The record-union., 1898-08-14
DEVASTATING FLAMES.
THEY DESTROYED THE OAK
PARK ATHLETIC GROUNDS.
Xhe New House Of Joseph G. Stew
ems Was Also Burned to
the Ground.

Shortly before o'clock yesterday
AFTERNOON flames were seen issuing from
the roof of one of the small offices at
the entrance to the Oak Park Athletic
grounds, and before the fire could be
got under control the two offices, the
large theater building, the two grand
stands, 400 feet Of the bicycle track in
front of the stands and a number of
small outhouses were totally consumed.
The flames spread with startling ra
pidity, and being famed by the draught
they generated Were soon beyond con-
troll Some of the employees about the
ground carried a garden hose to the
roof of the theater building and turned
on stream, hoping TO save that struc-
ture, but the offices burned like tinder,
and 1t was not without difficulty that
the improyised fire brigade escaped
with their lives.
Within ten minutes after the first
puny tongue of flame was seen on the
office roof the theater building was a
seething furnace ,and as the wind was
right, the timber in the grandstands
had caught in a thousand places, and
the flying debris had set fire to the BIZ
cycle track, which was reputed to be the
finest in the United States.
Frank A. Ross, Superintendent of the
the street railway, was at the car sta
bles at Twenty-eighth and streets
when the fire broke out, and mastering
a force of about twenty employees went
to the park at the highest rate of speed.
His force arrived within twenty min
utes after the alarm was given, but by
that time all the buildings had been re-
duced to ashes and the flames were
busy eating UP the bicycle track, which
was burning both ways.
In order to save the remainder of the
track, Mr. Ross force headed the fire
off and using their axes with good ef-
feet soon chopped away the timbers
and the holocaust was over.
The fire made a clean sweep, and
not a stick Is left on the territory
burned over about an acre. to tell the
tale.
The Oak Park athletic ground build
ings and other accommodations were
finished and formally open-d to the pub
lie in June of last year. They were
erected at cost Of between $1,000 and
$500 and were, when destroyed, IN
sured for S4 900.
How the fire started can only be con-
jectured. Nothing combustible was
kept III lIlS OillNC, anu AAAN ~h~~N'-N
rent employed to light the buildings
was turned off and had been since
Thursday last
The grounds We're locked and nobody
was near when the fire broke out. The
park watchmna locked and left the
office at l O'Clock, and states that there
had been no fire about it all day.
AS nearly as could be judged by par
ties on the ground, the fire caught IN
the roof
About , o'clock in the afternoon, near
ly an hour before the fire at the attn
letic grounds, the residence of Joseph
G. Stevens. at Thirty second and )
streets. burned TO the ground while the
family was absent. The wind. Whlcf
was light. was blowing in the direction
Of the park, and it is believed that g
spark from the Stevens fire was caugh'
by high stratum of air and finally
dropped on the office, where il smol-
dered and finally burst into flames.
Mr. Stevens residence was nearly
new, having been completed less than
a year ago. 1t was insured, though not
sufficiently to cover the loss.
Mr.. Stevens had a similar experience
something over a year ago. He hac
lust finished a new residence on the
site of the one destroyed yesterday, anc
had not yet moved into il when It was
burned to the ground.