The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-15
Loss IN BRUSSELS
NEAR $5O,OOO,OOO
Exposition Fire One of Most
Destructive in Worlds
History.
BURNED AREA PUT
UNDER MARTIALLAW
LooteTs Appear IN Ruins-Attempt
viii Be Made TO Reopen
Section.

BRUSSELS, Aug. I5.-CarefUl esti-
mates made this afternoon by the Bel
gian Exposition officials put the total
amount Of damage done by fire last
night and early today at S50.0ooso00-
This makes 1t one OF the most de-
structive fires in the history OF the
world
The insurance on the exhibitions here
will cover but a fraction OF the loss, it
Is believed. Yet several French com
paniss which handled most Of the in
suralce are reported hard hit
Only two bodies had been recovered
at noon, when the known dead were
officially announced The list was
sweued, however, by che many persons
missing.
Il was announced today that the OK
position would continue open with the
few buildings remaining. efforts being
made 10 repair such as were not en-
tiBely destroyed
Martial Law Prevails.
The smoking ruins are pracLcaliy
- under martial law
Not q building in the magnificent fair
grounds escaped damage or destruction
in the flames which swept on with panic
spreading speed last night
Some Of the wild animals that C.
CaDed from the menaEerle were Today
FriI AT larEe. Others had been captured
and. some had been shot down In jungle
like hunts in the outer districts OF ter
rorized Brussels
Sharks. carried by a high wind, not
o1sv spread the flames within che fair
grounds. but carried them beyond 10
the residential districts in the vicinity,
Through the night special trains ar
rived from every part Of Belgium bear
ing additional flre-fiEhIlnE apparatus
The continental engines and other aR-
paratus, however, proved Inadequate,
and the blaze burned itself out, despite
the use Of dynamite
Exposition Records Destroyed
When daylight came the main Of
fees OF the exposition were in ruins,
with all the records Of the fair de-
stroved- Because of this no prstense
Of distributing awards or models can
be made
Dawn found the English and French
buildings in -Uins and the Russian, Jap
auese. Norwegian, Danish, Chinese, and
American buildings stiH burning
From the time that the crowd Of Ioo,-
OC0 packed in the grounds ard the ad-
Joining pleasure park. the keTuesse.
were thrown into panic at o'clock last
night by the sign of fire. the ChrpuEs
never left the vicinity Of the grounds
and grew constantly
The police, aided by the troops who
were summoned at the first alarm.
drove them from the fair grounds. but
could not keep clear the district about
the FIRE The work Of the fremeu, al
most hopeless at best. was seriously
hampeTed by the tEronEs-
This confusion was increased by the
terror Of the inhabitants Of the entire
section Of Brussels lying in the vicinity
Of the grounds.
Hundreds Are Homeless.
The destruction Of homes on the side
Of the Avenue SoIbesch opposite 10 that
occupied by the paviIIous not only rem
dered several hundred persons homeless.
but sent thousands OF others % the open
places IN panic
The majority refused 10 return to
their homes, either joining the curl
Gus crowds or Juggling their house
hold goods 10 parks or the middle Of
streets. there 10 enCamD in tents made
Of rugs, or entirely unprotected
According 10 the fair officials. the
greatest loss is not Industrial, but
artistic Invaluable exhibits. cover
ing many phases Of historic and all
branches Of art have been totally de
SIroEeC- They can never be replaced
With Robins Femme ACcroUpie. in
Ene French section were eight CODE
lin rana[r~rlE and Of far
paintings ranging in age from the
pTimitives 10 the imprcssiouists.
some OF the attendants risked their
lives 10 save the art treasures. at
tempting TO cut the pictures from the
frames and 10 pull the tapestries from
the walls But so rapidly did the
flames spread through the dfmSy
temporary buildings that the would
be reSCuerS We're N nearly every in
many Of them being compelled to
jump from windows or TO smash an
exit open through walls against which
they had been trapped
British Loss IncaI~uIabIe.
Much that was in the English build
ing can never be replaced one Of
the most noted features Of the Brit
ISL section was the famous Tudor
paneIlfnE belonging 10 the Toronto
Museum
There was besides a $780, col
lection of historic furniture borrow