The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-12-28
CAFE or THE FIRE
Chicago Coliseum Set on Fire by "a Pet
Dog.


Chicago. Dee. T.--The Coliseum which
burned Christmas eve. was set on fire
by pet hog. An explosion Of gasoIlne
Sc, the dog on Are Lolita dancer IN
tho Cuban Village says Frlnk Murphy
an efuploye IN tho X-ray booth confessed
to her tina, ~ caused fnc explosion. She
ravs h" told this 20 her ana her mother
when he called on them about the ben.
EN- 10 he siycn rhe exhibitors Lolita
said:
Murphy told mo q ,ay h0x the fire
started Il was caused by an explosion
of gasoline In the N-ray exhibit. An
clctrlc lamp was used TO Hight the booth
npi II was not considered sufficient. and
the manager Of the show sen, FOR n gas
o'ine torch. MURPHY sah man named
Bowen gave the torch To the manager
ana about % minutes after O'Clock Muir
ply carried in a Ave gallon can OF gaso-
lire. Tile lamp was burning close ny
ana when Murphy went TO fin lris gasoline
torch ne was quite near the burning
lamp. Morley. the manager OF the exhibit
was ON a ltider almost over the lamp.
arranging tho drapery about the booth.
Murphy started to pour the gasoline into
The tank OF tho torch. which had not been
lighted but the fluld caught from the
burning lamp near by and went UP IN a
pun
There was a little pet dog in The booth
ami when me gasoline exploded the dog
was covered with the burning on The
poor beuSt rushed around In terror and
set fire to the drapery OF thu booth which
hung to the floor. Quicker than a nash
the whole trimming Of the booth was on
Ilre and the base was rising to the bal
cony where our show was located The
men about te booths ncar by ran ma
rot the exCnguishers, but they wonld no,
work. hose was turned on. but ti,ey
could get no water
~ Morlles, Mexiean dancer warnei
me to get out and was Just getting to
the doors when the gas tank mat sup
Piled the calcium for the tight rope walk
ems exploded and the place was a mass
OF fames'
LOllta's story abort the origin OF the
iire waS corroborated by Frank Hatfieid
the doorkeeper Murphy. when seen. de-
MED that the explosion OF a can OF gas
oline was the cause Of the fre. He
| Thought the drapery caught FIRE from a
cigarette sttrnp.
''The origin OF the hrc win be thor
oughly investigated by the puTice ana
by agents Of the Insurance companies
and our company will do all in Its power
10 assist IN the INVESTIGATION said John
r Dickinson. pre'lden; OF the Coliseum
company. 81 DO no. know yet whether
the fire was dine to the &C, OF an incen-
diary or not he continued "although
I am inclined to think It was caused by
some accident in the %-ray exhibit. About
oil have learned tha; would Indicate
incendiarism has been CLEANED from the
newspapers. We will have nesting of
the executive committee of our company.
The question OF rebuilding will doubtless
he considered, but from what 1 know OF
the temper of the stockholders. I am sat
| isfied no such project will be undertaken
/ by them for although the Coliseum bade
fair to be a profitable investment. those
who put money in, It have OF course lost
| heavily by its destruction. We had Just
gotten clear Of debt and were in fair
way to make money in the future"