The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-25

Chicago, December 24.-Fire tonight
destroyed the Coliseum building at 63d
street and Stony Island avenue in
which the Democratic national conven-
ton was held last year. The fire was one
| of the fercest ever seen in Chicago.
Within about 20 minutes from the time
the fire originated by the crossing Of
two electric wires the Coliseum was q
pile OF twisted iron and hot bricks.
The building had been rented for q
manufacturers exposition and was filled
from end to end with booths, all Of which
were destroyed with all their contents.
| Although no bodies have been recovered
the following persons are missing and
have undoubtedly perished in the
flames. Two women dancers on the
Midway exhibits sesn In the build
ing just before it collapsed. Two men
seen in the centre of the building by the
| dremen during the fire.
| Howard Geyser of Wilmington, Del. !,
contractor; James Byrnes, Hokoben, N.
j., decorator These two men were deco
rating one of the booths in tie balcony
when the fire broke out. The men were
warmed that the place was On ire and
urged to save themselves. They were ap-
parently in no hurry and the last seen OF
them they were still at work.
The injured: Peter Foot, watchman n
burned about face and hands; Harry
Parker New York city slightly burned
burned; Mrs. &. Lyons slightly burned
M. J.. Morel burned about head; VIM.
Robertson face and hands burned; NJ.
j. Wheeler watchman hands burned
James Maher fireman burned while cut
ting wires; Robert Harley fireman severe
~ burned; Mrs Helen Cougar severely
burned about right arm; Geo. Dekreko
severely bruised by jumping from a
window; Louis Weiss janitor burned
about face and hands; Frank Murphy
St. Louis severely burned; Harry Ramil-
ton burned about the face; W. FL. Wright
burned about arms. VIM. Allaby fireman
thrown from engine in q collision with
a Lake Shore train head crushed; Albert
Chamberlain burned about face and
hands; Eugene Duggan burned on the
head.
The fire originated in booth which
was used for an exhibition of X-rays
the booth being managed by VIM. Robert
son and NJ. j. Morley. The two men
were examining their Roentgen machine
when they were startled by o sizzling
noise behind them and upon turning
saw part of the exhibit ablaze. Crossed
arc light wires which were over the ex
hibits are thought to have caused the
flames. The two men first tried to smoth
er the flames but before they had secured
, water and cloth the fire had spread
throughout the entire booth. Morley
realizing that he and his partner would
, be unable to cope with the flames en-
: deavored to save some of the most val
liable A-ray apparatus. Running to the
machine he grasped two Crooks tube:
xryi4b II ID al
, his way out of the building. Before ht
reached an exit the tubes which he helt
in both bands exploded from the hea
severely Iacerating his hands. His hail
also caught fire ana he was burned abou
the head. Robertson was burned abou
the face.
a About 800 people were in the building
y at the time of the fire and ct the frs
alarm there was a rush for safety. Fort
unately the aisles were wide and OWNS
to the comparatively small number o
people in the building there was littl
difficulty in reaching the DOORS Most @
: those endeavoring to escape ran to
Il ing which is wide enough to admit
wagon A large crowd of people gath
: cred before this door which was found t
!. be locked and rs the fire was roarin
n throughout the building with great spec
a it seemed as though for a few minute
IL
escape. W. J. Wheeler saw the troubl
i and ran to open the door but the crow
9 q packed in front of it so closely that h
y had the greatest difficult in opening ii
q Once it swung wide, however, the crow
4 was in the open air in a few seconds
q During the jam at this point several pei
y y sons were badly crushed but none ser
! ously injured. The balance of the peopl
= made their way through the others door
i and some were caught in the balloon
q q were compelled to jump to the ground
% . The balance was lined with window
. that swung outward and they had n
g trouble in getting upon the roof an
Il from there the leap to the ground ws
not far.
The firemen were at hand before an
of the people were out, and before the
a made an effort to fight flames they dc
y voted their attention to clearing the ha
e of the people. By the time they wei
|, ready to pour water on the fire it wa
8 useless to do anything as the fire sprea
with such rapidity that there was n
chance whatever of saving the building
after it had once got beyond the confine
of the booth in which is started
1t Within ten minutes after the fire tt
l. roof was ahlaze and in very short tim
j. after the fire had appeared on the top c
the building one of the large arche