The Iola register., 1901-03-01

knows, but il was discovered about
Friday night far beyond control and
the sleepy folks who gathered at the
alarm could but stand by and witness
the destruction. The loss is estimated
at about $4,000, covered partly by
80, 200 insurance divided among the
following companies: Continental
$1,000; London $1,000; Niagara Sl0OOland
$500 on furniture; Philadelphia $1,000;
North British $1,000; Springfield Fire
and Marine $1,000; National $1,000;
Queen $1,000, and on furniture $780,
Among the first persons at the fire
were William Watts and DR.. w. ID.
Mcdowell and both agree that even
when they reached the building all
three stairways on the east, west and
south sides were allame. One man
says he felt an explosion about -
O'Clock that shook his house and he
thinks the fire started from gas
explosion, but people living closer to
the building noticed nothing of the
kind. Another report, proven false,
said that Prof. Lewis lead singing
class in the building until II o'clock.
The janitor, Mr.. A. N. Bishop left
the building in the evening, everything
being in the usual order, the fires
turned low and the building empty.
He says he never found any trouble
with the furnaces, and there was never
a time when the heat grew excessive at
any point. He, too, is at loss to
account for the fire, save nthe ground
that some boys had been playing IN
the building, or tramps had camped
in the halls. But there seems no evil
dence to verify either of these theories,
The fire alarm sounded first between
2 and O'Clock. just the hour when
lola people are sleeping the hardest
and the ominOus clang sounded again
and again for quarter of an hour
before a crowd began to gather.
Finally the Missouri Pacific switch
engine sleepily joined in the alarm
giving out rather weaktoot that very
evidently lacked steam.
The fire engine had been neglected
by those who did roll out of bed and
make for the fire but finally enough
people gathered to take tito tho scene.
but it was useless. And the chances
are that had fully equipped fire de-
partment, with water and an engine.
been present when the chemical engine
arrived nothing could have been done
The building was erected in lS0S ami
was located on Breckenridge street,
between Sycamore and Jefferson, to
accommodate the students of the first
and second wards. 1t was substan-
italy of stone and lola pressed brick,
was handsome in outline, as the ac-
companying cut shows, and was fitted
up with every convenience, furnaces.
the best ventilators, dry closets,
laboratories and play room inthe base
ment. There were eight large, airy,
we'll lighted rooms in the building and
it was one of the edifces which lola
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'oo PUPILS LOSE BUNS
The teachers who worked in the
building were: George Freeman,
principal; Louise Fussman, Halle
Irving, Sadie Post, Mildred Swigart.
Lucy Woodin, Austie Bonnell, AIDA
Adams The grades which occupied
the building were First, a, b, and C:
Second. a and b: Third, a and b:
Fourth, and b: Fifth, aaud b: Sixth.
Il ard %; Seventh, a and b; and,Eighth
b. about five hundred pupils we're
included in these grades and all of
their books and supplies. aggre rated
not less than $500. Besides this loss
the piano, worth 800. which was a bout
paid for by the teachers. went with the
rest, and the teachers this .norning