The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-25

Chicago, Dec 24-Fire tonight de-
stroyed the Coliseum building at Sixty
third street and Stony Island avenue,
in which the democratic national con-
vention was held last year. The fire
was one of the quickest ever seen in
Chicago. At the time when the fire
was originated, by the crossing of two
electric light wires, until the Coliseum
was a pile of twisted iron and hot
bricks, was not over 20 minutes.
The building had been rented for a
Manufacturers exposition, and was
filled with booths, all of which were de-
stroyed, with all of their contents. 1t is
supposed a number of people We're lost
in the flames, and although no bodies
have been recovered, the following peo-
pie are missing, and have undoubtedly
persisted:
Two women, dancers in the Midway
exhibit, seen entering the building just
before it collapsed.
Two men seen in the center of the
building during the fire by firemen. l..
Ladamy and his son conducted a saus-
age booth in the building. Ladamy
entered the structure during the fire to
search for his son, whom he declared
was penned in by the flames, and nei-
The injured are: Peter Foots, watch
man, burned about the face and hands.
Mrs. Ct. A. Lyons, severely burned.
NJ. j. Mortley, lacerated by explosion
of Crookes tubes and burned about the
head.
William Robertson, face and hands
burned.
NJ. J. Wheeler, Waterman, hands
burned.
James Maser, fireman, burned while
cutting a live wire with a pair of
shears.
Robert Harley. fireman, severely
bruised by debris during the collapse of
a wall OF the building.
Miss Helen conger, shocked by live
wire and severly burned about right
arm.
How Ii Started.
The fire originated in a booth which
was used for an exhibition of N-rays,
the booth being managed by NJ. j. Nor
ley and William Robertson. The two
men We're examining their Roentgen
machine when they We're startled by a
sizzling noise behind them and upon
turning, saw part OF their exhibit
abIaze. Crossed electric light wires,
which We're over the exhibit, are thought
to have caused the flames. They at first
tried TO smother the flames, but before
they secured water and cloth the fire
had spread throughout the entire booth.
Morley, realizing that he and his part
ner would be una bic to cope with the
/ flames, then made an endeayor to save
some of the most valuable of the X-ray
| paraphernalia. Running to the machine
he grasped two Cfoekes tubes and, with
Robertson. began fighting his way out
of the building. Before he reached an
| exit the tubes which he held in both
hands, explod I'd from the heat, severely
/ decorating his hands. His hair also
caught fire and he was seyerly burned
! about the head. Robertson was burned
/ about the face.
A Rush for safety.
About BOG people were in the building
at the time of the fire, and at the first
| alarm there was rush for safety
| Fortunately the aisles were wide and
owing to the comparatively small num-
Der Of people in the building, there was
! little difficulty in reaching the doors.
! Most of those endeaSoring TO escape ran
To a large door on the east side of the
/ building. which is wide enough To adj
nit team of horses and wagon. A
crowd of fully 200 people gathered be-
/ fore this door. which was found to be
/ locked, and as the fire was roaring
| through the building with great speed,
/ it seemed for a few minutes as though
none of those would be able to escape.
/ ". J. Wheeler, a Waterman, saw the
| trouble and ran to open the door. but
the crowd was packed in front of it 50
closely that he had the greatest diff
Guilty in opening II. Once II swung
/ wide, however. the crowd WAS in the
! omen air in a few seconds. During the
/ jam at this point, several people We're
/ crushed. but none were seriously in
jured. The balance of the people made
their way through the other doors and
several who We're caught in the balcony
were compelled to jump To the ground
from the roof The balcony Is lined
+ windows that suing ri and