The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-17
Only High School I'm the City, It's De-
out school AccommO Odations.
RISE IN THE GAS PRESSURE
PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE,
WHICH SPREAD RAPIDLY.
Firemen, at Another Fire, Were Late
in Arriving, and All Their Efforts
Were without Avail.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
MARION, Ind, Nov. 1.-THE Marion
High-school building was destroyed by fire
Sunday midnight. The big brick building
burned rapidly because the flames were
communicated to every room almost stimuli
taneously by the system of ventilators. The
probable cause of the fire was rising
pressure of natural gas in small CRATE in
the basement. This, setting fire to the
woodwork in the room, quickly communi-
Gated to all the other rooms and in an
hours time the building was a mass of
embers.
The total loss will not be less than $S0,000
of which $4,000 is covered by insurance
The loss on the building is ss5.ooo, on the
equipment 5000, on schoolbooks and sup
plies 5000. on the laboratory 5000, and
the figure given.
The loss, however, in dollars, is but a
small part of the annoyance and vexation
which will follow. The building destroyed
which was situated just west of the city
on bluff, was the only high-school build
ing, the finest of the school structures and
the one having the greatest capacity. How
the 500 children who attended the building
will be taken care of is serious problem
which Is confronting the School Board. The
other buildings are overcrowded. and there
Is hardly an available place to be had. The
fire will mean. in all probability, that the
school will be entirely closed for several
weeks, or until such time as temporary ar
rangements can be made.
The fire was discovered about IL 80 O'Clock.
and instantaneously, Ii seemed, the tiny
blaze which first gave notice of the trouble
spread into mas Of flame which took in
the entire building. The fire department
at the time was working on a small fire two
miles away, and there was some delay in
reaching the building. When it did come
ii was seen at once that to save the build
ing was impossible, and its efforts were
confined chiefly to saving houses adjoining
Several caught fire, but the blazes were ex-
tinguished.
The spectacle presented by the confiagra-
ton was one that will live in the minds of
Marion people for many years. The great
building. bursting with flames at every
point which shot into the air for twenty
or thirty feet. was a gigantic furnace, the
heat of which seriously impeded the fire.
men in their work. No one was injured
Uul cStdpcS ltOiH ccAio0S were very
narrow in several cases.
The building was erected in 1890 and was
designed by Arthur Labelle, of Marion. Its
cost was s6500o. II had sixteen rooms and
was attended by 300 high-school pupils and
500 In the grades. Its arrangements were
excellent and it was considered almost a
perfect building of its kind.
The fierceness with which the flames
burned may be judged when the depart
ment failed to reduce them after fifteen
streams OF water had been played at the
same time. The heat was so intense that
the water thrown on the flames was turned
into steam almost before ii touched the
raging fire.
A meeting of the Board OF School Com
missioners probably viii be held to-day and
plans will be discussed to take care OF the
500 children now without facilities.