Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-27
PET DoG DID 1T.
Cause of the Fire Which Destroyed the
building Where Bryan Was Nominated.

Chicago, Dec 27.-The Coliseum,
which burned Christmas eve,was set on
fire by a pet dog. An explosion of gas
oline set the dog on fire. Lolita, a
dancer in the Cuban village, says
Frank Murphy, an employe of the X
ray booth, confessed to her that he
CAUSED the explosion. She says he told
this to her and her mother when he
called on them about the benefit to be
given the exhibitors. Lolita sand:
Murphy told me today how the
fire started. 1t was caused by an ex-
pluslon of gasoline in the %7ray eN-
hiblt a big lamp was used to light the
booth, but 1t was not considered sufh-
cient and the manager of the show sent
for gasoline torch. Murphy said a
man named Bowen gave the gasoline
torch to the manager and about 20
minutes after g o'clock Murphy carried
in five gallon can of gasoline. The
lamp was burning close by and when
Murphy went to fill his gasoline torch
he was quite near the burning lamp.
Morley. the manager of the exhibit.
was on n ladder almost over the
lamp arranging the drapery about the
booth. Murphy started to pour the gas
oline into the tank of the torch which
had not been lighted, but the fluid
caught from the burning lamp near by
and went up In pun.
"There was little dog In the place
connected with the exhibit. and when
dc gasoline exploded the dog was
covered by the burning oil. The poor
beast rushed around IN terror and set
fire to the drapery of the booth, which
hung to the floor. Quicker than a
flash the whole trimming of the booth
was on fire and the blaze was rising
TO the balcony where our show was
located. The men about the booths
near by ran and got the Cxtinguishers,
but they would not work. a hose was
turned on but they could get no water.
~. Morales.a Mexican dancer, warned
me to get out and we were getting just
getting to the doors when the gas tank
that supplied the calcium light for the
tight rope walkers exploded and the
place was a mass of ilames,"
Lollta's story about the origin OF the
fire was corroboratcd by Frank Hat
field. the doorkeeper
Murphy when seen denied that the
explosion of a can of gasoline was the
drapery caught fire from cigarette or
cigar stump.
"I'he origin OF the fire will be thor
oghly Investigated by the police and
by agents OF the insurance companies,
and our company Will do all in its
power to assist In the investigation,
said Col. John 7. Dickinson. president
of the Coliseum company. 81 do not
know yet whether the FIRE was due to
the act OF an ineendiary or not" he
continued, although am Inclined TO
think 1t was caused BY some accident
In the X-ray picture exhibit About
all that l have heard that would indi-
cate incendiarism has been CLEANED
from the newspapers.
I'VE will have n meeting OF the ex-
ecutive committee of our company to-
morrow. The subject OF rebuilding
will doubtless be considered. but from
what | know of the temper of the
stockholders. I am satisfied that no
them, for although the Coliseum bade
fair to be a very profitable investment.
those who put money into II have OF
course lost heavily by its destruction.
We had Just gotten clear of debt and
were in fair way to make money In
the future"