Mower County transcript., 1890-04-30
AUSTIN SCHOOL IN RUINS.
Our High School Building Goes
up in Flame and Smoke on
a Windy Day.
The Building Valued at $40, 900.
Insured For $17,5OO.-No
Lives LOST.

Between and 8 o'clock Monday morn
ing fire was discovered on the roof of
the high school building. The alarm was
Immediately gwen and the fire company
was promptly on the ground. The wind
was blowing perfect gale, and 1t was
impossible tothrow water on the top of the
building, and the fire spread over the en-
tire roof in very short time. 1t was soon
evident that the building was doomed.
and the efforts of the fire company were
directed to preventing spread of the
fire. This was difficult job. as burning
boards and shingles were carried four and
five blocks by the gale, and would ignite
fire wherever they fell. Fires were
thus started in at least half dozen differ
ent places between the school building
and Main street, but were soon extln
guished. 1t looked at one time as though
1t would make clean sweep clear
through to the river, and undoubtedly
would had 1t not been for our excellent
system of water works and the prompt
manner IN which they were used. The
fire is supposed to have caught from a
defective flue. Two weeks ago the build
ing caught on fire on the roof from
sparks from the chimney, and was on
fire again last Friday. The insurance
carried is $500, as follows: The Home,
81, $4,000; Hartford, $4,000; Commercial,
Liverpool and London, $4,000; Globe,
$2.5OO; Phoenix. of Brooklyn, $4,000;
North British and Mercantile, $2.500;
London Assurance, $4,000.
1The School Board held meeting i'm
mediately after the fire and another in
the evening to provide places for the
teachers and children thus evicted by
the fire demon. They succeeded in Sc
curing the court room. G.. A. R, Hall,
two rooms in the Methodist church, the
Lutheran church, Conductors Hall and
room adjoining the Democrat Office.
Tuesday morning the work of distrlbut-
ing the children began, and before night
the schools were running as harmonlously
- could be expected, with only one days
skip. Our school board displayed good
judgement and ability in 80 promptly
providing places and getting both teach
ers and pupils at work again. We hope
they will do as prompt work in the mat
ter of erecting new school building.
The regular monthly meeting of the
school board will be held next Monday
evening, At which time the matter will
be discussed. Plans will be prepared for
new building, or buildings. and If
necessary to borrow money and issue
bonds, arrangements will be made and =
special school election held, giving the
people An opportunity to vote on the
the -ce.+e- And when they rebuild, the
board will very wisely use more ground
and less ar in which to construct the new
buildings.
The old school building was fine
locking structure, but was very hard or
1ers and pupils. they having to clint
many steep and winding stairs. Ant
lad school been in session it might hay
been lively work getting the childre'
out. Some fellow in the heat of his ez
citement sent the following to the Mime
spolls Tribune:
Had q Close Call.-Fifty Children il
the High School at Austin Narrowl!
Escape Death from Fire.-Austln. MINI
April 28.-[Special. ]-Fifty children nal
rowly escaped being burned to death i
the Austin high school today. Th
building caught fire while school was
session, and, famed by gale of vino
| the flames spread rapidly. The pupi
owe their escape to the fine drill in whic
the school has been trained. The
marched through the smoke filed hal
with military precision and reached th
ground in safety. The school buildin
was entirely destroyed. Loss $50, ,00
. insurance 7,5O0."
There is nothing like vivid imagine
ton we'll developed, but there should
a few grains of the salt of truth mingle
in, even in sensational article. Ever
body knows that the fire occurred an no,
j. before school time. The writer has
least one of the essential qualifications
a war correspondent.
The Globe correspondent had goc
e account of the fire, and from it we tai
the figures in regard to the insurance.
The high school holds forth at the cou
room, and Prof. Fitch has his office opp
site main entrance. The high school an
graduating class were seriously damage'
in that they lost all their drawings, rel
resenting six months labor, and this ma
seriously affect their state examination
The chemicals, about half the physic
apparatus, and all of our fine geologic
J, collection we're destroyed, together wi,
half of the high school library.
There is an interesting history COZ