The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-30
THE COLISEUM IN ASHES,
o"i'A'os MAMMOTH STRUCTURE,
WHERE BRYAN WAS NOMINATED.
BURNED TO THE GROUND.
WAS CONSUMED IN TWENTY MINUTES
work OF Flames Was Rapid-An Ex-
position Was In Progress-AI the
Exhibits Destroyed-several
Missing md Many Injured.

",chue, where the convention
that nominated Bryan was held, was en-
tirely destroyed by fire tonight.
From the time when the lire was origin
ateu by the crossing of two trolley wires
until the Coliusem was pile of twisted
iron and hot brick, was not over twenty
minutes. The building had been rented
for an exhibition of manufacturers' pro-
ducts and was filled from end to end
win booths. all of which were DESTROYED
with all of their contents. 1t is supposed
that number of people were lost in the
names and although no bodies have been
recovered, the following people are
missing and have undoubtedly persisted
Two women, dancers in the midway
exhibit, seen in the building Just before
it collapsed
Two men seen in the center of the
building during the fire by firemen.
Howard Geyscr, Wilmington, Del.
Joseph Byrnes, Hoboken, N. j.,
decorator.
Geyser and Byrnes were decorating one
| of the booths in the balcony when the
| hre broke out. The manager of the ex-
hlbit ran to the booth and called to the
| men that the place was on fire. and for
them to save themselves. They were ap-
parently III no hurry and the last seen of
them they were still at work. 1t is
thought that they were both lost.
| The injured:
Peter Foots, Waterman. burned about
| face and hands.
Harry Parker, New York City, slightly
burned
G. A. Lyons, New York City, slightly
burned.
Mrs. G. A. Lyons, severely burned.
/ II MOrlay In tod ht
of Crooke's tubes and burned about the
head.
William Robertson, face and hands
burned.
A. J. Wheeler, Waterman, hands
burned.
James Maher. fireman.; burned while
cutting live wire with aipair of shears
| Robert Harley, fireman, severely
bruised by debris during the collapse of
Il wall of the building
Miss Helen COnger shocked by live
wire, severely burned about right arm.
George Dekero, proprietor of the
Streets of Cairo exhibit, jumped from a
window of the burning building and was
severely bruised.
Louis Weiss, janitor, burned about
face and hands.
Frank Murphy, st. Louis, severely
burned. :
Harry Hamilton. burned about face.
w. H. Wright, burned about arms.
William Allaby fireman, thrown from,
fire engine in collision with Lake
Shore train at Cottage Grove avenue and
Forty-First street, head bruised.
Albert Chamberlain, burned about face
and hands.
Eugene Duggan burned about left side.
The fire originated in booth which
was used for an exhibition of Y rays, the
booth being managed by NJ. ]. Morley
and William Robertson. The two men
were examining their machine when they
were startled by u sizzling noise behind
them and upon turning saw part OF
their exhibit ablaze. Crossed electric
light wires is thought to have caused the
flames. They made attempts to smother
the flames. but before they secured water
the fire had spread throughout the booth.
Morley realized that he and his partner
would be unable to cope with the flames,
so he then made an endeav0r to save
some of the most valuable of their ap-
paratus. Running to the machine he
grasped two Crookes tubes and then
with Robertson, began fighting his way
out of the building. Before he reached
ar exit the tubes which he held III Doth
| his hands exploded from the heat, severe
| " decorating his hands. His halr also
caught fire and he was severely burned
about the head. Robertson was burned
about the face. About 300 people were
in the building at the time of the fire and
there was a rush for safety. Fortunately
the aisles were wide and owing to the
comparatiyely small number of people in
| the building there was little difficulty in
reaching the doors. The fremen were
at hand before all the people were out
and before they made any effort to hght
thc flames they devoted their attention
IN clearing the hall of people. The hre
spread with such rapidity that there was wa,
no chance whatever OF saving the Dullu-
ing after it had once got beyond the coh'
| fines of the booths in which It starred.
In but short time one OF the laIge
| arches within the building gave away
| with tremendous report ana tneii an.
o tho and another. each one going down
w;th n sound like the report Of cannon.
| The building fell very quickly. as a1ter
tho fret arch went down the welgnt was
FOO great for the arches next to it ana all
Tn twenty minutes the building WAS a
oomniete min. The Coliseum cost Szov:
0nl and was twice as large as the Madl-
con- con- Scare Garden building Of New YORK.
~ had floor space Of seven acres; was
| no feet long by 800 feet wide, ana o uUn'
famed 100000 pounds Of steel eel l,I sE.
nnl feet of timber and 3,OOO:OOO brlcSs.
The details of the massive building SNOW
a o. composition of fourteen enormous
arches seventy feet at the apex o ABOVE .
the ground and with a span OF 10y zee,
in the clear. The building was ENERGY a
On tbe inside by gallery 30 rect wi oe
and "a feet above the floor. The arena
was only euualled in extent by that VI
tn The mo total loss on the building and con ION
.ont ne ;s said to be $41S,OOO. VI tnit
aenos r $3.50. 900 was the value OF the
h hm;lJine and S12S,000 the estimated cos eos
Of The exhibit and material IN tne eA
VI s;t;on in progress in the structure; M,
po Insurance to the amount OF :Zyo ~.
ras carried on the Coliseum, but OF nm gnu
" "no 100000 will go to the hol seI,
a ~ The outstanding bonds to pay the res
q ,m in full. The owners OF On.
S SDildipr will get but $4,000 out OF then
ihS Snl John r. Dickinson, president Q,
.h 81 Coliseum company, said tonight tn ma,
I un effort sH would be made to restore I'M
ou Wh;le responding to the alarm o. i. nr'
w NJ ~t:.o.xrs engine NO. ~ ~ EQII|II