The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-28
DAILY, SO YEAR
CENTS A COPY.
WEEKLY 2-TINIES-A-WEEK 81 a YEAR !
VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY AFlRE.
THE MAIN BUILDING AND ROTUNDA
BURNED.


The old Chapel and the Reading
Room blown Up with Dynamite to
Prevent Further spread of the
FIames-A Good Portion of the
Contents of the burned buildings
snved-The Loss Heavy and the In
surance Not More Than $4,000.
Charlottesville Va, Oct. 2.-Fire orig
mated this morning at 1880 o'clock in the
southwest corner Of the public hall Of
the University of Virginia and destroyed
the main building Of that institution with
some Of Its contents. In the absence OF
an engine the gravity system
OF fire lighting had heretofore
been adequate. 1t was impossi-
bic 10 get water to the flames ana
they had it all their own way for awhile.
When IL was clear that the public hall or
annex containing the lecture rooms OF
the schools Of common and statute law,
physics and modern languages could not
be saved efforts were directed toward
saving the rOtunda, containing the libra
ry and the lecture rooms Of the schools
OF ancient languages, mathematics. phil
osophy, English. etc. These parts Of the
building are connected by covered gall
lery or porch, whose roof was sustained
partly by imposing columns surmounted
by handsome capitals brought from Italy
by Thomas Jefferson. In order to pre-
vent the spread of the fire from the an
mex to the rotunda an attempt was made
10 blow down this connecting porch by
the use Of dynamite. The columns were
battered down, but stlll the porch stood.
dynamite was repeatedly placed in the
porch roof itself. but the explosions pro-
duced little result and IL was not long
before the rotunda was in flames The
larger part OF the library's contents were
tSinoVed' books, paintings and statuary.
rom the department Of physics much OF
tne Naluable equipment was rescued and
stored IN the museum.
Ihe danger of the fire communicating
70 the paNilions and dOrmitories was inn
mlnent These enclose the lawn on the
ana tho old chapel and reading room
close up the western end of the lawn
vista. The old chapel and the reading
room, directly connecting the main build
ing with the professors and students'
rooms, Were blown down with dynamlta
W W arrest the progress OF the flames, which
were soon gotten under control.
The Staunton and Lynchburg fire de-
pafiments We're requested TO send fire
ttnsihes. ta Lynchburg did so, and Staun-
toh sent men and hose, but too late
Bucket brigades undoubtedly saved the
nearby buildings; The intense desire to
save the university Is shown by the fact
that ladies' even took their places In line
The rotunda was that part OF the build
ing completed In Mr. Jefferson's day, and
IN Whlch in 1925 a reception was held
at which Gen. Lafayette and other dis
tlnguished men assisted The annex was
punt about forty years ago. The loss
~ very heavy, though the exact figures
cannot be given tonight. Nor Is Il known
Just what the insurance amounts 10.
OO0. r1'-
The students met to-day and began a
movement TO secure funds to restore the
building. pledging their contingent de-
Roslls, Alumni are telegraphing offers OF
financial aid. The lectures Will not bo
interrupted, and the work OF the session
VIII go on about as usual.