The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-30
ORIGIN OF cEEMsoN's FIRE.
Brandy Peaches and Alcohol the Indirect
Cause-Though the Water Works Sent
Stream to the Third Floor the Pres
sure was rot Sufficient to Reach
the Roof.
1Special to News and Courier.

the Roof.
Especial to News and Courier.
Fosr HILL, May 24.-There are two
or three theories adoat as 10 the origin
CT the fire at Clemson College on the
morning of the 23d. The one most
generally accepted as correct is this:
When the furniture and specimens
from the old agricultural department
in Coiunbia were removed to Clemson
there were number of specimens OF
fruit put up in brandy and alcohol. 1t
has been noticed for some weeks past
and brought to the attention OF the
faculty that these jars of liquor were
being tampered with. They were
stored in the large room used as a mu-
scum on the third floor. 1t is now
thought that some person went to this
room to steal the liquor and in some
way started the fire. H.
One of the men first on the scene
says that space about ten feet square
was burning when he arrived. The
hose was carried in, and SIS soon as the
water was thrown on the jars filed
with alcohol they burst. liberating the
liquor, which ignited and sent a blaze
I'D to the roof. This is said to have
been the critical moment, tor the hose
would not throw water to the roof, and
it consequently caught fire. The
building may be said to have been lost
from this time, as the fire being in or
near the centre of the structure soon
spread in every direction. Had the
pressure been sufficient to have thrown
several bold streams to the roof the
building might have been saved.
The stand pipe is eighty feet high,
the bottom being on about the same
elevation as the floor Of the second
story of the main building. The pipe
is said to have had about sixty-feet OF
water at the beginning If the fire.
Owing 10 the long line of mains through
which water has TO come or to some
other cause not satisfactorily explained,
the pressure did not come up to expecta'
ton. The mains are so arranged that
water can be pumped di ,ct from the
tank without going throughetand pipes;
this was done as long as the water
lasted, but the tank was exhausted and
consequently the engine became use
less.
A large part of the Western wall fell
yesterday afternoon. The debris il
still smoking at this writing (l1a a. M,
A strong detail of cadets has watched
the smoking ruins each night since the
fire, and sentinels walk post during the
day to prevent cadets and citizens
alike from venturing too near the crack
ing walls.
College exercises were resumed
esterday. There is great dissatifac
ton amongst the cadets at the present
condition of things. They say that th'
facilities for carrying on the classes art
too limited and they do not thinE
much good is to be gained by staying
A petition to be presented to the ooart
meeting tomorrow is getting man.
signatures. One hundred and forty
names are already attached and tvs
hundred are expected to sign. Thi
petition asks the board of trustees Il
close the College for the present ant
give vacation now instead of mex
winter. Thirty odd boys left yesterda.
and to-day.
All the apparatus in the physica
laboratory (Prof. Weleh) was saved
including German air pump, said t.
be the FIRST in the South. A lot o
valuable charts and maps in Prof. Nor
rison's room were lost. The professo
had a valuable private library in hi
room, q large part Of which was lost
Most of the books in the Coileg
library were saved by the promp
exertions of Cadet Librarian D. I
Smith and his assistants.
Prof. Furman lost some books an
maps of value. Everything in tn
Presidents room was saved, also tn
new and handsome carpets belongin
respectively to the Calhoun and Pa
metto debating societies.
OUT OF ITS ASHES.-BIDS CALLED FOl
TO RESTORE THE MAIN BUILDING.
Especial to The Register.]
CALHOUN, S. c., May 26.-Superir
tendent Thompson of Rock Hill an
Mr.. Bruce of Atlanta, have been her
and in consultation with the Board {
Trustees all Cay. After carefully cor
sidering all the material question
connected with the work Of restorin
the main structure and looking into th
finances available and to become avail
able for this purpose, the Board d.
cided to advertise at once for bids I
rebuild the main building, bids to /
submitted not later than June 9th.
Some temporary rooms will oe col
structed at once to be used as recitatio
rooms and until this is done tt
arrangements already inprovised wi
answer every purpose.
The cadets were addressed this morl
ing by Governor Tillman and b
other members Of the Board. Tt
cadets were commended for the admi
q ble manner in which they b
adapted themselves TO the hardship
growing out of the soldierly manner
which they had yielded themselves
the discipline of their officials head
o1l. Lo