People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1894 — SWEPT BY FIKE. [ARTICLE]

SWEPT BY FIKE.

The Beauty of the Famous Court of Honor Marred. Flatnea Destroy the Casino, the Peristyle, Music Hail and Part of the Manufactures Building—Lose About 91,000,000. A FIREMAN KILLED. Chicago, Jan. 10.—Fire which started in the Casino at the world’s fair grounds at 5:30 p. m. Monday swept away that building, the flames surging through the handsome Peristyle, leaving a trail of blackened columns and crumbled statues including the handlome quadriga which surmounted the arched entrance to the lake, and leaving in ruins the magnificent Music hall, leaped across the broad avenue and wrapped in their embrace the huge Manufactures’ building, with its mountainous roof, destroying handsome pavilions therein and valuable exhibits packed and awaiting shipment. One fireman was killed and several others injured. The fire, which it is thought was started by tramps, was not extinguished until 2 o’clock this morning, after burning fiercely for eight and one-half hours, and destroying property roughly estimated at 11,000,000. The interior of the Casino, with its open center court and balconies, all made of oil-finished wool, fed the greedy flanf.es, which seemed to reach every corner of the building at once. When it was seen that the fire could not be checked in the Casino, the force was concentrated on the Agricultural building and Peristyle. Extension ladders were raised to the top of the classic bridge, which’forme done of the most beautiful architectural features of the court of honor. It was while mounting this ladder that Fireman Mewers of engine company 61 fell. The ambulance was called and he was carried to St. Luke’s hospital, where he died soon after.

Marshal Green sent a score of men to the Peristyle. He knew that if the fire once reached it it would go to the Music hall. A dozen streams of water were directed against it, but the Casino wall fell in and the exposed timbers of the Peristyle blazed up at once. The fire did not move rapidly. It ate its way to the north deliberately and with an obstinacy which nothing could •top. It drove the firemen before it, and gradually neared the Music hall. The fight was made where the Peristyle and Music hall come together. The fiajnfls crept along unchecked, attacking th< i handsoma Music hall at the north eid of the now ruined Peristyle. The fire was burning over the platform o: the auditorium before the firemen knew it .AH efforts, however, were unavailing. Soon the building was a masi of ruins. The flames leaped across the broad avenue between Music hall and the Manufactures and Liberal Arts edifice, and at 8:4b — three and a quarter hours after t'nef start of the fire—the enormous building blazed up. Some Sparks had escaped the vigilance of the patrols on the promenade. They hs.d crept beneath the boards, and, fahned by the wind, had developed into flame. They burst out almost Simultaneously at four different points—three on the east and one on the west side.

At 1:30 o’clock this morning' the firemen on the roof had succeeded in cutting a hole over the Tiffany exhibit. A rope was lowered and a lead of hose was hauled to the promenade. Then a triple-siamese was made and three engines were coupled on and sent a column of water to the waiting men on the roof. With this stream where it was needed the fire was soon placed under control. At 2 o’clock the fire was out, after burning eight and one»half hours. The killed and injured at the fire are:

William Mackey, 815 Forty-eighth street, pipeman engine company No. 61. Fell from ladder on Peristyle; internally injured and died at Mercy hospital The injured: Capt, Frederick Getz, truck company No. 16; fell from roof of Manufactures building: left leg brazen, chest badly injured and internally hurt; removed to emergency hospital. Eugene Durand, watchman in the French section of the Manufactures building: struck on head by plank; badly cut and bruised; takdn to emergency hospital Capt. Charles Tobey, engine company Na 61: fell from east gallery to Boor: burned about body and legs; removed to emergency hospital The exposition company did not lose a cent on the Casino, Peristyle and Music halt The Casino was built by the Columbian Casino company, which had secured a restaurant-concession, and the Peristyle and Music hall had been transferred to the South park commissioners. The French exhibit, which was located just south of the center of Manufactures building, was the first to succumb to the flames. This exhibit was originally valued at $1,500,000, but the larger portion of it is said to have been moved out. Among the losses enumerated are the bronze statue of war, the imitation jewelry display, Gobelin tapestries, Beurdelois’ exhibit of mosaic and inlaid furniture, the Dore bronze vase, Bon Marche dress exhibit and library of French books. Among other losses in the Manufactures building there were 1.000 cases destined for the midwinter fair at San Francisco. These cases had been collected from all parts of the grounds, from every foreign exhibit at the fair, and had been stored in the Manufactures building to be re warehoused by customs officials and be shipped in customs custody to California.