The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-29

BALTIMORE, Oct. 2S.-A Spec1al dis
patch to the Baltimore Sun from Char.
lottesville yesterday says:
At 1890 this morning the main build
ing Of the University of Virginia was
found to be on fire. The alarm was
responded to by the University Fire
Company, and also by the Chsrlottes-
Vile Company, but it was impossible to
get water on the building, as the pres
sure was insufficient. The fire was in
the southwest corner of the public hall,
near tho copy Of Raphael's painting OF
the School of Athens.
Futile efforts to extinguish It were
made, but from the beginning it seemed
certain that what WAS known Gs the
annex, that ID the public hall and the
lecture rooms of the professors of law,
engineering, modern Languages, phys
les. &C., would be total loss. Efforts
were directed toward saving the library,
which occupied the rotunda, and the
lecture rooms beneath, and TO this end
an attempt wae made to remove with
dynamite the covered gallery or porch
which connected the annex with the
rotunda in which these rooms we:e
situated.
Tho large columns supporting the
roof OF this porch were blown out, but
without tho desired result. Efforts were
then made to destroy with dynamite
cartridges the roof itself, but this was
without good result aud the flames
travelled along it to the rotunda. In
tho meantime much OF the valuable
contents Of tho library, books, portraits
and statuary, had been removed, ladies
assisting materially in thi, work.
Tho origin OF the fire is mystery.
At tho faculty meeting this afternoon
this WAS one Of the problems. but it re-
mains unsolved. The fire department
in Charlottesville does not need an en-
gino, the gravity being sufficient to
throw water over any building, but this
is not true OF The university, which
occu pies an eminerce above the city and
draws Its water from the same supply
Lynchbnrg and Staunton were wired to
send an engine, which Lynchburg did,
but too late. Stanton cent firemen and
Il hose. Lectures will not be inter
rupted.
For the present session between 500
and GOO students had matrIoulated and
tho indications were that it would prove
one OF the most prosperous and SUCCESS
full sessions in the history of the
university.
1nAt pAEG OF the OurnoQ Dulldi nR
known az tho rotunda was completed in
Mr.. Jciferson's lifetime, constructed
under his supervision and after plans of
his own. In 1925 the completion of this
part was celebr ted by large gather
ing of she people, who followed Mr..
Jetferaon, Lafayette and other noted
men to the now building, where re-
ceptiOn was held. Daring the war two
OF the lecture rooms were used as hos.
pital wards. The building was CON
struc.ed on the model of the Pantheon
az Rome, though only one third the
s:za and without the pillars, except on
front. The annex WAS built nearly forty
yea.a ago. The University of Virginia
WAC chartered in 1910 and opened in
1924, the legislature OF 1918 having
voted an annual appropriation of SIS
000 TO endow ard support it. Its organ
ization, p!sn Of government and system
of Instruction are due to Thomas Jcffer
scr.
The annual State appropriation is now
$4,000. The department OF agriculture
was established in 1869 by means OF the
gift Of 500 600 made by Samuel Miller,
of Lynch burg Tho library in 1875 con
tanned 3G coo volumes. but the mum Der
has been largely increased since. The
departments OF law and medicine stand
deservedly high. Il few years ago the
university wns presented with mag
nifcent telescope by Leander Nc or
mick, Chicago millionaire and former
Virginian.