A serious conflagration occurred in Peking on the night of March 18 and the great "Die Low" bazaar in the business centre to the west of the Chienmén was completely gutted. The Peking correspondent of the " Peking and Tientsin ea" states that this bagaer was a two-storeyed modern building inhabited by hundreds of tradesmen of all classes. In a few minutes the whole huge structure was " mass of fire, a fierce south-easterly wind fanning the flames and blowing dangerous sparks into the Tartar City. In about half an hour the whole surrounding block was on fire. The narrow streets giving access to the place were entirely blocked up by relagees pushing slong and screaming Right opposite stands the three storied for a passage in order to save their
Ean ion, the "Chan Lie-zso,""
of the Peking Industrial
covering block itself. Huge flames carried by the gale soon ignited this magnificent building also, and by about 9 p.m. the second fire showed a gigantic Chionmén Towers in 1900. Although the native fire brigades did their best and notwithstanding the prompt arrival of all the foreign contingent with their extinguishing appliance, it was absolutely impossible to cope with the flames. All that could be done, was to try to save some houses: in the vicinity. At midnight the interior of the exhibition was still burning. Several lives had been lost up to that time.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.