Burning 01% Un1vers1ty¢%~é~ /»‘;"I‘~‘~‘-'..Ix»’«.‘)\4Ja«..“}%*.J»4“BO Um?’ ~s.$w-w~§aWAUCHOPE if ‘at «~55 Bur1)i1)§ 6%“ GF THE} Ugiversihy 0 Missotxri. ]a1)ua1*y 9, 1892. % (-}9DescriPEive «B» Skekcbaé--’ GEORGE ARMSTRONG WAUCHOPE, Asgisbaph Proféssmr of E1)§Ii9b.G F Pulfiligbed by Board csf Curahors. C§LUM}BI.A., MGR fi. ‘W. S'i‘I§3I”HENS~, PRGINTER £\N'i(T) I3IN}i>E}-K. L 1895. HE Burning of the I University. It happened on Saturday even- ing, January 9, 1892. The ground was covered several inches deep s.» a with freshl fallen snow. The treat buildincr rzaggsg y 5 IV’: sswaa. was standing stately and beautiful in the semi- darkness. The dome loomed up against the gray sky in colossal outline. The work of the day was over; the professors and students were at their Various homes so uttered over the town; the hour for tea was past. About six o’clock several employes entered the building to open up the chapel for an entertainment to be given by the Atlienaean literary society. The engineer* and a janit01‘i' went at once with a lantern to inspect the wires in the basement, where pipe—fitters had been at work a few hours before. I About seven, the great bell in the tower of the College of Agriculture clanged out on the crisp night air, sum- moning the public to the open session. As soon as the bell began to ring the janitor opened the doors to the ch-zpel, and in about ten minutes the engineer turned on the lights. The gas jets in the hall and along the chapel walls were also lighted. “.Aftcl‘ the lights were turned on,” {said the janitor, “I stayed in the hallway on the first floor, and the young men were ca'ling on me to get them things out of their hall on the third floor. In probably about fifteen minutes the first alarm of fire which I heard was given by George Venable, who called my attention to a little blaze of tire around the sun-light. I then ran to the base- ment and cut off the light. While I was in the cellar, the sun—light fell. There were two dis- tinct wires for this which ran up the library floor without crossing; tlic re were faur wires for the other lights, and two switches.” W igan. Tjoseph Zumsteg. From the basement, the engineer returned to the boiler-house. “Mr. Lock- wood,* an engineering student,” said he, “was. helping me. After I had gotten the engine started, I noticed that it did not run well; I had only forty pounds of steam turned on, when I should have had sixty-five to pull the machine. It was then five minutes past seven, and we should have had theilights turned on. I got the machine started up pretty Well when all at once I noticed the lightsgo down, then go up, and about that time Boulton Clark, the fireman said, ‘The building is on fire.’ Feeling sure that the fire was among the wires, I turned the lights off, and we11t to see where the trouble was. We used that night a 400-light machine manufactured by the Addison Electric Company, and so far as I can learn, we had never had four hundred lights turned on all at once before.” A I V iVVhile this was going on within, stream of figures in dark silhouette against the snow were seen crossing the campus on their way to the entertainment. The auditorium of the chapel, with its graceful balcony, its spacious rostrum, its fifteen hundred opera chairs, was brilliantly illuminated. The air was filled with gladness. Only a week before, the students had returned from their homes, where they had gone for the holidays. Everywhere could be heard the chatter of happy voices with occasional salutations and good-humored repartee. Some of the audience, perhaps a dozen, had already taken their seats, and others were coming in, when suddenly and without warning the large central sun-light fell with a crash into the parterre, barely missing the heads of several occupants. The hall was,left in darkness. All was consternation. Everyone was on his feet in an instant, and all started with a rush toward the exits. If the accident had happened a few minutes later a panic might have ensued. Seeing there was no immediate danger, the crowd passed out hurriedly through the folding doors into the hallway, thence through the vestibule into a place of safety. i No one realized for a moment vxhat was happening. Some glancing up at the massive panneling which supported the floor of the library, saw little jets of smoke pufiing out from a score of apertures. It was plain enough now; the ceil- ing was on fire, the electric light wires having become poorly insulated in some mysterious way, had ignited‘ the inflammable material of the library floor. The whole chapel was quickly filled with the pungent odor of burning pine. Immediately the startling cry was raised, “Fire.’ Fz're.’ T &e U7zz've7*sz'l:v is on Fire.”’ A hundred voices took it up; men and boys several squares away heard wW":N ssor of physics in Trinity College, N. C. 4 mad ecléoed th:a.t cry. Th<3%f1'ig11tf1;1n&Ws flaw "a1:>rQadL (ms th€f: mglxt Wimil; Hm}-s dreds of citiraens seated cemfmtably m*<:>x1r1d their fi:%esi.c1a$ Wmwf: appa1Ira:d% by thatif dmaci, 1111L1$ua1.s<3L1nc1, “The: U§I}iV€*32t‘$itY is on fi1*e:E” In :21 few :11in11tes1. men, w*on:1e:1 and cL11i1chfe;:1--—-:1Is::"1c:>st the €:m:i3:*& p<3Lp1:LI::§ti<:m mi" a:C0111ITlbi£i--‘%*V€1’€?. h111‘1T‘yi1”i§ bmatlulessiy 211011;; in 21; L$trea::m by %ev*m*y .§:stmet:, in tin: ciirrstctitm 0f the cm:m:>1:1s.. A 1m‘id1i§g;ht W213 refi&ct&d :5:g21i;n:3tthe Tim Iligixt \7V":~i1Sbiti€I“1y mid. ’l‘he3: jatxitm, the: firematrfi‘ 311:1 21 stmimtf mm up i:nt£> that libx'a1*y. They czmiald See ilatlximg but S!;’1’i(f)k€¢ :1x1<:mg the Lfimmr, fi1’}C1 Lthéé x*s;h<:>1L:a $p:;1c€: ‘t)e::tWt:m:1 the fl<:.~01' mail the: czéiiling appeamcl to be cm .f"'im.% L .Afte3t‘ {:utti::1g 3 11016: with an am in tha‘: flocnfiabotit tvvezxzty feet smith of tha 1i%br:a1*y r:.1€:Sk, tlwy’ mzitwiéad in thca hose, fmm the tmck in the lmll 011 the t1*1Er‘d flQ{)I7’, zmd tmxwci cm aL$i:m2xt*rxLvvL§1Ec1%1 was of pretty gcmd size: as loxag as; the: water hralci (mt. LTh&:;*i:": wzgxss 2:: c:ist:€:r1’i%i1:x the )baseme1“1t irztr) which wate1*%f1*s:3m the pcmd ssoutll (bf tlfm r;mi11 btzildixag xws *pzmf:pe<:3. by means: cm? :31; VV01*thii?;*1§g:tm1 pump with 21 capacity (313 };S.,{)€}C) g‘£i1]{1)I1S5 :%:r1%%1:mm ‘Vh1‘§:”§I} running at full speeti. 'I‘h€2 Watetr Ilsfiid 3:1 tha hese on tliw: ser::m1Lk€?Wa$ 3‘? Sxxffocating Wheia. I “mat in that I cmxid :m:>t passibly x:w1lI§ ss:t:*aigi1t%;%bL:’tLc3ntL1m rsectmd flaw‘ it wag m:>}t $0 dm%1$e.” E\s:‘I3:*. G. }3ab13, pmct<:§r* <:>f the U1“:iversit}%, szfid, “I re:a<:}is.§c.iTtI3<§:% c:impe::1 almtit 11a1Lfpastsevem. VVhe:::1 I 1C§C)1§.€L{i%iI*1, I mulci m3 fir@:,%bu:t the: sxnékewag $0 ciemse that I ecmld ::1<3t see ac:1*c}s$s the worn, étithaxxggh tine jets warm E313:*:3i11§§x% I then Went up ft) the lmmry. It Was:vm*y c}:s:rk%:a12{1. s;:rr1£;::k& W::%:.s p<3t§:1*ii3.§§‘ ix: £:m1$id¥~ able voltmm out of thfif CTIGO1‘. It: was it1“1p0S8ib1mf1i1.” Wlzétl I’1"<:si<;1m3t J8:-‘>S€ re:;:,t:hr:':::1£:,15im1 cm t:1mL $mirx:v*a%ys :s111dLL1m1:;1i11g§$. “I tI3%i:}I«:"§’%’ saici lam ‘%‘i:hm“t§:= LL\«*sr:e.3:*€,e::$r;;%L:t:r;I;?>€:1?‘ Céfj Qthezfs £11 tlm 1ib1.*:;uy hilt the $r:;1c:»l{& ‘mas; SC) t1*1ic:k; I £.Z(3l11d;i“1<:)fi Se&;’1“¥}y“’ Iiumigi b€:£m*a am. I wmzi: %t<::.~ getL::1 1:a.:ft1p,z111d went up ;~:1gz:a:;ir; with ymas C3~%uiLta:“?“. VV%heL11 <:w;ite: 11c:2:¥:3* this: I§bm1f}% tha Iiggizt wcmt clcxwzi cm .'::.c:<:m;1:*1t 131* *t: h€: cimxse %:£:113:msL %$:m<%:1 h%::%:111yL%Vve::1t cmjt; I \W:Lt1t *B0u3te::»3::: Clark. }3‘e1ir;>ws;, an eL:3gLir:ee3:i1"xgLL$txi;§&r‘;t. L L iMa._yor csf C€)1uI5fiibia. L L intat the library :1 S€C{}1“t(l tlme, zmcfl stzayexd :1 fear’ 't”IT‘1QIf1‘1€:1”1tS, 251$ long as I ccmlcl $t2:mcl tit, aml W’€I’}t down fully satisfiecl tlmt 110tli1i:1g more Qfltllél lm claim.” “I was the last ane out of t the lib1*z1*:*y,” saitl Mr. F‘elloms, “émcl \?’Vl’i'it31"i I left, ’ I cazmld hzmlly get (mt. I left tlm 1”3("_}2S1%;Cl€3 0f tlw l1OS5€‘ lyix*1gi11tl*3<3 lmle. I tl"1rm=: tl1it1§{$ out of the }:>1'c:s;s,iclt~3r1t’s l;”l(Z>1.I$€., limit tlm S‘i’1f}(.')l{€§ lmcl macle me :30 Sick tlmt I S’lI:%ti‘t’é3t(;l lmme. lfieixag :m;:a.l:;le to gctt l”1<:>m:e Cm ;§lC(:(T)i31}t 01? the: f:E1lnl‘;1“l€S$ fmm tl”1€3tSfl”l()lx”€3<‘, I stcappml Witliltvm of mytfriem:ls 2:m<;l stayml tt:l1e2=:re all night.” V’Vhcm I first litéztrtlt the :Ell:§t1"II‘l, I ‘W”§‘iSt playitlg :21 ganrzczz: of c'lmss with 21 citixetxi of Celtlumbizx at his hmm: an East l3mz1c:lway about half 23. mile fr<:m:1 tlte Univtzifsity. Wllexa Vvé reztclm<:;l tlm sczene 2:zl:u:mt eigglxt o’<:l<:><:l.-:., cl<~:-xflsae vr:>lmnes: of srnake \>v<:3x*$ issuingfromtl“1e: upper ‘Wli‘1(lQW’S <::»:lf that: (Z:l’i£tp€fl. A r*63:f inte:1*mitte:3t flame was zsemtx by tlm lwlpless lo<>is:e%1*s;-')x*1. A fie1‘c:e‘stmgg"le:: Sfzttftliééil in p1+og1*tessw~ the flatness trying to clevom‘ the smcllm, tlue S?;’13()l§;€i‘ extl1(le::1vo1*:i:1g to sst1*.-angle the Sutlclmaly the Whole ~intm*i«:)r was liglxtezttl up lw at vztsst billtbvv of flame, smcl J flames. this xims quickly f{)llOW“@(;l by 2%: loud Crzstssli as tlm ggirclexi‘ .ssml)p01'ti*:1g tllfi lilarary floor gave V\?"¥ly, aml p1‘ecipitatecl all ins V2il‘t}£3(l ctzmtmzts into the fu1*1mc€:=: below. Twenty-tWt> tlmussamtl V”(f)lt3.I’1“l€’:S5, E’ilg‘l'1t€:€I}tl1011S2i11(lp:E1fI1}j)hlt?t$, li)i3Sl{;l(3S files of 1?:eW$~ papm'£; and t’l‘10!.lS2E‘tI}(lS Qt magzzxixws lost. "I‘l’3e: pt>1*tm.its (I7), :"stat11a1*§rg*‘ £ilT{lZ(3~ gxtzmh letters of Jeffearsmz £~1I'1(l Clay (i’}T’1€iI‘}_‘§” tl1i11§gs wlzicll were !‘2“!1‘6 é1.t“1(Ll coulcl 1:101; lm ifeplaced) xrvwereza v:1l11e:e$ssit1 tlixe: lil.:>1*:u%_y W:;:,St estlrzxttatetlt at $35,000. Cm this tlfxere vwxs; ir1s111*an<:<:: €tI”I1()tt11lll)g to $10,000. “It is 2ip1f)£illtl11gl \Ve are l3el1)l€2$s#.; :1t:>tl1iz1g (13:21 lflfi‘ (:lm1<~:§” VW:‘.1‘€:‘; €1\iCl£1t"I}:;ifl(f}fiS hmml on latxtlclmsils of lips. Tlrze citixmas wen: 0xs*é1*wl1el111€:tl Witlx c:<:>:*1.s3;ter1m,ti.<;>t"1 aml. sorrow. “It is cli$t1*es;s;;i11g to see the §iCCl11’I‘}11lI‘ttl()It‘}S of fiftyyezx1*a:~: gmiiltg up in flzsmw £lYl(il sm<:>l{e,” ssa.i{;l am (Z}l(1l ger1tler11:m.,{r l’ll:E3 filletl with tczzaiws. “I 3111 l1etu*t~ l:n:0ket1,” said atxotlm-1*,: “tr; see: the <:>l<:l L}lt‘llV’€‘1*Sii3}~’§ the cliliet p1'i:<:le Qf Cc>lt:u1";l:>ia., “It the ? goirxg in this way.” EV€1*yC)I’.l€3* sm:::ne(;l t<3 feel it as. :1 ;t>e:1*s;(>1;1:?:l most f1*ig*l3tf11l calamity that 1121:; m;*“e“:r lmfallen, Q3‘ ctcfmltl laefall our tczwta,’ W:51S the Gpitlien {pf all that (lease CI"(i)W(l 31$ tlmy f3f‘£11“Y1p€3Cl up mltl clmxm in the sxlow, *A:n:mng these were the lif€’:*Si2§€ p<:>rt:raits at C7;”C)V. I). R. Franc:i$;, _]u<;:lge E. II). 'I3ates arid Majar J. S. Rollinst the latter pflllitfid by Gen. Binglzarxm, tclgether with a brcanze bust «of Maj. Rollins. Also 3. pmtrait of Presidents; Lathropg, $ham:1c:m anal Reed, R. L. Tmcld, Pzmf. Matthews, Hen. J. L. Stephens, Dr. Anthcmy Rollins. 't?NIr. R. L. Todd, the first gracluate of the lfitaivtarsity. $Mr. Th. Fyfer. I watching the progress of the fire with sad faces and voices tremulous with grief. The east wing was now ablaze from base- ment to summit. All the panes of glass were melting under the intense heat, and trickling down the walls in a molten stream; the iron- work of the fixtures was seen to writhe« and twist like serpents in fiery convolutions; all the windows were belching forth from shattered frames masses of purple smoke ; curling tongues of flame shot out yards in length. Some one remembered that the tablet of the Jeffer- son monument——a unique and priceless relic-— had been placed for safe keeping in the chapel, but it was now too late to save it.* At this d point the heat was so great that the pres1dent’s house caught on fire repeatedly, and was saved only after the greatest exertions. At one time the danger was so imminent that all the furniture was carried out. “To the museum! Save the specimens in the museum I” shouted a pro- fessor,T and, heading a body of students, a rush was made to the west wing, which was as yet remote from the onward surging wave of flame.i Doors atld Wi11(l0WS were smashed in, and scores of volunteers dashed into the dark rooms to save what they could. The valuable contents of the museum of natural history were torn from their stands and carried or dragged out of doors. It was a queer sight to See the big elephant lying on his side in the snow; near by was the tiger» Which had been mounted on the elephant’s tusks, with a little grinning monkey perched on his back; here a gorilla and an arctic fox were keeping each other company; and there a huge crocodile seemed scarcely at home lying half buried in the snow drift. *Several days after the fire this tablet was excavated, almost red hot, from the ruins by Prof. H. C. Penn. It was found broken into three pieces and was beginning to pulverize. It was, however, sealed in an air—tight glass case, and is now in a fair state of preservation. The inscription reads: “Here was buried THOMAS JEFFERSON, author of the Declaration of Amer- ican Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the Uni- versity of Virginia.” 1'Prof. P. Blanton. IAlthough but little air was stirring at first, the fire created a breeze that soon grew into a stiff easterly wind, and fanned the flames rapidly through the building. 7 “Save the law library!” called out a tall student, and followed by a dozen others, they gallantly penetrated through th:e darkness and smoke to the second floor, and, bringing out armfuls of books, deposited them on the ground. A A few more daring spirits, headed by a professor,*‘ ventured up to the physicallaboratories on the third floor, and were engaged in carrying out the costly apparatus. It was . already dangerous in this part of the building. Gusts of suffocating fumes were pouring along the hallways impelled by the blast behind, and tongues of bluish flame were lapping against the doors.of the lecture-rooms. The fire, meanwhile, steadily advanced, and gained the rotunda of the main b uilding. The immense amount of woodwork here gave the flames a fury and an intensity that is indescribable. The doors and windows were spouting great tor- rents of fire; the red flames crept steadily along the roof, licking their jaws like ravenous dragons; they caressed and entwined themselves about the co1umns,1r or leaped boldly into space. A terrible roar pervaded the air. The sound was like that of an approaching tornado tearing its way through a forest. A billowy sea of flame mounted into the sky as if impelled by the blast of a titanic furnace. ‘A dense shower of sparks floated off over the town, presenting the ‘appearance of millions of scintillant stars dancing on the bosom of an enormous black cloud. All at once there came a crash as terrific as the explosion of an arsenal, and the colossal, copper-sheeted dome was blown loose from its fastenings, and frag- ments were hurled high in air. Several men were in the building at the time. “So violent,” says an eye-witnessi “was the propulsive force of the blast that for a moment the sensation was like the shock of an earthquake. The floors vibrated, and the Walls appeared to be swaying in upon us. We fled terror-stricken for our lives.” Though at several times anxiety was felt for those in the building, anil, though there wereseveral narrow escapes from suffocation and falling walls, no one was seriously injured. V On account of the size and isolation of the building this was one of the most ‘magnificent spectacles ever seen in the state. That great roaring palace of fire with its red-litten windows, its flame-wrapped cornices, its fire-crowned dome, standing out against the black shadows of the ‘night, and the white Waste of snow, formed a picture which can never be forgotten. \ *Dr. William Shrader, professor of Electrical Engineering. 1'These six Ionic columns still stand, somewhat shattered and fire-scarred, a silent mem- orial of the fate of the old University. There is a strong sentiment against their removal. 8 A new element of grandeur was now about to add itselfto the scene. The fiery tide was lashing and surging around the room in which were stored fourteen thousand rounds of ammunition for the rifles of the cadets; besides these there was a considerable store of shells and powder for the artillery detachment. The cornrnandant of cadets*, seeing that an explosion was imminent, took a squad, and passing along near the building, pressed the crowd back to a safer position. Then above the volcanic violence of the confiagration was heard the explosion Of the cartridges and the bursting of the shells. “The cletonationsfi’ remarked an old soldierfir “were as rapid as the firing in a hotly-contested battle.” At frequent intervals was heard the crash of some falling Wall, and a great crest of flame would show Where partition or floor-had fallen in and given another rnorsel to the all» devouring elements. Many persons stood watching the progress of the holocaust till a late hour, fascinated by the scene though chilled by the bitter cold. It was after midnight before the fire had swept across and destroyed the West wing of the University. A group of students sat at an upper window of the Agricultural College: ancl Watched until the last wall on the north end swayed and fell outward with a loud C1‘aSh~ So intense was the heat in this wing that workmen, in clearing away the t:l1er pxzblic buildings iCQluml3ia had been; thmwnl ’c>penL .f<:>r the Luise? «sf t>heUr1iverlsity, and V that wc;rkv$*lc:>wtx1 uninterrupted. O11Tue.s<:lay lml_Q£:Q§i-fig‘ chapel exercises wlere helld as usualé, all classes were pmvide-(:1 for, arid rmt a recitatima Was: missed. _ j L \ _ vg §» \ \ H _*,L_.,.,,.,,,.....‘ Lwwmwr