Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-08

Rebuilt at Once.
At about 10 a. N. yesterday the an.
nouncement was sent to the GLOBE Office
"Hamline university is on fire and must be
entirely destroyed" Such message tell
ing of the many educational institutions of
our state very naturally excited the deep
est interest and regret.
Perhaps no similar institution has pass
ed through so many crises and experienced
such multitude of vicissitudes as have be-
set this one, and being in certain sense
a st. Paul institution, our people
we're the more naturally interested and
excited.
AS is well known, the institution is locat-
ed on the st. Paul, Minneapolis 81 Manito-
ba railroad, about midway between the
two cities, and taking the 1920 Short line
train on that road, few moments sufficed
to set the GLOBE representative down at
the platform known as College Place.
Springing up the bank, the vast column of
smoke and tongues of forked flames as
cending from within the walls of what was
an hour ago most magnificent structure,
we're brought to view, and told of the ruin
and demolition the fiery fend was work
ing.
The walls were still standing, but the
roof was gone, and all that was combusti-
bic about the interior was fast falling
prey to the flames. Passing to the wind
ward side of the building, vast heaps
of furniture and articles which had been
carried out by the students, were being re-
moved by teams to neighboring buildings,
while groups of students and members of
the faculty stood here and there, contem-
plating the mournfal spectacle. Inquiry
elected the following facts concerning
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
1t was first discovered about $50
a. N. by one of the students, named
Spaulding, while passing from his board
ing place to his class room. When first
noticed by him the smoke in dense vol
umes was seen issuing from the roof near
the southeast corner and close to the
cupola. and being unaccompanied by
flame, led to the belief that the fire origi-
mated between the ceiling and roof. He
at once gave the alarm, and the students
Immediately organized for the use of the
meager appliances for fire extinguishing
purposes the institution afforded. These
consisted of two Babcock fire
extinguishers and a few barrels of
water which were kept standing on each
floor. From the first, however, the i'm
mense amount of smoke drove them
back and prevented their approaching near
enough the seat of fire to accomplish any
thing. Even had steamer been at hand
THE WATER SUPPLY
was limited to we'll in the basement,
which would have been valueless for that
purpose, and SO from the very first the
building was doomed, and the only thing
which could be done was done, viz: to re-
move all movable articles, and leave the
grand building TO its fate.
The cause of the fire is shrouded in mys-
terry, and must ALWAYS remain matter of
pure conjecture. The only fire ever kept
in the building was in the basement in the
steam heating furnace, and but one chimney,
solid brick one ,rising high above the roof.
Near this the fire was first discovered burst
ing through the root, which was very speed
lily mass of fame, showing the fire to
have been thoroughly established between
the ceiling aud roof before breaking out.
! The fuel used IN the furnace was pine
slabs and soft coal, and it isv very probable
that the late intense cold and the heat and
steam passing up the fue had opened q
assure through which the fire became
communicated to the inner surface of the
roof.
The value of the building and fixtures
destroyed was about 100000, $4,000 of
which represents the actual cost of the
building. The damage occasioned by the
removal of the contents can be better esti-
mated in the future, but it is safe to say
will reach quite an important figure, as
that of the laboratory, for instance, is a
total wreck.
INSURANCE.
The loss of the building will be entire,
as the walls will be utterly worthless and
have already partially fallen. The insur-
ance to the amount of something less than
one-half the loss is in the following named
companies:
Companies REPRESENTED by Mahlon D.
Miller & Co. in Minneapolis and st. Paul
agencies.
German Insurance Co., of Pittsburg -. $1,000
Buffalo German, of Buffalo, N. Y ....... 1850
Fireman's, of Baltimore ................ 2,5O0
Farragut, of New York ................. 2,5C0
Shoe and Leather 1850
Peoples of New York. Observation-Disclosures 1000
Total. ..s19, 1000
Fire and Marine. $4,000
Etns, of Hartford, Ct, Green & Eaton,
Minneapolis) 2,5O0
Total So,0UV
THE BURNED BUILDING