The herald., 1896-09-28
DAMAGE By FLAMES
and Loss BY FLOOD
Mount HOly0ke College
Burned Down
NEW W0AAH'S Higher EDUCATION
Will Be Postponed for q
Time
STEPS TOWARD REBUILDING
Take1 Before the Ashes Have Time
STEPS TOWARD REBUILDING
Taken Before the Ashes Have Time
to Cool
Burns Underwear Factory Fire Said to Have
Been Incendiary
A Texas Flood Causes No Loss of Life,
but the Property Damage Is Heavy
and Railroad Traffic Is Stopped
for a Time.
Associated Press Special Wire

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass, Sept. 27-
Mount Holyoke college, the pioneer in
stitution for the higher education Of
women, received a severe blow this af-
ternoon in the burning of the main
building, with probable loss of over
s15OO00. The buildings have cost over
$4,000 and could not be replaced today
for less than that. Fortunately, none
of the 400 students nor faculty were in
jured The fire was first discovered in
the gymnasium wing, about 4:3O o'clock.
The college fire apparatus was put to
work, but it was soon seen that they
could not control the fire, and help was
sent fer from South Hadley Falls and
Holyolke. A steamer and hose wagon
were sent, but arrived too late to be
effective. The fire slowly worked it's
way through the doorways in the fire
wall into the south wing of the building
and into the large building fronting the
street. At the same time it burned
through the gymnasium into the north
wing, and at 1880 the entire structure
was in flames. About 8 o'clock the walls
began to topple over, and an hour later
all that remained of the structure was
sections of the walls looming up through
the smoke.
The library building, adjoining the
main structure on the north and con-
tanning Is, 900 volumes. was saved. The
burned building was in the form of d
quadrangle, all of brick Facing the
street was a four-story structure with
about $50 feet frontage. The basement
was the large dining hall. Extending
to the east from the buildings were two
wings about $50 feet deep and four sto-
ries high. These three sections of the
building were occupied for dormitory
purposes, the first floor of the front be-
ing devoted to the chapel. reception and
music rooms and offices.
1t is supposed the fire originated in
the laundry from an overheated steam
pipe. The building and it's contents were
insured for s154,00O.
A. .Williston of Northampton, treas
urer Of the institution says steps will
be taken toward rebuilding. Tonight
most of the students are scattered about
in the houses of the townspeople, the
hotels and the churches, while others
have gone to Holyoke, Northampton.
and other nearby points. At 9 o'clock
tomorrow the faculty and students will
meet in a church to consider plans for
continuing the college work. AS near
ly all the apparatus of the institution
was in Williston Scientific hall, it will
be impossible to continue the sessions
until after arrangements are made for
lodging the students and faculty.
SET ON FIRE
WORCESTER, Mass, Sept. Gloon
siderable excitement has been caused
in this city by the fire in the underwear
factory of Burns & Co. this morning.
Burns is the man woh displayed the red
flag of anarchy on the front of his build
ing with Bryan's portrait on it when
the presidential candidate visited the
city last Friday. This action caused
a great deal of unfavorable comment
An investigation made today by State
Fire Marshal Holt and Chief Engineer
Vaughn, of the fire department, con-
vinces them that the fire is of incendiary
origin an evidence of kerosene having
been sprinkled around. One Interest,"
ing episode of the fire was the following
telegram sent within half an hour after
the fire was discovered, TO Mr.. Bryan
at Bath, Me-, by D. o. Morgan, ex-
mittee:
"Thank God! Justice receives her just
dues. Burns underwear factory which
displayed the red flag in your honor FRI
day afternoon is in fiames.''
LOSS BY FLOOD
SAN MARCOS, Tex, Sept. 27.-Sueh
investigation as could be made today
shows that no lives were lost as a result
of yesterdays downpour. but it is ap-
parent that the loss will not be more than
the estimate first made, $4,000. The
damage to this town is very heavy. The
whole south portion, which fortunately
was not very thickly settled, is almost
gone. The houses mainly were small
and flimsy and they were noated away
as if they were boats.
People were rescued from the tops of
them, and from trees, in boats. Had the
rain occurred at night many lives would
have been lost. The M. K. & T. and
International & Great Northern roads
have lost about mile and a half OF
track each. Large forces of men have
been at work repairing since last night
but no train on the International has
passed yet, and it is not likely any VIII
until tomorrow afternoon. The flood
was not caused by a waterspout, as at
first reported, but by q heavy rain Of