The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-25

door, but the crowd was packed in
front of it so closely that he had the
greatest difficulty in opening it. Once
it swung WIDE however, the crowd
was in the open air in few seconds.
During the jam at this point several
people were badly crushed, but none
were seriously injured. The balance
of the people made their way through
the other doors, and isevefal who were
caught in the balcony were compelled
to jump to the ground from the roof.
The balcony is lined with windows
that swing outwards, and they had
no trouble in getting upon the roof
and from there the leap to the ground
was not great. ,,.
The fremen were at hand before all
the people were out, and before they
made any effort to sfighti The flames,
they devoted their attention to clearing
the hall of the people. BY The time
they were ready to pour water on
the fire, there was cno sise of their
doing anything, as the fire spread with
such rapidity that there was no chance
whatever of saving the building after
it had once got beyond the confines
of the booth in whichatl startei
ARCHES TOPPLED.
Within ten minutes after the fire he
gan the roof was ablaZe and in very
short time after the fire had appeared
on the top of the building, one Of the
large arches that spanned the building
gave way with a tremendous report
ana then another and another, each
one going down with a sound like the
report of a cannon. The building fell
very quickly, as after the first arch
went down, the weight was too great
for the arch next to it and all COL
larsed. 1t took not over twenty min
utes to make complete ruin of the
building. Nothing is known of those
supposed to be lost beyond what has
been stated.
The total loss on the building and
contents is said to be $47S 900. Of this
amount $350,000 was the value of the
building. and $12S,0O0 the estimated
cost of the exhibits and material in
the exposition in progress in the build
ing. Insurance to the amount of s12O.-
OOo was carried on the Coliseum. but Of
TINS amount 100000 will go to the
holders of outstanding bonds to paw
these obligations in full. The owners
of the. building will get $4,000 out of
their insurance. Col. John T. Dfckin-
son, president of the Coliseum compa-
NY, said tonight that no effort would
De made to restore the building
Next to the Coliseum, the heaviest
individual loser is f. c. Bostwick. the
proprietor of a mechanical riding
school, an elaborate continuance which
is said to have cost $50 900, and upon
which there was no insurance.
The Coliseum cost $4,000 and was
twice as large as the Madison Square
Garden building OF New York. IT had
a Hoor space of seven acres including
the ground and gallery floors, was no
feet long by 300 wide and contained
Z,5O0000 pounds of steal 1,200. 900 feet
of lumber, and $500, 600, 900 bricks.
IN RUINS TWICE.
On Aug 1, 1896 the first Coliseum
then in the course of construction. was
wrecked. entailing a loss of 1925 900.
The cause of the collapse has never
been known, but it was thought that
the last arch was not placed in position
correctly. The building was to have
been opened Sept. %, of that year. by
the Barnum & Bailey circus, and the
contractors were rushing the work in
order to have it completed in time Six
hundred men had been working upon
the building up to half an hour before
the crash came, which was lilo O'clock
at night. FIFTY thousand feet of green
lumber, which was to have been used
for roofing was on the roof at the time
and the weight of this was supposed to
have had something to do with the ac-
cident. The original Coliseum was de-
signed by 5. S. Bellan, in Italian rem
aissance style. In the center of one
side rose campaniie 240 feet high and
thirty-six feet square.
After the collapse of the first build
ing Architect S. S. Bellan at once drew
plans for new building and it was
constructed and opened to the public
June l, 1896. The details of the mas
siVe building show a composition of
II enormous arches, 70 feet, at the apex.
above the ground and with a span of
230 feet in the clear. The building was
encircled on the inside by a gallery So
feet wide and SO feet above the floor
The arena was only equalled in extent
by that of the Roman Coliseum. The
building was insured for $12O,0OO The
insurance being written in tWenty-six
different companies.
ENGINE WRECKED.
While responding to the alarm engine
No. IS collided with a passenger train
on the Lake Shore road, smashing the
engine badly. Only one of The firemen
Albert Chamberlain, was injured, how
ever. The accident occurred at Forty
first street and Cottage. Grove avenue.
The hose cart Of the. company was
ahead of the fire engine and clos, upon
train approaching and closed the gates.
The host cart was too close, to the gates
however, and before the driver could
stop, his horses were ON the track and
the Waterman seeing ethat unless he
opened the gate the hose, cart would
certainly be run down, opened them
letting the cart out Iof danger The
driver Of the engine, (which was close
behind, thought from the raising of
40 cit do OF hn IN
was clear and urging in tis horses Cme way bS
dashed on the trackslc The train was
there before he was however and lie
drove squarely into the side Of a rapid
ly moving passenger coach. All of the
firemen were thrown FROM their seats,
but all of them escaped injury with the
exception of Chamberlain, whose hurts
are not severe.