The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-16
THE CITADEL BURNED.
The Third Story Of the Building Com
plete Wreck Erave Act Of Cadet
Gwyun-Cadets Lose Their
Clothing.
Especial to the State. !

SDeclaI 10 lIie 'ctdte.I
CHARLESTON, March 1.-THE main
building at the South Carolina Mill
tary Academy was completely gutted
bv fire this morning.
1t was about ID o'clock when smoke
was first seen issuing from MAJ. BONO
apartnents, on the third story OF the
building, Just east OF the tower, above
the sallvport. Most Of the cadets were
in the different class rooms, and the
officers families were engaged III
household duties in their various quar-
terS.
The first intinlation almost any one
in the academy beard OF the IRE was
when the alarm was sounded from box
613, at the cornec Of King and Wander
horst streets. 4 policeman ran into
tbe station house, and exclaimed, The
Citadel is on firew Several officers and
a souad of men rushed over TO the
citadel, and were the first to arouse the
inmates to a sense of their danger. A
few moments later the fire engines be-
oan 10 arrive, and then the fight against
the flames was begun.
The fire must have gained conSidera-
ble headway before it was discovered,
for bv the time the alarm was. gwen
and the cadets were dismissed from
the class rooms, dense clouds of
smoke rolled along the galleries OF the
second and third stories of the building
and filled the rooms. The cracking OF
burning timber could be heard, but for
A time no flames were seen. Then,
suddenly, bright jets shot up slmultane-
ously from the east and west sides OF
the centre southern towers. .
AS thought this was an awaited sig
nal, the flames, hetherto dormant, were
soon spreading rapidly in all directions.
They curled upwards high above the
battiements of the building, leaped
forth from doors and windows, ,!roaring
and seething as the water fell in great
streams in their midst.
High in the air, from IFS graceful stall,
the cOlors of South Carolina fl0ated
proudly in the breeze, aud ever and
anon. as the dense clouds Of smoke
would roll aside, it was visible to the
ewes of thousands Of eager watchers.
Finally its silken folds caught fire. For
a moment it burned then it was lost
The rumor that the Citadel was
burning spread rapidly, and soon thou
sands of people were on Marion square,
watching the contlagration-a sight
that saddened the heart Of every
watcher.
For hours the flames ragged, and for
hours the crowds stood patiently y watch
ing for the end. By y O'Clock the fire
men had the flames practically under
control, though it was not until 4:3o
O'Clock in the afternoon that they
| were completely subdued and the en-
giues returned to their respective sta
tions.
Soon after the fire broke out, Cadet
St. Charles Gwynn of Spartanburg
seized the open powder cask, contain
ing at Las 100 pounds of powder, and,
placing his cap over it, ran through
the fire and carried it to a place OF
safety.
The cadets did noble work in assist
ing in saving the property of the otfl-
GERS who had their quarters in the
main building,
Many of the boys lost everything
they owned, save the clothes they wore,
among these uufortunates being Cadet
Moore and others of Columbia. Maj.
Bond, in whose room the fire is sup
posed to have had its origin, lost almost
all his property.
The third story ofthe main building
is complete wreck and the second
story is feariully damaged both by fire
and water. The first story is compare
tively uuiniured, while both the east
wing, in which is the chapel, dining
hal. ond several Of the lecture rooms,
and the west wing, in which several
officers are quartered, are intact.
The insurance on the main building
is said to be $4,000, and the damage is
estimated at SO, GOO.
Various and many were the offers o.
aid showered upon Superintendent
Coward, who, by his coolness and judg'
ment, managed to maintain the most
perfect order and discipline among bis
"boys"
Rev. A. Toomer Porter, D. D., off
cred the use of the Porter Academy fol
the temporary accommodation of the
cadets, and the Roper hospital was also
rendered for the same purpose. 1t was
decided to accept the offer Of the Roper
Hospital, and tonight the entire bat
TALON of cadets are quartered there
Col. Coward and his family are staying
at DR.. J. l.. Ancrum's private resi-
dence for the present.
Coz. Coward is by no means in despai!
on account of the misfortune, and say:
he expects to have the academic eXer
cises of the institution resumed IN
day or two, and will finish the session
as though nothing had happened.