Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-03-14
GREAT LOSS FROn FIRE.



Normal School was utterly destroyed
with practically all of its valuable con-
tents. The alarm was given at about
a quarter past 9 o'clock Saturday
morning, when smoke was seen to be
rolling from the roof of the building.
This was followed by slight explo-
sion, which blew out a couple of win
dows and raised part of the roof,
having evidently come from the air
shaft. A large crowd of citizens
gathered and the fremen got the en-
CINE at work as soon as possible, but
nothing could be done to stay the
flames, which burst out in the upper
part of the building about the same
time that the lower part became In
volved. The dense smoke and the
heat made it impossible to do much
toward saving the contents of the
structure, and the only things saved
were the record books from the Office
and the contents of the reading room.
1t was only brief time until 1t was
apparent to every one that the splen-
did building was doomed to complete
destruction, and with sad hearts the
people stood in the rain aud saw the
fierce flames spread from one room to
the other. The girl students wept bit
terly as they saw their school home
destroyed, and the teachers were very
strongly affected also as they witnessed
the distressing scene. The piano In
the study room was the centre of a
wreath of fire, and its costly case soon
added fuel to the flames. The hand
some furniture that had been accumu-
lated, the splendid equipment in the
laboratory that was the joy of Mr..
Miller's heart, the treasures in Miss
Johnson's room which she had been
collecting for years, the many articles
in the office whose intrinsic value was
by no means the first consideration,
and some of which may never be re-
placed-all fell mute victims to the
greedy flames that grew fercer every
moment. In the office were portraits.
of all the former principals of the
school, with one exception, and they
were all lost. The splendid and costly
picture of Prof. Jos eph McMurran, the
schools first principal, went with the
rest, and his old scholars grieved great
ly over its loss,
Fortunately for the neighborng
buildings, there was no wind and a
rain fell continuously, so there was
little danger of the fire spreading.
The structure burned very fercely, but
it was large building, and presented
a fercely beautiful sight until noon,
when having consumed every part of
the interior the flames died down for
lack Of material upon which to feed.
The walls began to fall soon afterward,
and now scarcely any remains except
the tower. The ruin is as complete
as it is melancholy.
1t is not known just how the fire
originated, and this may remain a
mystery always. Prof. A. G. Kimler,
the principal Of the school, had been
in the building only short time be-
fore, and Janitor James Washington
and his assistant had also been at
their usual work. The building was
an easy mark for fire, however, as
the ventilating arrangements acted as
go many fues when once the flames
had been started. 1t was a brick
structure two stories high, with
large basement in which were located
the heating apparatus and the lavato-
ries. A square tower formed the
northwest corner. Frank L. Davis,
OF Baltimore, was the architect. The
building was comparatively a new
one, having been erected about five
years ago. ]. S. Fleming, the insur-
ance agent of this town, had placed
an insurance of $1,000 on the build
ing and $1,000 on the contents, A
policy Of $500 had lapsed about
year ago, having been overlooked by
the State school officials.
The loss on the building, including
the heating apparatus, bell, closets,
electric clock system and other per-
manent fixtures, will probably be in
the neighborhood of SIS, 900, while the
value of the contents in the way OF
furniture, apparatus, etc, will be
from $4,000 to $4,000.
Although Principal Kimler and the
members of the faculty were much
cast down at the calamity they were
not discouraged, and before the FIRE
was out they were busy with plans
for opening up school as usual on
Monday. Not an hour was lost. The
old college building was unframed,