The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-12-13
Rad FIRE AT AMES.
Main Building OF Agricultural Col.
leEe Nearly DESTROYED

Nuiu OulSOlnG Oh Agricultural Col.
lege Nearly Destroyed.
Ames. Dec. 9.-The main building
at the State Agricultural college was
almost completely destroyed BY fire
yesterday morning. The north wing
and most of the center of the build
ing are in ruins, and the botanical
collection, one of the most valuable
IN the country, suffered heavy loss.
The total loss is estimated at close to
$4,000.
Two hundred men students, occu-
pylng the north wing of the building
as dormitory, escaped with their
llves, fifty using the fire escape, but
We're able 20 save but few of their
belongings. Practically nothing but
the south wing of the building was
saved.
The fire originated in the boiler
room of the heating plant in the
basement of the north wing at A
O'Clock. 1t caught in heap of shin
giles used as kindling. This was di-
rectly under the conduits through
which the steam pipes lead to the up
per floors. This created strong
draft and the fire was sucked up to
the top floor in an instant. A mo-
ment later the entire top floor was in
flames. BY the time the alarm could
be given the top floor was burning
furnace. and the fire was rapidly eat
ing its way downward.
Students were aroused from sound
slumber as if by magic and rushed
for the fire escapes half-clad. That
all of them escaped without one be-
ing seriously injured in the panic is
almost miraculous,
Paul St. Clair, the fireman in
charge of the boiler room, gave the
alarm as soon as he discovered the
seriousness of the fire, but the ia
cilities of the college fire department
were utterly inadequate to the emer-
gency.
The display of college spirit was
magnificent, and it was the perfect
discipline of the students which pre-
vented more destructive spread of
Inc flames.
Their efforts saved most of the
$4,000 botanical collection, which
was on the first floor of the north
wing.
The building which has been de.
stroyed was erected in 1868 at cost
of 100000. Repairs were made on it
two years ago and it was in good con-
dition. It was devoted to dormitory
purposes and recitation rooms.
Kirby's cigar store at Boone was
broken into by burglars and eighty
dollars worth of candy and cigars
stolen. The slot machine was broken
open and about fifty dollars in cash
secured.
The j. r. Smith & Son elevator at
Lamont burned few days ago. The
origin of the fire is unknown, but it
is thought that it was started by
some means in the engine room. The
proprietors had just put in some new
machinery ana will feel the loss
keenly. There was $4,000 insurance
on the building and grain.
George Anderson, now in Jail at
Burlington on a charge of numbering
Harry Inter, has been identified as
George Carson, who was raised six
miles east of Williamsburg. People
of that vicinity recognized him by a
picture published in the Hawkeye of
George Anderson. George Carson
has served time in the penitentiarp
for forging ten notes against C. MI
w. lnglebert, a stockman of CarneyI
The Des Moines Daily News will.
soon celebrate in formal way it's
success in attaining to 10000 circula-
ton, its regular issues being now
about that figure. When the News
reached the 10000 mark in 1895 it cell
ebrated BY giving feast to it's news
boys; when 10000 was attained in
1898 grand business mems parade
was given; and the approaching cele-
bration is awaited with some curios-
ity, as the News is always doing
something new and striking. The
vast circulation of the Daily News is
largely due to it's low price of 81
year, rs cents for six months, so cents
for three months.
George Wicks, superintendent of
the johnson county poor farm, is in
q precarious condition as the result
of being stabbed by ''Blind" Kauff-
man, one of the insane patients of
the county house. Superintendent
Wicks was carrying supper to Kauff-
man and had barely opened the door
to his cell when the mailman leapedl
upon him and stabbed the superin-
tendent eight or ten times with
sharpened butcher knife. Kaufman
AAtlN OSCh COlAuCo III d SOllJdIy CELL
at the poor farm awaiting the action
of the authorities, who were expect
ed to commit him to the hospital at
Mt. Pleasant. The superintendent
grabbed the crazy man by the right
arm, but could not prevent the tor
rent of blows rained upon him. The
cries and scuff1ing brought assistance.
1t is believed that only the greatest
skill will bring Kauffman's victim
through.
Two youths of Dubuque, whose
names have been withheld from the
public, drank whisky from barrel
in the cellar of one of the saloons
down town and came nearly dying
from the effects. Both took long
draughts from the spigot. Twenty
minutes after the youth who took
the first draught had imbibed he
was unconscious and physicians
worked with him twelve hours be-
fore they brought him to. His face
turned purple and his neck became
swollen and the veins distorted. The
doctors pronounced the case one of
asphyxiation from the gas which
naturally generates in liquor bar
rel. The boy who drank first got the
most gas. One of the youths is 1s
years of age and the other little
younger. They had gone to the cell
lar to carry wood for the saloon
keeper who employed them to do
that work.
Mrs. L. E. Williams has instituted
suit against the city of Creston
FOR. 60 5OO Camapes for Ipiur;ae cuc.