Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1895-11-02
Details of The Fire.
From Richmond Dispatch

The fire was first discovered in the
southwest corner of the annex, or
public portion of the building, and
it could have been extinguished if
there had been water at hand. The
university has an organized fire com
pany, and plenty of hose and the
Charlottesville company responded
to the alarm. But there was no water.
The university is renewing its water
mains, and the work being in an incom-
plete state, the water was not availa-
BILE. Hose, were after considerable
trouble, attached to main beyond
the university-grounds, but the
pressure was insufficient, and so the
fire-fghting was ineffective.
The flames made steady progress
toward the rotunda, and the energies
of the workers were directed toward
breaking the connection between the
series of rooms surrounded by the
library and the dome. There was q
covered gallery or portico interven
ing between the rotunda rooms and
the Public Hall-a portico fianked by
columns which were surmounted by
handsome, carved capitals, which
were brought from Italy at great ex
pense. These columns were blown
from their plates by dynamite, in the
hope that the superstructure would
fall away, and thus leave between the
two chief parts of the picturesque
and historic building a gap which
the devouring flames might not cross.
Finding it impossible to throw the
80 p,0fnCcnr
Echols and another approached that
part of the building by way of the
library and the rotunda and ex-
ploded a large number Of dynamite
cartridges in the roof, over the
portico, but with little effect. Nor
was the result very great when Pro
fessor Echols loosed into the burning
mass bag containing probably half
bushel of dynamite cartridges. The
explosion was terrific. 1t was now
apparent that the library must be
consumed. Smoke famed its spacious
halls. and flames were bursting from
the roof.
All this time ladies and gentlemen
and active boys were engaged in
carrying books from the shelves and
portraits from the walls of the
library. Fortunately, large part OF
the splendid collection was removed.
Not all of the portraits were saved,
but at this time it is impossible to say
which were lost. Persons acquainted
with his historic room will recall that
portraits of Jefferson, and of Cabell
and Minor, and other distinguished
professors; "Jeb" Stuart; the
philanthropist w. W. Corcoran, and
others, adorned the walls.
Hopeless of saving the main build
ing, the next efforts were directed
towards removing the connection be-
tween it and the buildings which en-.
closed the lawns. The connections
were low, one stored rooms, the one
known as the ''Old Chapel and the
other used as a reading room for
students. They were soon denuded
of their furniture and blown up.
In the mean time, the fire had
reached the rotunda portico, and
stopped the big clock at five minutes
to 12. The pavilion nearest the
main building was soaked with water
passed there by an active bucket
brigade and the hose had been kept
playing on the debris of the de-
molished buildings and, though these
took fire at different times, the
destructive element was finally
routed.
The rotunda dome collapsed, and
in four hours from the beginning
there was nothing standing but dis
mantled walls and columns.