Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-15
Belgian Worlds Fair at Brus-
sells Almost Wiped 0ut By
Disastrous ConfIagration last
Night,
PROPERTY LOSS ESTIMATED
AT HUNDRED MILLION
Remarkable Escape From
Death Of Throngs Penned in
Fiery Enclosures Two Lose
Lives; Thirty Hurt,

1 "~FNNr~
Brussels Aug. 1i.-Fire swept the
great Belgian exposition tonight. The
flames were driven by high wind
and soon destroyed the Belgian, Eng
! lish and French sections 1t is be-
! ieyed the whole exposition will lie de-
stroyed. Two are dead and thirty in
! jured.
The White city Of the worlds fair
as the Belgians have called their fatU
exposition, IL tonight a mass OF flames
and smoulderng ruins. A spark fall
ing into tnflamabie material IN the
telegraph building burst up In flames.
(which, driven BY a high wind, swept
! rapidly in all directions
soon the Belgian, English and The
French sections were destroyed The
firemen and detaehments Of soldiers
called to the scene found themselves
baffled 10y the gale. which carried the
burning embers to all parts OF ths
grounds. The loss is estimated at
st00,000,O00
To the left of the main building
arose the picturesque roofs and spires
lof "Bruxenes Kermesz." Belgian
lconev Island. with water chuics. to-
busger slileg ord res of side
shows.
This place was alive with SUNDAY
crowds and before they could be got
ten out with any semblance OF order
the kermesz was afite. The crowds
became panic stricken aud men, wo-,
men and children fought madly 10 cs-
cape The exits became rholted with
the struggling masses ana men used
their fists to clear the pathway Many
were trampled under foot and badly
injured.
An engineer corps from Antwerp
attempted to dynamite the buildings
in the French section In the hope of
Checking the fire but the flames leap
cd across and engulfed the Italian,
Russian aud Austrian, Japanese. Chi
nese and Norwegian buildings, Forty
houses on the Avenue Soboeh. ad-
Joining the exposition, were destroyed.
At the time Of the outbreak not less
than 100, 600 persons were circulating
in the grounds and the Kermesz.
Troops were ordered out and came at
double quick to aid tho police In clear
ing the great grounds This was ao-
compished Ia fair order except with
In the limits Of Kermesz, where the
vast crowds became cntungled in an
IA lmost inextricable mass. fighting des-
TO find an escape from the
rlames. which swept vciously through
.hc tInder like structures.
soon the enormous facade tumbleG
ii tins Considering the rapidity OF
ne anflagration the small loss of
.f. a rarVelous. SO far as is known
fY .u te hour tonight only two
irr d..d The injured, as officially
, ..na1u,sd number thirty, but prob
.Il m1rt hHudreds received minor
AZ ts
A. Ia lsme4 reached the menag-
,rle IL ,rn. f 500 "a shoot the beas.S
nut the neat drove back the soldiers
md the animals were LEFT to their
ate. The multitude Of people were
Irlven back 70 safe distance and
watched the thrilling spectacle Of the
destruction of the White City Tongues
+ fire mounted high Into tha heavens
nd flaming embers were carried off
W the wind and fell upon the resi-
iencos beyond setting them on fire.
The fire was finally gotten under
ontrol Tho Belgian and English
sctions are in ruins while all the 9TH
r sections. including the American.
ere partly destroyed
Bands OF thieves engaged in pillage
nd soldier was stabbed while at
empting 10 arrest three men whom
% found rifiing "a jewelry exhibit.
The aggregate loss will be enor-
,ous The diamond exhibits are
cavy sufferers.
Belgium's white city stood near the
nd OF the Avenue Louise, the FASH
,na bic park drive which on the west
de OF BRUSSELS leads out to the beau
ful Bots de La Cambre. The ma
cnal building that of the Belgian
,ction. rose maicsticaliy on q slight
.evation facing the main entrance
o the left of the main building was
ie Kermesz
A magnificent auadrilaterai of the
lrdens was surrounded by the four
,neessions of France. Germany. Hol-
nd and Italy The Italian pavilion
as built after the renaissance style
the Fourteenth century. The Ger
an section was grouped around the
ain pavilion. Eight large halls were
voted 70 exhibits OF railroad COM
inies. agricultural machines. art and
iucation The Netherlands section
cluded an elevated roadbed.
one OF the most striking features
the French section was the palace
agriculture ana horticulture. spe-