The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-25
The Coliseum Building in Chicago De-
StrOyed By Fire.
WAS CONSUMED IN TWENTY MINUTES
AlsmaII Crowd Was In the building But
Nearly All Escaped--caught From
Crossed Electric wires in an X-Ray
Booth The Dead and Injured.

which the Democratic NatloAdl OonNen-
tion was held last year.
Tho fire was one Of the quickest ever
seen in Chicago. From the time when the
fro was originated by the crossing OF
two electric light wires. until the Coliseum
was a pile of twisted iron and hot bricks,
was not over twenty minutes. The build
ng had been rented for a manu-
facturors' exhibition, and was flled from
end TO end with booths, all of which
were destroyed with al Of their contents.
i. is supposed that number OF people
were lost in the flames. and all the ruins
have been searched for people missing
THE DEAD.
No bodies have been recovered, but the
following people were undoubtedly lost.
TWO women. dancers ia the Midway
exhibit. Seen in The building just before
1t collapsed.
Two men. seen in the centre OF the
building during the hre hy liremen.
l.. Iadauyl and his son conducted
sausage booth in the building. Ladanyi
entered the structure during The ire 10
search FOR his son. whom he declared was
penued In bv the flames. and has not since
been seen. They both lived Il the Colum-
bian Central apartment building.
TIE INJURED.
George Dckroko. proprietor OF the
s,reets Of cairo exhibit. jumper from
window of the burning building and was
severely burned.
Louis Weiss janitor. burned about the
face and hands.
Frank Murphy, ST. Louis. severely
burned.
Harry Hamilton. burned about the face.
W. IT, Wright burned about the arms
William Allabv. fireman. thrown rom
q Gre engine IN collision w,.h n Lake
Shcre train Ar Cottage Grove 1Venue ana
Forty-hrst street; head bruised.
Albert Chamberlain burned about the
face and hands
Eugene Dugean. burned about the left
side
Peter Futz. watchman. burned about
tho face and hands
Harry Parker, New York city slightly
burned
q. A. Yons. New York slightly burned
Mrs. g. 4. Yons slightly burned
Mrs. Burlev. burned about the head.
William Robertson. face and hands
burned
NJ j. Wheeler, watchman. hands burn
James Maher fireman. burned while
cutting live wire with pair of shears.
Roht. Harley. fireman severely bruised
by debris. during the collapse Of a wall OF
tho building
Miss Helen Coneer shocked by live wire
and severely burned about right arm.
ORIGIN OF FIRE.
The fire originated in IL booth which was
uscd Tor an exhibition 0l N-rays. the
booth being managed hy NJ j. Morley and
William Robertson. The Two men Were
examining their Roentgen machine when
they were startled hy Sizing noise be-
nina them and upon turning saw part
Of their exhibit abldzo Crossed electric
wires which were over the exhibit are
They at first tried TO smother the flames.
but before they secured water ana cloth
the fire had spread throughout the entire
booth. Morley. realizing that Dee ANA his
partner would be unable TO cope with the
n1mes, then made am endeavOr 90 save
some Of the most valuable Of the exc
Running TO ;hc machine he erasped two
Crooke's tubes and then with Robertson
began fighting his way out OF the build
ing.
Before he reached an exit the tubes
which he held in both his hands exploded
from the heat, severely laccrating his
hands. His hair also caught fire and he
was severely burned about. the head
Robertson was burned about the face.
About three hundred people were in the
building az tho time ~ the fire and at the
first alarm there was n rush for safety.
Fortunately tho a.slcs were wide and ow-
ing 10 the comparatively small number Of
people I'm tho building there was little dit-
hCulty i'm reaching the doors
NARROW ESCAPE.
Most Of those endeayoring 20 escape
ran 10 q large door on the east side OF
the building which Is wide enough 10 ad-
nit e team of horses and wagon. A
crowd OF fully two hundred people gath
cred before this door. which was found
to be locked. ana as the fire was roaring
through tho building with great speed. IL
seemed for a few minutes as though none
or these would be able 10 escape w. J.
Wheeler. watchman saw the trouble and
ran 10 omen the door, but the crowd was
packed In front OF Il so closely that
hc had the greatest difficulty in opening
80. once 10 swung wide. however. the
crowd was In the open air in a few
seconds.
During the lam at this point several
people were badly crushed. but none were
seriously injured. The remainder OF the
people made their way through the other
doors. and several who were caught In The
balcony were compelled 10 jump 10 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 they leaped TO
the gro.nd.
The hremen were at hand before all OF
the people were ont. and before they
made any effort TO fight 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, IL
was useless 10 do anything. as the fire
spread with such rapidity that there was
no chance whatever Of saving the build
ing after ii had once got beyond the con-
troll.
ONLY TWENTY MINUTES.
Within ten minutes after the fire began
the roof was abaze and I'm a 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
tremendous report and then another and
another. each one going down with
sound like the report Of n cannon. The
building fell very quickly. as after the
first arch went Gown the weight was TOO
great for the arches next TO II. and all
collapsed II took not over twenty min.
utes 10 make a complete ruin OF the build.
ing.
Nothing further is known Of those sup
posed 10 be lost
The Coliseum Company cost $50 000 and
was twice as large az the Madison SQUARE
Garden building Of New York II had a
floor space OF seven acres including the
ground and gallery floors. was 20 Zoe,
long by 800 wide and contained 200 0)0
pounds Of steel 10000 feet OF timber and
5000 coo bricks
on August 2l 1895. The first Coliseum.
then in the course Of construction was
wrecked. entailng a lost Of si25 900 The
cause OF the collapse has never been
known. but n was thought that the last
arch wrg not placed IN position CORRECTLY