Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-03-29
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS.
By KATE MARKHAM POWER
aeese eysets0steVastEe4Veps segs eeso cxl ey

tue main buildings Oh lUe Dedl anu
Dumb Institution at Jackson. This in
stitution, under the splendid manage
ment of Mr.. Dobyns and his fine corps
Of teachers and assistants has long
been a source of pride to the State, but
it is far beyond the power of man
to estimate the great and far-reaching
good that has been done in their work
Of taking the hundreds of deaf mutes
of Mississippi and leading them
gently, step by step, from the world of
outer darkness wherein they dwell,
with their affection, into the clear,
bright Hight Of knowledge and conse-
quent happiness. 1t would be hard
to imagine a greater change than
takes place in many of these afflicted
children during the first years of their
life at the institution, when the pa
tient, wise instructors discover bring
/ forth and train the talent (ofttimes
the brain itself that has lain dormant
behind the silent lips, and teach the
child how to find pleasure in the beau
ty of life and the world, despite the
ears that know no sound, Last Mon
day, just before noon, the varied work
of the institution was going on as
usual. One hundred pupils and all
the teachers were busy at their tasks,
and about a dozen children were in the
hospital The usual serenity pervaded
the scene, when a passer hurried in to
say that the roof was ablaze, And in
almost as short time as it takes to
write these words the alarm went
through the buildings, and the per-
fectly trained children, all ignorant Of
the cause, were marched from them
across the yards and to safe places in
the neighboring yards, The sick chill
dren were lifted by willing arms and
carried to beds in the nearby homes,
and as soon as the buildings were
emptied the teachers began the strug-
gle to save the childrens clothes and
such other things as came first to
hand. In this work they we're nobly
aided by the largeer dumb boys of
the institution and by the colored
servants. In a few minutes the citi-
zens began to arrive, and the firemen,
and every possible effort was made to
save the buildings and their contents,
but the frame structure (the hand
some old prince Ed" Yerger home)
was doomed, and soon crashed to earth
a mass of burning debris. Quite
good deal of furniture was removed
from the buildings, but all was more
or less damaged and much of it ruined,
In an incredibly brief time the house,
with its beautiful interior (much Of it
the boys handiwork), was gone, and
with it the private apartments Of Prof.
Dobyns family with all their furnish
ings, the splendid library of the insti-
tuition, the art rooms, with their col
lections, which time and money can
not duplicate; the hospital, the dormi-
tories, some class rooms, teachers
rooms, kitchens, laundry, etc, and al
most all of the wearing apparel of the
girls. Their trunks were stored in the
attic, and they, with their contents,
went first. This was a great loss, as
many of the pupils are very poor, and
their parents cannot duplicate the COM
Portable clothing furnished by the
State. Jackson's volunteer fire depart
ment worked nobly at this terrible fire,
and their efforts saved the chapel
building and the surrounding resi-
dences. Many splendid feats of hero
ism and personal bravery were wit
messed among the pupils and teachers,
as well as among the fremen. Mr.
Dobyns was severely injured while
trying to rescue the States valuable
papers, his hand being crushed and an
artery cut, but If he stopped long
enough to bind 1t up nobody knew it,
He was everywhere directing, helping,
cheering and planning all at once, and
with the splendid cooperation of his
faculty, the ready sympathy of the cit
liens and the excellent training of
the pupils he soon had arrangements
made for their comfort. Hundreds of
the best homes in Jackson were thrown
open and the pupils were welcomed,
and in many instances supplied with
clothing to replace their
own. BY Thursday, however, most of
the children had gone on their home
ward ways and their school days are
ended for the present 1t is not known
at this writing what will be done rela-
tive to rebuilding, but it seems to be
the prevailing idea that the insurance
money should be used to build neat
cottages on the back of the lot, which
may be used for dormitories and after
ward sold for residences when the
State builds her new d. and D. in
stitute. Whatever the trustees may |
decide, we hope it will not be very !
long before these children can come |
back to renew their studies. Other |
wise, the fire will prove an afTliction
indeed. They more than any other
class of children must be taught and |
taught well, every line in the Book of |
Sparks from this fire, driven by a
strong north wind, set fire to half a
dozen houses some five or six blocks
distant from the institution, but all
were put out except the residence oc-
cupied by Mr.. Johnston of Johnston,
Taylor & Co., and owned by Mrs. r.
Il. Winter, now of Philadelphia. This
was destroyed and it was only by the
lerculean efforts of the firemen and
citizens that Bishop Galloway's home,
lext door, was saved.
The following day three handsome
homes in West Jackson were burned.
rhe Capital Citys waterworks were
lot in evidence to any great degree.
When the writer was engaged In
newspaper work five or six years ago
t was a great thing to find mention
n the exchanges OF a new factory. ice
,lanC, oil mill or any mandatory,
md we therefore made I great spread