The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-25
CHICAGO COLISEUM
CONSUMED BY FIRE
lQ[geSl Building in ARe[Ic0 d Moss
Of Red H]t Ruins.
ONE OF The QUICKEST FIRES ON RECORD
Everything Inflammabs Destroyed In TWen-
iY Minutes from the Outbreak.
Several Persons Missing Supposed TO
Have Been Crcnatcd- Contents of
Tho Structure Is Total l.oss-Firc
Started I'm nn X-Rny Exhibit
Three Hundred People RusI, villa.
~ 10 tho Doors-Eho Building HID
Floor Space of seven acres.
Chicago, Ill.,. Dec. "a, 1897.

Fire Tonight destroyed the Coliseum
building at Sixty third street and Stony
Island avenue, in which the Democratic
National convention was held last year.
The fire was one of the quickest ever
seen In Chicago. From the time when
the fire was originated, by the crossing
OF two electrics light wires, until the
Coliseum was a pile of twisted iron and
hot bricks. was not over twenty min.
utes.
The building had been rented for a
manufacturers exhibition and was
filled from end to end with booths, all
OF which were destroyed with oil of
their contests.
1t IS supposed that a number of peo-
pie were lost in the flames, and al
though no bodies have been recovered.
the following people are missing and
have undoubtedly perished:
Two women, dancers in the Midway
exhibit, seen In the building just be-
fore 1t collapsed.
Two men. seen in the centre of the
building during the fire by fremen.
La Ladyni and his son conducted a
sausage booth In the building. Ladyni
entered the structure during the fire to
search for his son. whom he declared
was penncd in by the flames, and
neither has since been seen. Both
lived at the Columbian Central apart
ment building.
The fire originated in a booth which
was used for an exhibition OF N-rays,
the booth being managed by NJ. j.
Morley and William Robertson. The
two men were examining their Roent-
gen machine, when they were startled
by n Sizing noise behind them, and
upon turning saw part of their exhib-
1t ablaze. SrOSsed electric wires which
were' over the exhibit. are thought to
have caused the flames They at first
tried TO smother the flames, but before
they secured water and cloth the fire
had spread throughout the entire
booth. Morley, realizing that he and
MS partner would be unable ITO cope
with the flames, then made an endcavor
10 save some of the most valuable of
The N-ray paraphernalia. Running to
the machine he grasped two crookes
lunes. and then. with Robertson, began
lighting his way out of the building
Before he reached an exit the tubes
which he held In both his hands. ey
ploded from the heat, severely Iacera /
ing his hands. His harr also caught
nre and he was severely burned abort
me mead. Robertson was burned about
the face.
About three hundred people werc IN
the building at the time of the fire and
al the first alarm there was a rush Far
safetH fortunately the aisles were
widc. and owing to the comparatively
stnall number Of people in the build
ing Fhere was little difficulty in reach
ing the doors. Nest of those enda,v-
oring ITO escape ran to large door on
the east side of the building. which
is large enough to admit a ream of
horses and wagon.
y crowd Of fully two hurdrnd nao-
pie gathered before this door. which
was found to be locked. and as
Inc fire was roaring through the
building with great speed 1t seemed for
rev minutes as though none of these
would be able to escape. w. ]. Wheeler
Waterman, saw the trouble and ran IN
open the door. but the crowd WIS packed
In front Of 1t so closely tha. he h,h
the greatest difficulty In opening IL.
once IL swung wide, however, the
crowd was IN the open air in a. few sec
onds' During the jam at this }pont
several people were badly CRUSHED but
none were seriously injured The bal
ance Of the people made their way
through other doors and several who
were c1ugh; in the balcony were com.
PEELED 10 jump to the ground from the
roof. The balcony Is lined with win
dows that swing outward and thew had
no trouble in getting upon the roof ana
from there the leap to the ground vas
not great.
The firemen were at hand before ali
OF the people were out. and before they
made any effort to fight the names they
devoted their attention to clearing me
hall OF the people. BY the time they
we're 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
building after 1t had once got beyond
the confines Of the booth In which II
started.