River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-12-02

the administration of three presi
| dents. rung its own knell Monday
| night. and a few hours later. with the
| flames shooting high around il, fell
| from its tall perch headlOng down the
| tower.
Fire broke out in the Normal build
ing at shortly after eight O'Clock in
the chemical laboratory on the third
| floor. Spreading from table and
the adjacent woodwork it leaped up
| the castings on the walls. and elm bling
through the ceiling soon began roar
ing in the pine attic. In less than
twenty minutes the flames broke
through the windows and the roof
and went pouring in a dense hood Cf
smoke over the lofty top of the
building. Owing to the unusual
height of the fire and the extreme
distance from the reservoir, the water
pressure was utterly inadequate.
Neither the double set OF hose in the
building or the two lines Of fire hose
brought To play 10y he fire company,
had any notable effect upon the
flames. Hundreds of eyes looked up
from the Illuminated campus watch
ing the sturdy but Intellectual efforts
of the firemen. impOtent to help, still
hoping for a victory and yet moved
almost to distraction 10y the growing
fear that the building was doomed.
SAVING THE CONTENTS.
As soon as this danger was felt, the
work of rescue began. Crowds pour
ed through the main corridors and
out upon the walks, bearing a,mfuls
Of books from the library or pictures
and statuary fIJm the art rooms.
The school records were the first To
be saved Students in organized
gangs looked after the belongings of
their fayOrite professors, and most OF
the teachers desks and private
cabinets were saved by this means.
The students best knew the iu
tricacies Of the building and did the
bulk Of the work of actual rescue,
keeping steadily at work themselves
and directing others through the
confused and halt-lighted Railways.
La a short time the entire reference
library had been carried to a place of
safety, two pianos had been saved, a
large mum Der of tables. cabinets AID
desks, the complete furnishings of the
kindergarten, much of the gymnasium
apparatus and a mass of pictures and
ornamental matter that had Teen
accumulated through twenty-five
years of prosperity and gave tone and
distinction to the interior OF the old
building.
Much Of the work of rescue was
done while the building was already
III "a threatening condition. Terrific
currents of air rushed through the
halls and encouraged the flames. In
a short time the top story was entire
ly enveloped in fire. Water poured
down the narrow stairway TO the sec
ond floor, the hose encum bered the
main staircase and tiremen and work
ers carried on their plucky fight
against destruction in utter darkness
or the solemn half-light of the reflect
ed blaze. The grand piano was CARR
ed from the main study room under
the imminent threat of q falling cell
ing. Pres. Parker, IN the midst OF
the busiest activities, called Tor
twenty men to help him in the main
room, and men joined him by the
dozen. He was foremost in the work
of deliyeTance, and his kindly presence
lent courage and direction TO the
-SprK. At length all the workers
were called out, and the tiremen, hav-
ing fought good fight, bent their
last efforts to preventing personal ac-
cidents aud saving the englne-rOom
annex.
To the spectators who thronged the
walks and Snow-cOVered lawns, or
looked out from the windows OF the
neiubbaring houses. the fire presented
a beautiful but appalling spectacle.
At first smoke and flame poured IN
a lurid mass over the top OF the build
ing. Swirls Of smoke like water
Sp0uts. caught in the eddies OF the
brisk south wind, hung around the
corners of the building or rising SLOW
ly melted away in the heights OF
INNER air. An incessant rushing as
of a great wind sounded in the ears OF
the bvstanderS. and continuous
cracking. increased from time 10
time hY the falling of fresh material
INTO the flames, came from the
heart of the burning building.
Showers Of sparks shot upward into
the starry heavens, cinders
were carried for blocks around and
through the smoke the moon looked
green : abSinthe. At this point the
iuwer stood out like "A pyramid OF
flame. taper and fine against the DARK;
now and then floor gave way, raining
with a crashing noise, and red
ruin leaped sky-high into the moon
light.
THE FIREMEN HANDICAPPED.
From the outset the work of the
firemen was handicapped 10y low wat
er pressure in the hose. This was due
solely 20 the height OF the building
and the distance from the reservoir
the whole length of the town. Inc
reservoir was full at four o'clock, and
| a fhn alarm
sounded the pumps were set IN mo-
| tion and began forcing water through
| the mains. Bothered by the low pres
! sure from the reservoir. the tiremen
oruered a direct force from the giant
humping engines. The valve 70 the
| reservoir was accordingly closed, and
the pumps. that are capable OF max
mo SO strokes to the minute, were
| urged up to their full capacity. The
| presSure stood at sc pounds and Mr..
! Thayer looked eXpectantly at the dial
| 70 see il rise to 100. In two minutes
| In dropped to 10. The well, whose ca
| pacity for the past month or two bas
| permitted a pumping speed or put Il
| strokes to the minute, had exceeded
its utmost limit and failed to respond
to the pumps. The valve TO the res
| e~voir was accordingly opened again
! and tue pressure continued at about
90 pounds throughout the fire. though
| seven feet of water were drawn from
the reservoir. Another difficulty that
met the firemen later on, was thai
the two sets of hose and various fau
Gets abandoned inside the building
drained the force of the main. THIS
waste was promptly shut of by CLOSING
tie pipe leading into the main build
ing. mo fireman, however expert
enced.n remarked one Of the fire Of
ficers yesterday, with so feels
pressure as we had. could have WORKED
those two lines Of hose effectiYel'
| ayainst such fire"
THE START OF THE FIRE.
The fire was first seen from the out
side bv Miss Smith Of the History de
nartment who observed an unnsua
| iight in the laboratory as she tool
leave OF Mrs. Ewing at her home OF
Professors Row. The light va
known at once to be a ire, and
nhoue message was promptly sent u
by Mr.. Ensign from his hcGs mex
seer Ia the measwhiis, sanite