The San Francisco call., 1897-04-17

By 3 o'clock the interior of the building
was almost burned out. and the flames
were under couirol, leaving a portion OF
the walls and three big chimneys stand
ing. AS a result of the efforts of tne fire.
fighters the stables were unharmed, and
some property in the basement of the
building was saved
The destroyed building contained the
departments of agriculture, entomology
and viticulture. The loss to these depart
ments by the destruction of records and
material is incalculabie. Professor Hill
gard lost a collection of extremely vau-
able plants, the result of forty years work
Very many of the specimens were of
great value, said Professor Hilgard, after
the fire. land large proportion of them
1t Will be Impossible to replace. The finan-
cial loss is probably $l5 600, large part of
1t being In the property destroyed in the
basement. wine cellar had been con-
structeo at great expense, and it con-
tanned 8 large quantity of wines that were
OF high value for scientific purposes.
Most OF our 1897 reports are lost, and
AL the depart ment reports and docu-
ments since 1SS7, except few copies that
are on hle in the university library"
Inc destruction of these documents Is a
most serious blow 10 the work of Professor
hllgards department, which mainly con-
sisted IN compiling and securing exhaus-
i've statistics OF agricultural work and ex-
pertinent. The department IS a National
agricultural station and is one OF the most
important in the country. 1t kept valu-
able records affecting all parts of the
Pacific Coast, and the professors and in
structors in charge are constantly at work
upon the business of collecting data and
conducting experiments for the benefit of
agrlculturists.
Though the number of students is not
large, the department is one of the busiest
at Berkeley.
In the interruption OF all this work, and
in the destruction of results ana spec-
mems gathered during forty years of Dor,
the loss is lar ahead OF the financial esti-
mates of the worth OF the property that
was burned. Tne building was erected in
1887, and was reconstructed last year. 1t
was a wooden structure, ana not of par
ticular value in itself
1t is thought that much more might
have been saved had there been proper
provisions for fighting the fire. There
were no axes to be found nearer than
South Hall, no hose was at hand and no
water was near. The disaster will be used
as an ar-ument for the establishment of
an efficient fire department in connection
with the university. The heavy destru c.
ton is complete loss, owing TO the law
removing all insurance from State build
ings.
Other most unfortunate results may
transpire from the disaster. 1t is said
that The other departments may now be
as short OF n oney as they ever have been,
as good sum will be needed to provide
new quarters for the departments now
without building.
The origin of the fire is generally
thought TO have been a gasiet left burn II g
in the archaeological laboratory. The
accepted theory is that the flame was ne dr.
the wall, and, as the entire room was very
dry and warm from the use OF the dryer
employed, q confiagration WAS easily
started.
The building was occupied by the off ce
and ciassrooms of Professor Z. w. Hill
gard, head OF the agricultural depart
ment; Professor e. J. Wickson, Assistant
Professor r. II. ughridge, Professor c.
w. Woodwork, head of the eatomologi-
cal department, Instructor NJ. L. Jaffa
George E. Colby, and F. J. Biolett. Pro-
lessor WicEson had just left 10 take the
O'Clock train to San Francisco, and Pro-
fessor Hilgard was at lunch in his resi-
dence when the flames broke out.