The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-26
Six Persons Believed 10 Have Per-
iShed in the Fire.
THE WORK OF DESTRUCTION WAS
FINISHED IN TWENTY MINUTES.
THE FIRE STARTED FROM
CROSSED ELECTRIC wIREs-AN
EXPOSITION WAS IN PROGRESS
AND SEVERAL HUNDRED PER
SONS WERE PRESENT.

Chicago, Dec. .. Fire last plight de-
stroyed the Coliseum building at Sixky-
thi:d street and St:ny Island avenue. in
which the Democratic national conyen-
tion was held last year.
Inc hre was one OF the quickest ever
seen.in chicago, From the time it WAS
sta' ted by the crossing of electri" light
wires until the building was n pile OF
twisted iron and hot bricks was not over
twenty minutes.
The building bad been rented for 81
manufacturers exposition, and was filed
from end to end with booths all of which
were destroyed with their contents.
number OF persons were..l lost in the
flames. Although no bodies have vet
been recovered, the following are missing
and have undoubtedly. persisted:
Howard GeySer, of Wilmington, Del
decorator.
Joseph Byrues, of HohoAen, n. j., dec
orator
Two women dancers in the Midway ex-
nlDlt. They were seen in the building
Just before it collapsed
Two men, who were seen in the centre
OF the building while the flames were
raging.
he fire started in assbooth which was
used for an exhibition of Y rays. The
booth WAS managed by..M. j. Morley and
William Robertson.
Ihey We're examining their RoentVen
machine. when they were startled by a
noise behind them, and upon turning saw
part or their exhibit ablaZe Crossed
electric light wires which were over the
exhibit caused the flames
Sat first the two men tried 10 smotber
the lire. bit before they had gotten water
ana n cloth it had spread thrc ughout the
booth. Morley, realizing that he and his
partner would he unable TO cope with it.
tried To save sumo of the most valuable
OF the y ray paraphernalia. Running to
the machine. he grasped two Crookes
tubes and then, with .Robertson. began
lighting his way out of the building.
Before he reached an exit, the tubes.
which he held exploded from the heat,
severely lacerating his hands. His hair
also caught fire, and he WAS severely
burned on the head. MIR. Robertson was
burned ON the face and hands.
About three hundred persons we're in
the building when the fire brose out, and
at the first alarm there WAS II rush for
safety. The aisles we're wide, and owing
to the &C mparative1y small number of
persons present there was little difficulty
in renching the doors.
Most of those who escaped ran to a
large door on the east side of the build
ing. which was wide enough to admit a
team of horses. a crowd,,of fullytwo hum
dred gathered before this door. which
was found locked, and az the fire was
roaring through the building with great
speed, it seemed for few minutes as If
none of those would he able to escape.
", J. Wheeler, y Waterman, saw the
trouble and ran to open the door, bnt the
crowd was packed in front OF it so closely
tha6 he had the greatest difficulty Once
It swung wide. however, the crowdswas
IN the open air In few moments. Dur.
ing the jam mt this place several persons
were crushed.
The remainder of the people made their
way through other doors except several
who were caught in the balcony and
were compelled to jump To the ground.
The firemen arrived before ali of tae
people were out of the building Before
they made any effort to fight the flames
they devoted their attention to clearing
the hall of the crowd. BY the time they
were ready to pour water on the fire it
was useless TO do anything. MS the flames
spread with,such rapidity that there was
no chance of saving the building.
Within ten minutes after the fire began
the roof was ablaze. One of the large
arches that spanned the building gave
way with tremendous noise, and then
another and .another, ench goinp down
with sound like the report of cannon.
The building fell quickly. as after the
hrst arch went down, the weight was too