Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-05
A COLBY BLAZE.
A Small Fire Does Little Damage in
South College.

There was a small fire in one of the
Colby dormitOries, commonly called
South College, yesterday morning,
and the boys haven't had so much fun
since the time they set fire to the
leaves on the campus and called out
the department. There was need for
the department this time and the boys
fairly reveled in the excitement and
had all the fun out of the incident they
could. The damage was small and will
probably be covered all right by 5000.
The blaze started on the second floor
of the south division of the building
and was apparently caused by the
waste can which is located there. These
cans are of iron and are used as recep-
tacles for all kinds of waste such as
accumulates about the rooms. A cigar
stub or something Of that nature was
evidently thrown into the can and
the waste ignited. The bottom of the
can soon became hot enough to start a
fire in the floor and it spread over a
small area in the floor timbers.
The fire was soon discovered and the
boys struggled with it alone for time,
but finding that it was getting away
lioHi lllClH ih cieli III vas uh6 lIOlii
Box 4S. 1t is difficult to hear the bell
in that section, so officer Kinds, dis
covering the trouble rang in another
alarm from Box "A and also failed to
hear the bell. Thinking that there
might be some trouble with that box
he rang in again from Box 46. The
three alarms came so near together
that they became mixed in the system.
Out of the mixture the department Sc
lected Box As and responded to that.
But the fire was soon located and
very little time was lost.
Some of the older boxes in the city
are Of the old model of the Gabriel
system and when alarms are rung in
at practically the same time they mix.
The new boxes have the improvement
which prevents this, one box refusing
to work while another is ringing in an
alarm The alarms, yesterday morn
ing, came from the old boxes, hence
the confusion.
The bulk of the work by the depart
ment was done with the extinguishers
very little water being used. The boys
had emptied the available extinguish-
ers before the department arrived and
1t was blind fire and rather difficult
to get at as it worked in the floor over
the reading room, but was conquered
before it did much damage.
The department had scarcely left
when some of the boys thought they
had discovered fresh outbreak and
rang II another alarm from Box 49,
The department returned promptly,
but there was no need of this last
alarm as the fire was all out and sim
ply steaming bit There was COM
paratively little smoke, so the damage
to The rooms from this will be slight
The boys who room in the vicinity
of the blaze got out with more haste
than grace. Captain keene Of the foot
ball team, whose room was near the
fire. saved the big bass viol which he
plays in the orchestra among the first
of his effects. 1t looked for a time as
If the fire might prove serious and the
boys were taking no chances but hus-
tied things lively. They do say that
Captain Keene made picture as he
strobe across the campus with his stall
Wart form clothed only in an ulster
and rubber boots and deposited his I'M
wieldy instrument against a tree at a
SAFE distance from the building. But
tnere We're others, and the boys who
were not immediately concerned will
have some very good yarns to- tell
about the scenes ard incidents OF the
fire in South College.