Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1900 — BIG HALL IN RUINS. [ARTICLE]

BIG HALL IN RUINS.

THE KANSAS CITY CONVENTION BUILDING IS BURNED. Grcul Auditorium In Which the National Democratic Convention Was to Have Been Held Is a Total Loss— Will Pc Rebuilt Without Delay. The Kansas City convention hail, the largest auditorium in the United States, with perhaps orte exception, and in which the Democratic national convention was to brtve lieen held, caught tire shortly afler 1 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. The fire started In the roar,, and, the be'autftfiil building was soon a muss ’of Haines. The firemen could do but little but to attempt to save surrounding property. Half an hour after the fire was discovered the roof fell in with a crash. The Second Presbyterian Church nearby caught fire, unit is almost a total loss. The fire next spread to a row of threestory fiats, and the Airline flats, an apartment, was threatened. The Lathrop school caught tire, but. the pupils were marehed out in safety. The convention hall cost about a quarter of a million, and is insured. Before the roof of the building fell $10,(100 had been subscribed by spectators to rebuild (he hall, and it is claimed the entire amount will be raised in a short time by public subscription. The directors of the burned building say it will be rebuilt, and be ready for the opening of the Democratic convention on July 4.