New-York tribune., 1900-05-16
FIRE AT THE EXPOSITION.
cpr.T EXCITEMENT OVER A BLAZE IN
THE CHATEAU D'EAU.

p.-,s May 15 4:30 p. ma fire occurred at
-. rvnosition this afternoon. The flames were
s,..,-ares in the basement OF the Chateau
s.rsu which is intended 10 be one OF the lead
t. features OF the Exposition. Itswas feared
- .be adjoining Sale des Fetes might become
..ofzad The American section of the Palace
!. z-,sct,lritv would in that case have been one
:, .ba first places to suffer. Its ceilings and
-, nero bIackened but no further damage
done
=, oheckinC The flames, and after an hours hard
y = .ro fire was extinguished with compare
.,ra,v slight damage TO portion OF the wood
- beneath the Chateau d'Eau and few
tapestries
The news Of the fire at the Exposition spread
,--,i-l,1v through Paris. and aroused considerable
o-xie-v owing TO the recent severe criticism of
.bA INADEQUATE arrangements to cope with
..oreapratfon. \ column Of smoke issuing from
80 chateau first betrayed the presence of fire
and an alarm was then raised by the me-
cbanics who are still working on the Palace Of
Electricity.
-r1,a FIRE was due 10 the fusing of wires. which
,ri4a5 the scanoldfrg underneath the chateau.
,7ro s-acfaI fire corps attached 10 the Exposition
sv-iz-ed promptly and began the work Of ex-
ringuishing the flames.
Great excitement prevailed among the visitors,
-, 4ocJ<a5 70 the scene The police threw cor
t5ons around the chateau. from which dense
s---oka issued. chiefly through the crevices in
the terraces forming the cascades, but no flames
could be perceived from the outside.
The Minister of Commerce NJ. Millerand; the
r7-efac- IF Police Il. L6pine; the Commissioner
General of the Exposition. N. Picard and Gen
eral Dalsteiz reached the scene quickly and
aided IN the direction Of the police and Fire Bri
gade.
The worknen in the basement had narrow
ESCAPES. but ali were unhurt except three, who
were rescued in a half asphyxiated condition
The outbreak was confined 10 the ground floor
Of the chateau. where much woodwork and dec
oratiee hangings were destroyed
As NJ Lepine feared the fire might have i'm
paired the foundations, he caused the galleries
ard halls underneath the chateau to be evacu-
ated until experts declare there is no danger
Of a collapse
The Fifth Division Of the Paris Exposition con-
ssts OF the EIfe Tower. the Palace Of Electricity
the Chateau d'EaU and the palaces which run along
the sides The construction oe the Palace OF Elec-
tricftv is UNIQUE. Three gigantic fans unfurled
serve as a luminous background 10 the Chateau
4 Eau. The d.adem which tops the whole edifice
consists Of concentric rays OF light, in which is
statue in a niche called the Fairy Of Electricity
Sne is leading two horses that are the symbols OF
Science and Strength
The Chateau d'Eau is constructed in the shape
of 4 gigantic hemisphere. whose opening is 80
metres wide and = metres deep. II contains
series Of basins. from which the luminous wafer
flows in cascades and jets The chateau IS covered
with groups and figures symbolic Of Water Fire
and Light and 1869 lamps are utilized Tor the
Chateau alone The wires and cables 10 convey
electricftv 10 the chateau 95 kilometres long.
Behind the facades Of Lre side palaces which con-
sisr Of long lines OF loggias separated by ornate
Uavilions. whose domes tower above the Iogglas
are long lines Of upper and lower galleries. which
contain the universal exhibits Of civil engineering
hygiene. education. etc