Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-01-01
COLISEUM FALLS.
Famous Ampitheatre at Chicago
a Mass of Ruins.
Fires Quick Work Arena EquaIied
Only by Roman Coliseum.

CHICAGO. ILL.,. Dee. 30-The Coliseum
the great building at Sixty-third street and
Stony Island avenue. in which Bryan was
nominated, has just been destroyed by one
of the quickest fires ever seen in Chicago
Within about 20 minutes from the time the
fire originated by the crossing vi two elec-
tric light wires the Coliseum was u pile OF
twisted iron and hot bricks. The building
had been rented fora manufacturers expo
sition, and was filed from end TO end with
booths, all of which were destroyed, with all
their contents. About 800 people were in
the building at the time OF the fire. ana ut
the FIRST alarm there was = rush for safety.
Fortunately the aisles were wide, and. owing
to the com paratively small number OF peo-
pie in the building, there was little difficulty
In reaching the doors. Most of tho g en-
deavoring to escape ran to Il large door on
the east side of the building. which is wide
enough to admit wagon. No one
was killed or seriously injured.
Several persons caught in balcony were
compelled to jumpto the ground from ITS
roof, but the leap to the ground was not
great The ilremen were at hand before any
of the people were out, and they devoted
their attention to clearing the hall, so that
by the time they were ready to pour water
on the fire it was useless to do anything.
The Are spread with such rapidity that there
was no chance whatever Of saving the build
ing after it had once got beyond the
confines of the booth in which it
started. Within ten minutes after the
Are began the roof was ablaze. In
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 anotbSr
and another, each one going down with Q
sound like the report of Il cannon. The Col
iseum cost 425O,0OO, and had hoor
space OF seven acres-including the
ground and gallery iioors-was no feet
long by 800 wide, and contained 2,5OO,OOO
pounds of steel, zoo, 900 feet Of timber and
5000 900 bricks. On Aug. n. 1895, the first
Coliseum, then in course of construction,
was wrecked, entailing u loss OF 1925, 900.
The cause of tho collapse has never been
known, but 600 men had been working on
the building up to half an hour before the
crash After the collapse of the first build
ing the architect ut once drew plans Tor q
new building, and it was constructed and
opened to the public Jan. l, 1895. The de-
tails of the massive building show q
composition OF II enormous arches ~
feet at the apex above the ground and
with u span of 230 feet In the clear.
The building was encrcled on the In
side by "A gallery 80 feet wide and 33 feet
above the floor The arena was only equalled
In extent by that Of the Roman Coliseum.
The total loss on the building and contents
IL said to be S47S,0 900. OF this amount s3b0,
600 was the value of the building. and $l2o, :
900 the estimated cost OF the exhibits and
material in the exposition in progress In the
building. Insurance to the amount OF Sl2O,
900 was carried on the Coliseum, but OF this
500. 600 will go to the holders OF Outstand-
ing bonds to pay these obligations In full.
The owners OF the building will get but
$40 900 out VI their insurance.