The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-05-29
THE FIRE FIEND AT CLEMSON.
Tho Destruction of the Main Build.
ing-Excelient Conduct OF the Ca.
dets-The Protection Against the
Flames Was Not Adeuuate.

mo Destruc'ton OF the main Build
ing-Excelient Conduct OF the Ca.
dets-The Protection Against the
Flames Was Not Adequate.
The recent fire at Clemson College
was discovered ct 4.30 o'clock on the
morning of May 22nd. 1t broke out in
the third story of the main college
building in room used for drawing
and storage OF the exhibit of the old
department Of agriculture.
| When first discovered by the senti-
! mel on duty at the barracks just oppo-
blaze, but by the time the alarm was
sounded and people began to arrive on
the scene it had made considerable
headway, and threatened to destroy
| the whole building, as we'll as the
chapel adjoining the barricks just op-
| posite.
The long roll was beat, and the ca
diets promptly responded to the alarm,
some with buckets, others with the
hose, waiting for orders to move. Soon
the hose was attached to the hydrant
and the command given to carry it into
the building where the fire was, but
after going as far as the length of the
hose would allow, it was discovered
that more hose was needed, and that
water was not to be had in sufficient
quantity to do any good. This was the
fatal moment, for had the hose been
long enough and water in sufficient
quantity this awful calamity, instead
OF being a reality, would have been in
name only. Those with the buckets
had no place whore they could get wa
ter in sufficient quantities to be of any
service. The only places available
were the small faucets whore the ca
dets get drinking water, making it
impossible to get water in this way.
There was some delay in getting
more hose-fully twenty minutes hav-
ing elapsed since the fire was first dis
covered, thus allowing it full time to
get headway and beyond control, es-
pecially when scarcely any waite" was
to be had.
1t soon became evident that the
building was lost, and after some con-
fusion, work was begun to remove the
the furnishings of the buildings. A
few books were saved and all of Prof.
tus. The carpets of the two societies
were saved, with few things from
the museum.
BY this time the chapel was becom-
ing in danger, as the flames were al
ready leaping high. Seeing&that If
the chapel was lost the barracks nee
essarily would follow, every one seemed
determined to stand firm at this point
against the gulping enemy and to re-
sist almost to death his destructive ad-
vances. They wero successful. They
conquered the dreadful master. They
made him bite the dust. Let praise
and honor be ascrrBcd to these young
men for their heroism, for the expos
ure of their bodies, even their lives, to
|. the angry flames in defense of Clemson
College against this consuming enemy
attacking her thus in her infancy.
The main building was soon burned
down, leaving only the shell of the
once magnificent structure. The
chapel, barracks, chemical laboratory,
experimental station and mechanical
halls still remain uninjured, conse-
quently the faculty has decided to go
on with their recitations just as usual,
using the above mentioned places as
far as possible and building temporary
recitation rooms where they are need
ed.
The whole building was insured for
only $40, 900, nothing of course like it's
real value.
The cause of the fire is not definitely
known, though many theories are Of
fered to account TO. it. Some think
that as the museum contained much
loose, dry matter, such as paper, straw,
etc, it is probable that q rat carried q
match into some Of it and consequently
the fire others suppose that an incen-
diary caused the whole affair, while
others hold that it is highly probable
that as there were some brandy
/ peaches in the museum and as some
OF these had disappeared at other times
, that some one went into the museum
for the purpose of getting some last
| night and as it was very dark they
struck match to see their way
and when they had seen, threw it
down regardless OF where it might
fall, of what it might burn and of what
the result might be.