The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-03-31
Our school Building Burned.

| On Tuesday morning about half past
nine O'Clock. Mr.. Schuyler Davis while
walking up High street. discovered curl
of smoke ascending from the belfry of the
school house in this place and knew al
once that the building was on fire. He at
once ran over TO the school and notified the
teachers i'll the lowerrooms. who hurItedly
informed the children that school was dis
missed and 10 leave the building without
any rush About this time Professor Glib
son. in room No on the second floor
heard the cracking of burning wood above
and glancing up through the hole where
the rope came through the ceiling from the
beIfry. saw the flames. He quickly opened
the door and was met by Mr.. Davis who by
this time had reached Professor Gibson's
room with the news of the fire. The pu-
pills were dismissed and hurriedly gathered
up their books and marched out, all get
ting out without any accident.
In the meantime the cry of fire was
sounding through the town and a rush
was made from all quarters for the
engine house. Several taps on the fire
bell notified the people of the presence of
fire but the breaking of the rope that rings
the bell prevented any further alarm by
out and a connection made with the plug
at the corner of Julian and High streets
and the hose and nozzle run down High
street into the front door of the school
building, up stairs and into the garret
where the fire was still confined. Had
there been Il stream of water through the
hose at this time the building could have
been saved with but little damage, but no
water came. The hose had been put away
and realed on the drum wet and was fro
zen fiat together. Much valuable time
was lost i'm getting the hose pounded apart
and by the time this was done the flames
We're bursting through the roof and had
climbed out through the belfry.
Connections had been made by this time
with the plugs at Julian and Sample.
High and Mary Ann streets and three
streams were turned on the burning build
ing and on the Presbyterian parsonage
which aujOns the school property on the
east and on the the Christian church
which is on the west. Both the parsonage
and the church were on fire several times but
by hard work the fire was confined TO the
school building which is buried down to
the first floor.
All the books, childrenS wraps, organ
and considerable furniture were carried
out and saved. Considerable furniture
was carried out of Rev. Bowman'S resi-
dence in the parsonage building during
the progress of the fire but the building
was saved and the labor useless
The origin of the fire is u matter for con-
lecture, but the general impression seems
TO be that it was caused by defective
tlue. The loss is estimated at about SIO.-
600 on which there is an insurance of 81
500.
The building was built of brick and
heated by steam. the main building having
been erected thirty-six years ago by James
Myers, of this place, and an addition also
of bIick erected about ten years ago. The
main building contained four rooms and
the addition two, all of which had been
recently refitted with new furniture and
papered and painted.
The walls are all standing but will have
To be taken down. The directors will at
once take the necessary steps for rebuild
ing as soon as a settlement with the in
Surance companies is reached.