The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-08-15
GREAT BELGIAN EXPOSITION 10
SWEPT BY FIRE DURING
HEAVY GALE.
HUNDRED MILLIONS LOST
Beautiful Buildings, Filled With
Priceless Exhibits OF Machinery,
Jewels and Relics, Are Smoiderino
Runs--Panio sei4es the Thousands
Of Sunday Visitors.

4 brussels, Aug. i4.-Firc swept the
great Belgian exposition tonight. The
flames We're given impetus by II high
wind and soon destroyed the Belgian,
English ana French sections.
1 the White city Of the worlds fair.
as Belgians have called their 1910
/ exposition. w tonight n mass OF flames
ana smoldering ruins A spark falling
| INTO inflammabie material iii the tele-
graph building burst into flames which.
driven BY high wind. swept rapidly
~ all directions. Soon the belgian.
English ana French sections we're de-
stroyed. The fireinen and detachments
of soldiers called to the scene found
themselves baffIed by the gale. which
carried the burning embers 10 all parts
Of the grounds. The loss is estimated
at 100000, 600
To the left or the main building rose
.he picturesque roofs and spires of
nr"zeiies kermes2. Belgium Coney
isiahd, with water chutes, tnboggan
slides and scores OF sideshows. This
place was alive witsi Sunday crowds
and before they could be gotten out
with any semblancc OF order, the Ker-
inesz was afire. The crowds became
panic-strlcken and men, women ana
children fought madly To escape. The
exits became ch0ked with the strur
Cling masses and men used their fists
TO clear the pathway Many were
! trampled under foot and badly in
jnred.
An engine corps from Antwerp ~
tempted to dynamite the building IN
the French section In the hone ~
cnecking the fire, but the flnmes leaned
across and enguifed the Italian. Rus
sian, Austrian. Japanese, Chinese and
Norwegian buildings. Forty houses
on the Avenue Solboch. adjoining the
exposition, were destroyed.
Remarkable Escape.
~ The time of the outbreak, not less
lhan 100000 persons were In the
grounds and the Kermesz. Troons
We're ordered ouf and came al double.
quick TO aid the police In clearing ina
great grounds. This was Accomplished
In falr order, except within the limits
of the kermesz. where the vast crowds
became entangled In an almost IN
eNtricable mass. fighting desperately
10 ilnd an escape from the fIames.
Which swept vigorously through the
.ihder-iike structures. Soon the enor
nous facade tumbled In ruins. Can.
siderihg the rapidity of the conflagra,
lion, the small loss OF life Is marva-
lous. SO far az Is known up to n
late hour tonight. only two are drnd
me injured, as officially announced
number 30, but probably many INN.
dreds received minor hurts
AS the flames reached the men.
agerie II was decided to shoot the
beasts, but the heat drove back M.
soldiers and the animals were left N
'heif iate' The multitude of people
were drpeh back to safe distance
ana watched the thrilling spectacle OF
lhe obstruction OF the White CITY.
Iongles Of fire mounted high into
the heavens and flaming cmbers were
carried of by the wind and fell ,Ipon
.he residences beyond. setting them
ON fire.
The fire finally was gotten under
control The Belgian ana English
sections are In ruins, while all tho
other sections. including the American
We're partly destroyed. Bands OF thieves
engaged in pilage and soldier was
stabbed while attempting To arrest
three men whom he found rifline =
Jewelry exhibit
Losses Enormous.
The aggregate loss will be enormous
The diamond exhibits are heavy suf-
ferers. Belgiums White city stood
near the end of the Avenue Loulsa
the fashionable park drive upon The
west side of the Brussels, which lends
out TO the beautiful Boise In combre
The national building rose maIestieal-
~ on slight elevation facing the
main entrance. To tho left Of the main
building was the kermesz magnifi
cent quadrllatteral Of the gardens was
surrounded by the four concessions of
france Germany, Holland and Italy.
The Italian pavilion was built after
the Rennaissance style of the four
teenth century. The German section
was grouped around the main pa
yilion. Eight large halls were devoted
to exhibits Of railroad companies. ag.
ricnltural machinery art and ednea-
tion. The Netherlands SECTION inalnl-
ed an elevated road bed,
Priceless Exhibits.
One OF the most striking features
OF the French section was the palace
of agriculture and horticulture. special
pavIlions being devoted 10 Tnnls, Mad,
agasear. Algeria, western Afriea and
Indo- China. The Spanish pavilion of-
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