The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-17
FIRES RUIN.
Magnificent Half Million Dollar
Casino In Schenley Park
At Pittsburg, Totally Destroy
ed By Fire.
Detroit Medical Colleges Burns
Down This Morning.
PITTSBURG'S CASINO
The Finest Park Building In
the United States.
Great Crowds Witness the Fiery
Destruction.
PITTSBURG'S CASINO

Pittsburg, Pa, Dec. 1.-THE Casino
skating rink and summer theater, a
magnificent pleasure resort in Schenley
park, was entirely destroyed by fire this
morning.
The loss will approximate $500 900, on
which the insurance is slight. The fire
was caused by the explosion of an amO-
MIA cylinder in the ice skating plant.
Almost Immediately the entire building
seemed to be in a seething mass of
flames, and in less than three hours the
beautiful structure was in ashes. It
was 2.15 O'Clock when the explosion Oc-
Cured and the fire department respond
ed promptly, but cOnsidera bic time was
lost in getting effective streams of wa
ter on the building on account of the
deep hollow. which extends along the
side where the fire started.
The nOXiOus VapOrs which filled the
interior prevented the firemen from en-
tering the Casino and fighting the
flames from the inside, and it was not
Ions until the flames rea ched the whole
interior and soon burned from the roof
in many places. BY 4 o'clock the whole
structure was burned and formed a
grand site in the night. Although it was
such an unusual hour, hundreds of peO-
pie soon assembled in the vicinity and
gazed on the spectacle
Shortly before 3 o'clock the Schenley
park bridge caught fire and burned rap
idly. but the firemen by strenuous eff
forts succeeded in saving it from total
destruction.
The Casino cost $500. 600 and its equip
ment more than S1OO, 600 more. The ice
skating plant, which was the first thing
reached by the flames. alone cost $50
000 In the rear of the second floor was
stored the fine and costly scenery used
in the summer theater, and this was
soon devOured. 1t cost SAC. 600
During the progress of the conhagra-
ton, the bridge across the hollow was
crowded with people and many were
apprehensive that it would be unsafe
and when the fire appeared at the east
eFn END OF the balcony and communicate
ed with the bridge, there was a great
scattering and many Of the spectators
were cut off and compelled to pass into
the park Manager James Conant said
the loss would exceed half a million
The building was insured for $4,000
and there was a small insurance on the
contents. A number of persons were
slightly injured. but none seriously
MEDICAL COLLEGE BURNS.
Detroit Dec. 17.-At an early hour
this morning an explosion occurred at
the Detroit college of medicine and i'm
mediately following the explosion flames
broke forth from the third story win
dOWs, and in less than two hours later
the building was a mass of ruins The
janitor of the institution and his wife
narrowly escaped with their lives.
The loss on buildings will reach S75-
000 partly insured. Besides the b11iId-
ing itself, valua bic Instruments such a.
microscopes, etc, and costly furniture
have been destroyed. The cause Of the
fire is as yet not fully cleared up, but
incendiarism is strongly suspected