GREAT FIRE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 35

GREAT FIRE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR.

The buildings of tho Chicago World's Fair and a great number of uuremoved foreign exhibits were consumed by fire on tho night of January 8. The sight is said to have been one of terrible magnificence. The sky was clear and starry, and Lake Michigan's broad expanse reflected the light of tho ascending flimes. The fire started in the casing, jus>t east oE tho agriculture building, and south of the peristyle, and its origin is said to have been incendiarism. Two tramps had been kicked out of the music ball building by the solitary guard. They left in the direction of the casino.

Soon after the fire broke out terror and confusion ensued. All the American exhibit© were long ego removed, bub the formalities by the customhouse had detained the goods of foreigners. The impression was general that the loss by water was even greater than by fire. The Federal officers pub the loss ht 1,000, 000d0U On the other hand, estimates by people connected with the local directory made the highest figure 1,500,000d01. Three days before tho fire the number of packages awaiting shipment was — Manufactures, 11,974 ; midway plaisance, 1300 ; fine arts, 780 ; woman's, 819 ; hortiteulture, 1000 ; transporting, 600 ; mining, 135$ ;' electricity, 1607 ; agriculture, 1800 ; and 1680' s«attered in other buildings ; — total, 23,654 p^o^gea. Less than 14,000 packages had been ,«JwiM?Bd away priou to December 26.