River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-12-30
THE COLISEUM IN RUINS.
Huge Chicago Structure Reduced TO
Heap of Twisted Iron.

Chicago. Dec. 26.-Fire Friday night
destroyed the Coliseum building. at
SiXty-uhird aud Stony Island avenue,
in which the democratic national con-
yention was held last year. The fire
was one of the quickest ever seen in
Chicago From the time il originated,
BY the crossing Of two electric wires,
until the Coliseum was pile of twisted
iron and hot bricks, not over 20 minutes
elapsed. The building had been rented
for manufacturers exposition, and
was filled from end TO end with booths,
all of which were destroyed, with all
contents.
The fire originated in booth which
was used for an exhibition of Y rays,
the booth being mauaged by NJ. ]. Nor
ley and William Robertson. The two
men were examining their Roentgen
machine when they were startled by a
sizzling noise behind them, and upon
turning saw part of their exhibit ablaze.
Crossed electric wires which were over
the exhibit it is thought caused the
flames.
Within ten minutes after the fire be-
gan the roof was ablaze, aud in very
short 'inc after the iiTe appeared on
The tor Of the building one OF the large
srches that span the building gave way
with tremendous report, and then an
other. and another, each one going
down with a sound like the report of a
cannon. The building fell very quick
w. as after the first arch went down the
weight was too great for the arches
next to Il, and az collapsed. II took
not over 90 minutes to make a complete
ruin o. tne building.
The Coliseum cost S250,Oo0 and was
twice rs large as the MADISON Square
Garden building, New York. IL hal
floor space of seven acres, including the
ground floor and galleries, and was 30
feet long by 800 feet wide. On August
-, 1895. the first Coliseum, then in
course OF construction, was wrecked
cntailing loss of $3.50 The cause
Of the cOil2pse was never known. but
il was thought the last arch was not
placed in position correctly. Six hun
dred men had been working on the
building up to half an hour before the
collapse. After the collapse Of the first
building plans were drawn for new
building. and it was constructed and
opened to the public June /, 1896. Its
arena was only equaled in extent by
that of the Roman Coliseum.
Chicago, Dee. 27.-The fire which
on Friday evening destroyed The Col
iseum claimed only one victim. He
was \. III. johnson. whose charred re-
mains were recovered from the ruins
Saturday. johnson was a fireman en-
ployed about the building. He evident
" remained at his post until the last
moment. Then he rushed toward the
exit. Within few feet of the door
an immense piece of glass fell from
the roof, pinioning him to the earth,
while the flames slowly consumed him.
Chicago. Dec. 27.-From midnight,
the morning Of December %, until six
O'Clock Saturday evening, the fire rec
ord of the city was: Number of fire
alarms. 119; total losses, in part estj-
mated, 81, 1O2, 500; number of people
killed, /; number Of people injured, 81.
The city has not equaled this record
since the fire of 1871. OF the 81 injured
persons q were fircmen, l2 policemen
and 30 were citizens. The fire alarms
this year WI approximate $500, the
greatest number in the history of the
citv in Il months.