River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-12-02
A New Building TO 60 Up on the Old Site.

Martin, who was reading in his apart
mentS on the first floor, hearda faint
report as Of an explosion or the sharI
pounding Of a steam pipe. Taking Z
light. he went into the engine-rOOm
10 inspect the apparatus, and from
here caught sight of the reflected blaze
along the snow. Mounting the stairs
with what haste he could, he opened
the door into the chemical laboratory
and found the table and the adjacent
woodwork covered with flame. Re-
turning to the hall he Immediately
got the fire hose in operation and soon
had small stream playing on the fire
by this time Mr.. Ensign, who had
/ crossed the campus and began ringing
the bell, was relieved of the bell rope,
/ and climbed the stairs to assist with a
! second hose at the fire. 1t had already
! pierced the ceiling, however, and SEEM
/ ed to be raging inside the partition
/ BY the time the tiremen arrived
/ which was speedily enough consider
/ ing the discOuraging condition of the
| streets-the fire was already danger
! OuSly under way, though largely con-
cealed from an outside view.
TUESDAYS MASS MEETINGS.
On Tuesday at ten o'clock mass
meeting was held at the Opera Hall
TO determine the best means for con-
| tinuing the exercises of the school. A
driving snow storm made the weather
particularly laSty. but crowd of rep
reSentative people flied the hall to its
doors. Pres Parker was given charge
of the meeting, and from the moment
the proceedings began marked en-
| thuSlaSm was manifest, deepening as
| the session increased in activity, to
upen-handCd liberality and Securer
sense OF the schools fine spirit in the
hOur Of ill-fortune. The thought that
the exercises of the school should be
suspended even fOra day, seemed not
To be seriously entertained either by
the faculty OF the general body Of the
students. The almost universal seu-
timent seemed TO be TO cling together,
10 preserve the organization of the
school and keep uninterrupted the
strong trend of its influence.
As soon as the meeting was put on
a parliamentary footing 10y being call
ed TO Orded by Regent Lord, Pres.
Parker was elected chairman and
Prof. Sims secretary. Pres. Parker
went directly to the business in hand
by stating in crisp, condensed sent
ences the serious facts of the situation:
The Normal is burned: many of the
text books are destroyed. But the
faculty and students, the souls that
made the school, remain. The ques-
tiOn to De decided now is, what will
you do with us? How will you house
us? The same spirit that made the
location Of the Normal at River Falls
possible - years ago, will furnish
solution from the present difficulty"
Upon this, tenders of halls, churches,
and all sorts of shelter available for
recitation or study, were unreservedly
made to the chairman. Rev. Balch,
speaking with the full sanction OF a
very loyal congregation, offered to the
school the splendid new editice Of the
Methodist church, which comprises
under its roof an ample audience
room and three smaller apartments.
1t will be ready for occupancy by
Dec. 18th. The ringing words of this
capital offer struck a happy chord and
were cordially applaudcd.
Rev. Stephen Duren was among the
first to get the Presidents recognition
and offered the newly equipped st.
Bridget's Hall, heated and lighted
free Of charge. Rev. Mcintosh gave
the school frank and cordial invita-
tion to occupy any of the handsomely
furnished rooms of the Congregation
al church, and called attention to the
peculiar attractions of the primary
Sunday School rooms for the exercises
of the kindergarten. BY authority OF
the trustees and his own sense of
hospitality he offered the church,
ready for immediate occupancy, with
out charge. Mr.. Morgan rendered the
Good TemplarS Hall, Mr.. Taggart
the Baptist church, Mr.. Elertson and
Mr. Norseng the two Lutheran
churches-all in the most hospitable
spirit and without any obligation on
the part of the Normal. In addition,
the various lodges gave hearty invi-
tation to their exclusive precincts, the
Odd Fellows through Atty. White,
The Masons by word of Hon. G. ID.
Parker, who suggested that by the
aid of some red tape even the goat
might be loaned in cases of extreme
emergency. A the instance of one
Of the professors: Mr.. Pierce offered
the haV press and its contents to salts
fy The inner cravings of the goat.
| Rooms over the Bank of River
| Falls were rendered by Mr.. Smith.
Ii was understood from the start that
| the Opera Hall and the adjoining
rooms OF the hotel would be used as
| the schools headquarters. In offer
| ing them TO the President, Mr.. The
| lander remarked that he had no con
gTegation such as supported some or
| the previous speakers, TO back up his
! generous impulses toward the school.
| lie stood alone and spoke only for
| himself. Il his offer 10 the commit
| tee proved unsatisfactory, however, he
/ invited them TO make proposition
/ of their own. which he would cheer
/ fully accept.
1t was seen by this time that the
| problem was no longer how TO secure
| room enough to house the school but
10 select the room most available.
| To this eEd a committee of five was
/ appointed by the President, two OF
/ whom. at the suggest on of Mr..
i Haugen, were President Parker and
Regent Lord, the other three being
| Rev. Mcintosh, Rev. Duren, Rev.
| Balch and Mayor Chinook. Alder
| man Glass was appointed TO acU for
/ MayOr Chinook on this committee
/ during the Mayors absence from
| town. Mr.. Glass had previously de-
| rlared on behalf of the council that
| though the total fund IN the city
| treasury, above necessary expenses
up 10 the time fresh sums we're avail
able. was but $3.50, the city could be
depended upon to do the handsome
thing by the school. Upon this,
Banker Smith offered to loan to the
city, without interest, such sums as IL
might appropriate TO the Normal
cause.
A motion by Atty. White to appoint
a committee Of five to confer with
the Regents on their arrival in town,
| incidentally drew out some stirring
remarks By Hon. y. p Haugen anc
Others. on the intimate and ingrainec
relations OF the c0mmu unity and the
Normal School. The close and almost
lintuitsge harmony existing between
the school and the city and the
atmosphere Of loyalty that has sprung
up throughout the town and coultry
side-and so mphatically manifested
at this NEE ting-were cited a:
evidences OF the eternal fitness OF
! bofn the town and the faculty fol
earring on a Normal school on {
! man fully as broad and quite as
nCble Is that which has distinguished
! the school during the past twenty
, two rsdrs. 1t was remarked by Mr..
, Hapeea that 20 far as he was able Z
! obs sge, the attitude of the student:
! wss exactly what IL should be--eBe o.