The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-11-23
FIRE AT WORLDS FAIR.
MISSOURI STATE BUILDING
GOES UP IN SMOKE.
Hot. Water Heater in the Basement
Blows Up-Explosion Causes
Blaze-One Fremen Meets
Death and Several Are
Iniured-Loss Is
About$225, 900.
About $225,0 600.

IL utu1O0 Aooo 10
About 1926, 900.
Worlds Fair Grounds, St. Louis,
Nov. 19.-The Missouri state build
ing was destroyed by fire tonight,
resulting from the explosion Of a.
hot.water heater in the 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 explosion. The loss cannot be
estimated accurately, owing to the
temporary nature of the construc-
tion material, which has no salvage
value. The principal loss is in the
contents of the building. The.
building cost $145, 900, and in the
building were s75, 900 worth of
furnishings, the most valuable of
which were portraits of ex-Missou-
ri governors and supreme judges.
These cannot be replaced.
The fire was the most spectacu-
lar that has occurred in St. Louis
in years. Thousands of persons
hurried from all portions of the
grounds, attracted by the sheet of
flames that spurted from the top
Of the cupolas, making far great
er brilliancy than the illumination
of all the buildings. A wind was
blowing from the south, and the
flames shot down the northern side
of the cupo1a and met sheet of
flames which enveloped the north
ern wing. Instantly the building
was afame from top to bottom, in
the northern half. Sparks were
carried over the United States build.
ing as far northwest as the Liberal
Arts Palace. Bucket brigades were
4 hurried to; The roofs Of these build.
ings, preventing ignition.
Meantime from all quarters of the
grounds the fire departments had
responded and were augm ented by
other fire departments. Salvage
corps were formed by both Jeffer.
son Guards and Worlds Fair visit.
ors, and as much property as could
be secured within a few moments
was carried into the Louisiana state
pavilion. Eight streams of water
poured into the burning building
with apparently little effect, the fire
steadily eating its way until only E
. portion of the south wing was left
standing.
M. T. Davis, president Of the
Worlds Fair commission, was ir
the building when the explosion oc
Cured. He said:
"The building as it stood. witt
: all the furnishings, cost in th'
neighborhood of 1926, 900. Ther'
was not dollar of insurance. I
we had endeavored to sell the build
ing. we could not probably have re
allied more than $500O."
Mrs. Bell Hall Small, of Sedalia
Mo-, one of the state hostesses
rushed into her apartments in tn
building to secure some valuables
A firemen followed her into tn
smoke and found her lying on tn,
floor, overcome. Placing a we
handkerchief over her face he car
ried her into the open air, wher
she revived.
After the flames were under con
troll and had been sufficiently ex
tinguished to admit the fremen en-
tering the building the south wal
fell without warning and burie,
i Lloyd Randolph; driver of the cit
engine No. %, and Frank O'Con
nor, of the city truck No. 9. Sew
eral others only escaped by smal
margin. George Carenbach wa
killed and Jerry Pagan was proba
bly, fatally injured, both Of tn
Worlds Fair truck No. 4. It wa
necessary fot the truck to pas
through the mining gulch and ow
ing to the darkness the horses los
" the road. They separated whe
( approaching large tree, the sspol
striking the obstruction with terri
fic force, upsstting the truck an
hurling the crew in every direction
Several streams of water were In
stantly directed upon the iebri
covering the men, and they wer
rescued before the fire spread t
where they were entombed. Th
] men were badly bruised, and it
J thought that Randolph is fatal
injured. Four hours after the fiji
was discovered Chief Swingley, {
the st. Louis department, annount
ed that the fire was extinguishee
/ Some pillars of smoke continued