The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-20
MISSOURI BUILDING
WENT UP IN SMOKE
FIRE WAS SPECTACULAR
Avn FIREMEN WE'RE KILLED OR
FATALLY INJURED.

r-uck of the worlds Fair Fire De-
partment Left the Road, Owing to
the Darkness-One Man Was KILL
ed and Two Others Injured When
a Tree Was Struck-Persons Were
overcome in the Building and
Rescued by Firemen.
st. Louis Nov. 19.-The Missouri
state building at the Worlds Fair was
destroyed by fire early this evening
resulting from the explosion of hot
water heater in the basement. In
santly the flames shot up through the
rotunda and the north wing and cupola
were a solid mass of flames within
ten minutes after the explosion.
The loss cannot be estimated accur-
ately, owing to the temporary con-
struction material, which has no SAL
wage value The principal loss is in
the contents of the building. The
bui]ding cost $145,O00 and in it were
$4,000 worth of furnishings, the most
valuable of which were portraits of
all former Missouri Governors and Su-
preme judges. These cannot be re-
placed
The fire was the most spectacular
that has occurred in st. Louis in
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 cupola.
Sparks were carried over the United
States government building and as
far northwest as the Liberal Arts pal
ace. Bucket brigades were hurried
10 the roofs of these buildings to pre-
vent ignition.
Meantime from all quarters of the
grounds the fire departments had
responded and were augmented by
apparatus from the city department.
Salvage corps were formed by both
Jefferson Guards and the Worlds Fair
visitors and as much property as
could be secured within a few mo-
ments was carried into the Louisiana
State pavilion adjacent.
Mrs. Belle Hall Small of Seda1ia,
Mo, one of the state hostesses, rush
ed into her apartments in the build
ing to secure some valuables. A fire.
man followed her into the smoke and
found her lying on the floor overcome.
Placing a wet handkerchief over her
face, he carried her into the open air,
where she was revived.
J. P. Nixon of Lebanon, Mo-, an
attache of the building, was overcome
by smoke, while carrying some prop
erty out doors. He also was rescued
by a fireman and was carried in an un-
scious condition to the Wisconsin build
ing, where he was revived.
While responding to the alarm of fire
Capt Edward O'Neil of the Worlds
Fair truck No. was seriously hurt,
George Garbenbach was killed and
Jeremiah Fagin of the same company
was probably fatally injured.
1t was necessary for the truck to
pass through the mining gulch and
owing to the darkness the horses left
the road.
They separated, when approaching a
large tree, the pole striking the OBJ
struction with terrific force, upsetting
the truck and hurting the crew in
every direction.
Buried Beneath Wall.
After the flames were under con-
trol and had been sufficiently eXin-
guished to permit the firemen to en-
ter the building the south wall fell
without warning and buried Lloyd
Randolph, driver of city engine No.
Is and Frank O'Connor of city truck
No. 3. Several others only escaped
by small margin.
Several streams of water were in
stantly directed upon the debris COW
ertng the men and they were rescued
before the fire spread to where they
We're entombed. They were badly
bruised and it is thought Randolph is
fatally injured.