The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-11-28
THE YEAR At CLEMSON.
Annual Report Of Chairman Simpson OF
the Trustees.

The annual reports Of many Of the
State officers have been printed by the
State printer. Out of those issued
to-day perhaps the most interesting is
that Of Clemson College. The report
covers seventy-nine pages, and in ad-
dition to the long reports Of the board
of trustees and the president there
are detailed reports from the various
departments and the experimental
station and it's work.
The report Of chairman Simpson,
which gives concise resume Of the
years work, is given almost in full.
He says:
On the night of the 22d of May last
the main College building was burned,
together with all equipments therein.
The fire originated on the third floor
in a room in which the States ex-
hibits were stored, and, notwithstand-
ing the heroic efforts of the professors
and students, everything in the build
ing was burned, owing to the fact that
shortly after the fire was discovered
it reached lot of articles preserved
in alcohol, and Immediately the yes
sells burst and scattered the burning
fluid all over the large museum room.
Efforts were then directed to saving
the large and handsome chapel which
adjoined the burning building. By
the aid of the well-equipped fire de-
partment these efforts were successful
and the chapel was saved.
The building was insured for the
sum of $4,000, all of which was paid
up promptly. Immediately after the
fire the board of trustees met and pro-
ceeded to have the building re-erected.
The contract for this purpose was let
to Messrs Guide & Walker, Of Atlanta,
Ca, for the sum of $23, 1893, to be
completed January l, 1895. These
gentlemen gave bond for the faithful
performance of their contract. At
this time the work is progressing sat
isfactorily, and we feel assured that
by the beginning of the next session,
February Is, 1895, the building will
be ready for use again.
At the same meeting the board
decided that it would never do to sus-
pend the College exercises. Such
temporary arrangements as were possi-
BILE were made, and the exercises we're
continued until better arrangements
were effected. To this end large
wooden building was hurriedly erected,
and is now used for class rooms.
When the College is completed this
house is intended to be used as
hotel, the want of which has been for
a long time felt upon the ground.
The destruction of the class rooms,
with their equipments, the library,
Offices and fixtures, necessarily pro-
duced considerable disorder for some
time, but both the professors and the
students met the situation with COM
mendable energy and self-sacrifce,
which resulted in but slight interfer-
ence with the regular routine of col
lege duties.
The heating apparatus, electric
plant and water-works, together with
the class room fixtures and equipments
and library, were all destroyed in this
building. TO re-equip the new build
ing in the same manner and pay the
difference between the contract price
for it's re-erection and the amount
received from insurance will require
about $4,000.
Since making our last report the
Mechanical Hall has been enlarged, in
fact doubled in it's capacity, and, with
the necessary machinery put into it,
it will be sufficient to supply the
demands necessary to afford practical
instruction to at least three hundred
students, or fully one-half Of the
entire possible attendance in the Col
lege. To this department also has
been added partially equipped foun-
dry and forge.
Satisfactory instruction has not been
given to all who desired instruction in
this department during the year,
owing to the fact that the new addi-
ton Was in progress Of construction,
and for the want of more machines to
equip it, but, Notwithstanding these
drawbacks class Of work has been
turned out by the boys which sur
prises everyone who has seen it,
A levee has been built for the pro-
lection of the river bottoms against
freshets.
The dairy has been completed and
equipped, and cheese Of the first
quality is being made daily. A hotel
has been built as aforesaid.
The water works have been taken
up and relaid, and with the additions
thereto we are able to report that
there need be no more apprehension
of danger from this source.
A great deal of work has been done
around the dormitory and upon the
grounds generally, which it would be
hard to particularize.
Heretofore the water closets and
bath rooms have been in the dormi.
tory, and although they were we'll
arranged the board was fearful that
it might prove to be injurious to the
health Of the boys, and hence they
have contracted for buildings outside
in which these conveniences may be
placed. These buildings will cost
about $4,000.
The board, in its anxiety to receive
as many boys into the college as prac-
ticable, directed that four boys be
placed in room, which would make
the attendance 600. This large num-
Der of boys crowded into one building
we consider eminently dangerous both
to health and discipline. We there
fore earnestly request such an appro-
priation as will be sufficient to erect a
building that will furnish ample room
to accommodate the full COO, so that
only two boys need be placed in a
room.
By resolution adopted by the last
General Assembly $4,000 we're APP
propriated for the purchase Of the
Lee land upon five equal annual in
stalments. This property. which lies
contiguous to the Fort Hill land, and
was originally part of the Calhoun
tract of land, and contains 289 acres,
has been purchased and the title made