45a
There suddenly the CONFEDERATION came
into View, While the winds OF the hlazing
embers were being Carried from the end
OF the Court OF Honor furthercst from
the administration building. the great gold
en- statue OF the Republic could be seen
lifting her Liberty cap letiantly aloft
/ through the Souds OF smoke and namc.
/ The ire had been burning less than an
hour when ttunderous crash Of failing
/ timbers ANA tremendous shout from the
crowd announced the collapse Of the per-
| iAtyle, a moment later another terrific
tyel. from the crowd told that the liberal
arts building had caught Zee and that the
Whole Exposition was Threatened "
| A dramatic Incident marked the de-
struction OF the .perlstyle, one Of the lad
/ ders bearing n group ot frqiuen fell with
the columns ana one Of the heroic iiremen
went down to his DEATH while q number OF
others suffered injuries more OF less Sc
we're. The sky WAS brilliant at this time
With failing SPARKS riany Of which fell
away TO the north. showaripg the roofs OF
the art palace, the woman's building and
| the various, State structures With fire.
Every train ard street car added 10 the
thousands 10 witness the terrifying spec
tacle and Danger to life and property
The lire started In the casino Just east
of the agricultural building and south OF
the periatyie. The casino was quickly
ldevoured and the flames sufged north on
/ top of the peristyle aud dropping adopted
n seeond line along the base 81 the col-
umns. The flames then spread through
music hall, at the north of the pefistyie
to the casino al the south
| While the FIRE was burning there was one
OF the most singular and fascinating sights
lof the night. Along the top Of the perl
lstyle were scores of statues. The specta-
Gle presented was that OF succession
OF Gigantic human beings plungng, one
after another, headlong into the waters
" the lake below, The origin OF the IRE
! Is said TO have been upon the part OF a
couple OF tramps.
The solitary guard IN Music hall says
TINT Just before the fianles broke out he
| kicked two Migrants out OF music nail
and told them TO find quarters elsewhere
They left In the direction Of the casino
and coon after the FIRE broke out and soon
I everything ON the grounds was IA terror
and confusion. and fears OF iooting were
i added to the horrors OF the scene. Ahont
10 o'clock with q possible loss OF about
| $40. 600 by IRE In the manufactures
building alone, the authorities began 70
realize that q large element ih the eIVnu
| was composed OF oilers who, once start
ed In lawlessness, would be hard 70 con-
troll such preparations as could be hur-
riedly made were at once set In motion 70
remove the goods ana gnnrd the otner
bulldinRs but all Huch efforts were tutiie-
The utter hopelessness OF such attempts
on such short notice was made apparent
soon.
The few officers on guard could hardly
do more than shut their eyes and grit their
| teeth. hoping against hope that the flames
| would speedily be stayed. Tine spectators
4 at this time, partly to guard their lives
| and prevent the wholesale robbery OF tue
| exhibits, had been largely driven by the
police westward over the bridges from the
! lake and lined up in solid mass against
| the electricity building. Here they ccuiu
see the handouts Of roof and great binz7
ing fragments dropping down upon the ex-
| hiblts below. Through the glass roof OF
the buildings could be seen pieces falling
| like boulders IN an avalanche, CRUSHING
land burning the exquisite French section
| and threatening to destroy the HussiAn
and British sections.
| Boats and engines on the lake side had
Nv this time aubdued the flames IN the
nahes OF the perisiyle and In the lower
| colonade az the southwest side OF the lib
erai arts building, and hopes were raised
that the fire had been Albdued, but shortly
after li.i5 D. m. the Games got peyonu
| control away up on the top Of the pfoW-
epade OF tine liberal arts building ana me
main aisle OF the building was mass o.
names. the result from the blazing brands
which came from above. The IRE MAS
hurlinK itself through the interior Of the
big iron arches at The Dizzy heights an .'l,..
Below those fearful circles q non, llAgls
Continued on Page A.