The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-04-07
CONVENTION HALL DESTROYED.
The Lathrop School, Second PreSby-
terian Church and Many other
Buildings In Ruins.


Total los. 1901, 900; total insur-
anoe. ss61. 600.
CouyeOtion hall. $3.50, 900. The
building cost about slS5. 900; there
viii - sSoSt :ss,e0o savage ia .oaa-
datiO0s etc. Insured for $3.50, 500,
Second Presbyterian church, u.s..
600. Parsonage and contents, sl5, 600;
insured for only tes, 500.
LAthDp school s35, 600; insured FOR
ss5. 900.
Williamson fats, IS 1000; contents.
IS, 900. Building Insured for s45, 900
and contents for 5 1900.
Miscellaneous losses, $4,000. PROB
ably half covered BY insurance.
Convention hall - Wednesday a
magnificent structure under whose
roof thousands might assemble; today
crushed stone, broken brick and
twisted iron.
The Lathrop S~chOol-Wednesday a
place where 500 children pursued
their studies; today four bare walls.
The Second Presbyterian church
"Wednesday an edihce in which hun.
dreds were accustomed TO gather for
services OF devotion; today rOofess
with its tall spire measured on the
ground.
This Is part OF the record Of what
was in many respects the most dis
aStrOus hire which Kansas City ever
knew. In was not a confagration
which affected one home, one firm or
one company, but IL touched at some
point nearly every family OF greater
KansasC City. The public auditorium,
the church and the schOOl-no three
more important buildings could have
been found in the city.
The IRE. which started 10 COnven-
tion hall, leaped across Central street
to the church and school and then ate
its way through buildings on every
side. As a spectacle it was a sight
such as Is rarely seen, and with a
furious wind dsshing the flames and
burning brands against the houses Of
the neighborhOOd it seemed for a time
that the disaster would be ever
greater than ii was.
So complete was the destruction
that when the smoke cleared away it
was found thai Of Convention hall,
that great building erected by the
voluntary contributions Of thousands
OF loyal friends Of Ks2sas City, there
remained nothing but the walls. The
yellow brick in these walls had been
b~lackened by the dingy smoke, the
stone had been heated untilit crumb-
led away like sand, the steel Sirders,
TO raise which had been the work Of
dozens Of men aud mighty machinery,
had been twisted like so many strips
OF tin, and lay 10 an entsngled net.
work over what had been the floor Of
the arena. Like 50 many sentineis
the line Of COrinthian columns around
the building stood upright, but their
capsheafs had fallen and their
strength was gone, and safety OF
passers-by required their demolition.
The one great question was, How
did the FIRE start" aud there we're
many theories and many rumors.
John 2. LoOmas, manager Of the
hall, said:
There are but two possible eI.
plantations. Either the fire was Of
i~ncendiary origin, or it started from
the electric wires. / had the building
thoroughly cleaned Tuesday, and
all the inlammable material was
taken out. There had not been auy
Dire 10 the boiler since the democratic
meeting % Monday night, aud there
was no tire OF any kind 10 the build.
ing. The current for the arc lights
was not turned on, but the incandes-
cent current a The carpenters
had been working on the roof, and
the %jauitOr and the other net who
had been in the building were either
10 the front part Of the ball or at
dinner.
Chief Hale is OF the opinion that
; the FIRE was Of incendiary origin. He
, said
"Of course, | got there too late L
4, form an exact opinion OF what va
/. the origin OF the IRE. but | am OF The
opinion that ii was started by some
one bent on mischief.
A few minutes before the fr'
started a negro %janitor 10 the build
ing saw two men back OF the galleric.
= on the second floor smoking cigars
: He watched them go behind th,
stage, aud then ordered them t
o leave the house, as smoking behinC
a the stage was not allowed. Thel
9 left, but the fire started 10 a few
d minutes after they bad gone
: 1t has been suggested that there i
a way, and a simple one enough, 4
1 take care OF the convention with
out depending on the Conven
v ton hall at all. There is the Expo
sitiOn building occupying the full
block bounded by Kansas and Agne
avenues and Thirteenth and -Four
|, teenth streets. II would not take
great deal OF money TO put this i
= shape TO accommodate any conyer
ton that ever was held.
y This building is about twice Tn
a size Of Convention hail on the GROUND
+. being 450T2j0 feet. II could readil
be fitted TO eat 25, 900 people.
J. T. Holmes, who owns the Exp,
q sitlOn building, was seen. He sal
!. that IL Kansas City wanted ii b
would be glad 10 contribute Ii
building without rent charge Of an
kind.