Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-11-23
MISSOURI BUILDING BURNS.
First Great Fire Loss at the St. Louis
Exposition.

St. Louis, Nov. 19.-The Missouri
state building was destroyed by fire
tonight. resulting from the explosion
OF hot water heater IN tho basement.
Instantly the flames shot up through
the rotunda. and the north wing and
cupola were solid mass Of flames
within ten minutes after the explo-
sion. The loss can not be estimated
accurately, owing to the temporary
nature of the construction material.
which has no salvage value. The prin-
cipal loss Is in the contents Of the
building. The building cost Sli5,00O.
and In the building were $4,000 worth
of furnishings. the most valuable of
which were portraits OF former Mis-
souri, governors and supreme judges.
These cannot be replaced.
The fire was the most spectacular
that has occurred in st. Louis In ten
years. Thousands of persons hurried
from all portions OF the grounds at
tracted by the sheet of flames that
spurted from the top of the cupolas
making "a far greater brilliancy than
the illumination of all the buildings.
A wind was blowing from the south.
and the flames shot down the north
ern side of the cupola and met sheet
of flame which enveloped the north
ern wing. Instantly the building was
allame from top to bottom In the
northern half. Sparks were carried ov-
er the United States government
building as far northwest as the lib
eral arts palace.
Meantime from all quarters OF the
grounds the fire departments had re-
sponded and were augmented by APP
paratus from the city department. Sal
wage corps were formed by both JET
ferson guards and worlds fair visit
ors, and as much property as could
be secured within few moments was
carried into the Louisiana state pawn
ion adjacent.
Eight streams OF water poured into
the burning building with apparently
little effect. the fire steadily eating its
way until only a portion OF the south
wing was left standing.
NJ. T. Davis. president OF the
worlds fair commission, was in the
building when the explosion occurred.
He said:
"The building as IL stood, with all
the furnishings, cost in the neighbor-
hood of 1925, 900. There was not dol
lar of insurance. n we had endeaver-
ed to sell the building we could not
probably have realized more than $5,-
OO0."
After the flames were under control
and had been sufficiently extinguish-
ed to admit the firemen entering The
building, the south wall fell without
warning and buried Lloyd Randolph,
driver of city engine No. 2S and Frank
O'Connor of city truck No. 3. Sever.
al others only escaped by small mar
| gin.
Several streams Of water were in
stantly directed upon the debris COW
ering the men and they were rescued
before the fire spread to where they
were entombed.
The men were badly bruised and II
Is thought Randolph Is fatally muir
| ed.
While responding 10 the alarm oil
fire in the Missouri building, Captain
Edward O'Neill. of the worlds truck
No. 4. was seriously hurt Geo. Caren.
bach was killed and Jerry fagih' OF
the same company. was probably "a
tally injured. II was necessary Tor
the truck 10 pass through the min'
inc g,lch and owing to the darkness,
the horses left the road. They sep
arated when approaching large tree'
the pole striking the obstruction WIZ
terrific force, upsetting the truck and
hurliug the crew in every dlrect'on'