New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-15
S1OO,OOO,0OO Loss
IN BRUSSELS FIRE
Flames Destroy Practically All
the Buildings of the
Exposition.
TWO DEAD; THIRTY INJURED
Crowds Caught in Kermesse-
Fierce Struggles to Reach
Safety-Animals Aban-
doned-Troops Busy.

r-usselS Aug. 1.-THE White City OF
.Ae Worlds Fair" as the Belgians have
called their 1910 exposition. is tonight
E mass Of flames and smouldering
-rirs Two persons We're killed ard at
,.ast thirty were hurt. 4 spark falling
,,-o irf7anan7ahle material in the Tele-
v-anh Building burst into flames. which,
s-iver BY high wind. swept RAPIDLY in
~ directions soon the Belgian. Eng
sch and French sections were in flames
The freren and detachments of sol
5isrs. called quickly to the scene. found
themselves haf7ed by the gale. which
',s--ied the burning embers 10 all parts
Of the grounds.
The loss in the fire is estimated at
I'm naa 600 francs 00.000.000(. The
diamond exhibitors are heavy sufferers.
The fire vas finally got under con-
.-o1 The Belgian and English sections
s-A ~ ruins. while all the other sections,
;-r,Ddirg the American. were partly de
stroyed.
Psr5z II thieves engaged in pillage.
I'D. soldier was stabbed while attempt
--g - arrest rhree men whom he found
rf47rg 4 ievelrr exhibit
Jewels and Archives Lost.
NAM fewe1 exhibitors were unin-
s,r-e5 N the French art section the
rrfosless Gobelins paintings and sculpt-
rra were ruined. as were the rich
--assvres in the English. Belgian. Per
sian and Turkish sections. All the
archives we're burned. and il Will there
fore Re impossible TO confer medals and
diplomas.
The FIRE vas due TO a short circuit In
addition 10 the panic that prevailed in
The Kermesse. there We're several minor
parics ~ other points within the
GROUNDS. and women and children were
crushed down in the rush. Some of the
Wild animals escaped from their cages
and added terror TO the scene. It is be
Leved that several Of them are still at
large
To the left Of the main building rose
the picturesque roofs and spires Of
'B-rxelles's Kermesse.'' 4 Belgian Coney
Island. with water cautes. tcboggan
slides and scores Of side shows This
-Yfz-e vas alive with Sunday crowds. and
before they could be gotten out with
any serDlance Of order. the Kermesse
Was afre The crowds became panic
stricken. and men. women and children
fought nadly to escape The exits be
came choked with the struggling masses.
and men used their fists to clear the
pathway Many were trampled under
fort and badly injured.
Attempt to Blow Up Buildings.
An engineer CORPS from Antwerp at
tempted 10 blow up with dynamite the
bridge of the French section in the hope
OF checking the fire. but the flames
lsaped across and attacked the Italian,
Russian Austrian. japanese. Chinese
and Norwegian buildings. Forty houses
on the Avenue Solboscfl. adjoining the
exposition. were destroyed
At the time Of the outbreak not fewer
than one hundred thousand persons We're
IN the grounds and the Kermesse- Troops
were ordered out and came at double
quick Il aid the police in clearing the
great grounds. This was accomplished in
far order except within the limits of
the heT1nesse. where the vast crowds be
came e1tangled in an almost inextricable
mass. fighting desperately TO find an
escape from the flames, which swept
Tieiously through the tinder-like struct-
ures
ne enormous facade soon tumbled in
ruins. Considering the rapidity Of the
confagratlon. the small loss Of life is
marvellous
As the flames reached the menagerie.
i vas decided to shoot the beasts. bu:
the heat drove hack the soldiers. and the
ANIMALS We're left to their fate
Berigms White City stood near the end
q me Avenue Louise the fashionable park
c-lEe which, on the west side of Brussels.
-eads Qua 10 the beautiful Bots de la
-an1re. The National Building. that Of
Inc Belgian section. rose majestically on a
Sls1i e'evation facing the main entrance.
To re left % the main building was the
kernesse
= magnificent Quadrilateral of gardens
Was surrounded by +he four concessions of
Ffanr". Germany. Holland and Italy. The
italian tsviljon was built after the Renats-
Ao7ce s.y.e Of the fourteenth century The
''fman section was grouped around the
man PAVILION. Eight large halls were de
'''@c = exhibits Of railroad companies.
esflel1Tral machines. art and education.
-he Netherlands section included an ele-
Fated roadbed.
vhe o. the most striking features Of the
French section was the Palace Of Agri-
culture and Horticulture special paVilioIas
"e4hg devoted 10 Tunis, MAZDA sascar. Al
eerla- Western Africa and Indo-China. The
spanish pavilion offered remarkable re
PRODUCTION Of the Alhambra Palace. at
Nfenada. The Court Of Lions and several
u NE ruins of state were represented, in
winch the Spanish government exhibited
s'he ofsits national treasures. such as
0l-s'fies, paintings, armors and jewels OF
me former royal families
An Interesting feature Of the fair was
ne House of Rubens which was the Of
-siai pavilion OF Antwerp. Besides repre-
'ehtauve exhibits of all branches Of local
"enHlty the pavilion contained q retro
SpecNVe exhibition of Flemish art of the
nuoens period. II was announced some
N'He before the opening Of the exhibition
mat many of the leading museums of the
No'id would contribute masterpieces IN
Their Possession
ne fCnited States Congress failed 10
sam ar appropriation for the purpose Of
-" american exhibit AT the exposition. but
section Of 5000 square feet was set aside
americans on the assurance Of the