Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-09-15


and IN only few minutes became un
comfortable. The alarm was sent in
10 the downtown department and the
entire force rushed To the fair grounds
upon being Informed that II they hur
ried they could save a portion OF ihy
building, But despite the fact mat ihfy
made record breaking dash, by the
time they arrived on the scene OF the
catastrophe. tho entire stand wa
burning. Then II was too late even
10 attempt 10 save the building ana ~.
tention was turned to floral hall and
other nearby buildings, which al
though they were ignited by the
flames on several occasions, were
saved
When the hremen arrived at the
grounds, Fireman Quilter with the
aid of several Of the eoncessioncrs ard
night watchmen had already succeed.
ed IN attaching one lead OF hose 20
the hydrant. and were doing every.
thing In their power 10 eXtmguisA
the flames. Two more leads Of hose
were attached making three streams
=. OF water which was being poured onto
the flames without any results.
Twice the floral hall ignited from
the sparks which scared into the air
but the fremen succeeded in putting
Il out before Il gained any Roadway
threatened 10 spread TO the racing
stables and stock sheds but such was
prevented as a result OF the water
turned into them.
No Chance to Save Concessions.
There was no chance OF saving the
concessions along the main pike. The
ampitheater burst into flames so sud.
denly and spread so tasty that the
concessioners didn't even have time
10 remove any of their property. IN
stead they were forced away By the
extreme heat and watched their tents
burn 10 the ground In some cases
men awoke to find themselves sur
rounded by flames. Tents more than
$50 feet distant were irnited by the
sparks and burned to the ground.
Awakes To Find Tent In Flames.
In one case one of the concession
ers awoke shortly after the fire broke
out. to find his tent roaring mass Of
flames. He dashed from the tent in
order that he might save his life. Be
ing the owner OF a large two ton Ford
truck which was standing along side
of the ampitheater. and which was
loaded with several hundred dollars
worth of kewpie dolls and other carni-
val paraphernalia. and which also con
tanned money box in which he had
placed all his earnings OF the week, he
made an attempt to save IT, He had
started the machine and was just
pulling away from the burning build
ing when he killed his engine He
Jumped from the seat OF the car ana
attempted TO crank the automobile
again. but because Of the heat he wac
forced to retreat. The gasoline tank
in the machine shortly afterward eX-
ploded and the car went up in a cloud
of smoke. Two other FOrds, one of
which was a touring car and the other
p truck. parked close 10 the stand were
destroyed.
In other cases the concessioner and |
his family we're routed from their |
tents just in time 10 watch it collapse.
leaving their money. clothes and Other
valuables to be burned.
The owner of the monkey race
track also made ali attempt to save lis
animals but because of the intense
heat and the fact that his tent was al
ready ablaze. he too was forced tG
run to safety.
Eating stands, about four OF them,
were also burned In some cases one
or two of the stands were moved a
way from the flames without being
burned or charred.
Guilt Traced To lncerdiary.
This morning members Of the fire
department are positive in their state
ments that the fire was the work OF an
incendiary. The smell of smoke was
first discovered about 1880 O'Clock
and less than five minutes later the
entire structure was in flames That
the building was burned so quickly
and that the flames spread so tasty
is based on the fact that the fire liend
must have saturated the wooden build
ing with oil before applying the brand
Second Ampitheatre Fire.
The structure is the second ampi-
theatre which has burned on the OF
tawa Fair grounds, Eleven years ago
the old ampitheatre was burned, sup
posedly by an incenary nature. The
fine new structure was erected after
that
viii Rebuild Next Spring.
Directors of the Fair grounds stated
today that they would erect a new
lireproof structure OF concrete ano
steel in the spring.
A temporary bleacher viii be erect
ed this fall to accommodate the crowds
at the ball games.
MnTICE n A n