St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-06
GREATLOSS TO STATE
Destructive Conflagration at
the State Experimental
Farm.
laboratory, General Offices
and Library All Go Up in
Smoke.
Cause Of Fire Unknown, With
Loss Roughly Estimated
at $4,000.
1t Will Take Years to Replace
Valuable Documents and
Data.

ne Stdle OF minnesota sustained a
serious loss yesterday by the total
destruction by fire of the state expert
mental farm, situated at st. Anthony
Park. About $50 in the afternoon
police officer on duty ON the University
avenue bridge suddenly saw a huge
cloud OF smoke and fame surmount the
top OF the building. He at once recog-
nized that the place was OIL fire
and proceeded to the fire station at
Merriam Park to give the alarm. There
is no fire alarm at the farm, and the
ire had made good Roadway when the
apparatus from Hamline and Merriam
Park arrived. Unfortunately there is
no water supply at the experimental
station, and nothing could be done by
the firemen to save the main building,
which was wrapped from end to
end in flames. They were successful,
however, in preventing the outbreak
from extending to the adjoining houses
used by the farm officials. The cause
OF the conflagration is supposed to have
been the explosion of some of the chemi-
Gals stored in the labratory. Beyond a
few books saved. the total contents of
the building were destroyed. The
amount of damage is estimated at SIS
600, $1,000 of which is ON the building.
The great loss, however. is
that of the records and re-
suits of the various experiments
which have been carried On at the sta
ton. Only time and careful research
will replace the lost facts wrested from
Nature in the labratory. One series of
experiments carried on at the farm up
to the time of its destruction was that Of
the cause of the fax disease existing in
the southern part of the state. In the
course of two hours after the first alarm
was given nothing escaped from the
fiery element, and as the sun slowly
sankln the west, the fading light shown
upon mass of smouldering debris.
Another account OF the fire reads:
AT twenty minutes past o'clock yes
terday afternoon fire visited the state
experimental farm, and one of the best
Of the buildings there located, together
with its valuable contents, was laid in
ashes. The labratory. general office and
library, all in one building. are no more
The veterinary institute caught fire, but
was not badly damaged.
The experimental farm, an attach
ment of the state university, consists OF
~OO dCICS vi ldusl, duJOIulIIS, anu WtSU Vi
the fair grounds. The buildings stu
ated thereon are: Two school build
ings, the house of the manager, the hot
houses, the veterinary school building,
the finest barn in the Northwest and
the laboratory building, the aggregate
value OF which is about Sl20,000. eXclu-
Sive of contents. Had the fire extended
further than the laboratory, the loss
would have been enormous, as at this
time of the year the buildings are full
of valuable materials. AS it is, the loss
will be not less than $4,000 and will
probably reach $4,000.
The laboratory building stood apart
from the others, to which circumstance
may be attributed the escape OF valuable
state property. 1t was a comparatively
new structure, having been built only
two years ago, and while frame build
ing, was hands ONE one. The most
valuable portion of contents consisted
of the chemical apparatus. This de-
partment was In every way
most complete. Many pieces of
apparatus had been specially
constructed for the experimental work
of the state university. This part of
the loss will amount to about Sc, 900.
Then there was the agricultural library,
merely nucleus around which one Of
the most complete agricultural libraries
in the world would be built I'D, but
with q complete collection of works OH
agriculture. The library was valued at
between $1,000 and $1,000. The build
ing itself, a two-story structure, was
erected at cost of between 5000 and
$4,000.
In a sort of basement was nearly all
of the apparatus and some chemicals.
The ground floor was occupied by the
yUnrfYiY1O of lol.
with chemicals and work tables. The
top floor was taken up by the library,
reading rooms and Offices of the station.
The fire broke out in the laboratory. It's
origin is unknown. The most
that it was the result of
spontaneous combution. Such re-
suit, where so many chemicals were
stored. is not surprising. 1t spread
quickly among the inflammables and ex-
plosives and when discovered the whole
saved. The best that could be
buildings. The veterinary building
stood nearest the burning structure
and it caught in several places.
Prompt action on the part of the
students and laborer alone saved from
serious damage. At one time the hot
houses seemed likely to go, but the
absence of high wind saved them. The
building was destroyed in very few
minutes, to the sorrow of Prof. Har-
per, the chemist, who seemed to feel
the destruction Of the complete collee-
ton Of appliances as an almost personal
loss. John S. Pillsbury, who is thor
oughly acquainted with the affairs of
the experimental farm. places the above
estimates on the losss, and says that the
insurance OH the whole will not exceed
$4,000.