People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1894 — THE WORLD’S FAIR FIRE. [ARTICLE]

THE WORLD’S FAIR FIRE.

T>.*< Loss to Exhibltora Will Not Exceed 850,000. Chicago. Jan. IL—Nothing remains to mark the spot where the Casino, the Peristyle and Music hall stood but a few charred timbers, blackened stumps of piles and bent and twisted iron work. As viewed from the outside Manufactures building showed but little indication of having been visited by fire. On the west side no sign of damage was to be seen beyond a gap in the clere story 600 feet in length. On the east side the gap in the clere story was 200 feet longer than on the west side, while a blackened hole in the cornice 100 feet in length showed where the fire had made another breach. But inside there were abundant evidences of a fire. The floor of the space occupied by the French and British sections was covered with water, slush, ice, and the sediment left by chemical fire extinguishers an inch deep. Packing qpses soaked with water and coated with ice were scattered about in wild confusion. Exhibitors with their packers picked iheir way through the puddles trying to ascertain the extent of their loss. They were much gratified to find this was not so great by half as'it had been estimated the night before.

The total loss to exhibitors will not exceed 150,000, 345,000 of which will fall on the French section. The countries having goods in the building, the number. of cases, their value and the loss, all estimated, for none of the exhibitors were able to give exact figures. will be found in the following table:

Number countries. cases. Value. Loss. France 7uo S3>O,UOO 846,000 Great Britain 400 120,000 2,000 Germanyl.ooo 250,000 500 Russia 300 90,000 1,000 Japan.l,2oo 100,000 Nothing Austria 300 120,000 Nothing Mexico 350 75,000 100 Italy 250 100,000 300 Spain 350 70,000 200 Switzerland 75 ' 2.500 Nothing Denmark. 80 2,400 Nothing

T0ta13,005 81,280,000 848,100 Among the world’s fair directors the first feeling over the big fire was one of regret and sadness. Director General Davis expressed the sentiments of many when he said: ‘'lt is but the beginning of the end. The perfection has gone from the Court of Honor, and I look for a general acquiesence on the part of the public in the total demolition of our dream.” The question “Who will pay the loss?” is answered in various ways. The French exhibitors declare that the exhibition company is responsible and talk of entering suit Collector Clark said that the government was not responsible for a cent and an exposition official said that the exposition was not responsible. Insurance policies expired with the fair. Some of the exhibits were reinsured, but the goods in the French section carried no insurance.