Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-03
Medical Students Must Seek An
other Place for Remainder
of the Term.
COLLEGE BUILDING BURNED
Old Landmark Went Up in Smoke
about the Noon Hour Yesterday
Loss Nearly Covered by Insur-
nnce-Origin of Fire I'm
certain.

was ruined by fire yesterday morning, en-
failing loss estimated at $4,000. The /
origin of the fire is unknown, although 1t
started in or under the amphitheatre
shortly after eleven o'clock, when the |
building was occupied by students and |
professors
A class in obstetrics was assembled in |
the amphitheatre for instruction by DR.. C.
H. Beecher. One of the students noticed
a tiny column of smoke coming from
crack in the floor beneath the seats and
turned to a fellowstudent with ques-
ton as to who was under the seats smok-
ing, When he turned again the blaze was
in sight and tho alarm of fire was given. |
hasty scramble followed, students rush |
ing TO take valuables from the building. /
to inform the janitor and to ring In
general alarm, the latter being done by
George c. Rublee.
The bell at fire station one did not sound
but the one at st. Joscphs Church pealed
out the number. The indicators at the ire
stations responded correctly and the APP
paratus started for the fire. The Janitor
of the college was in the basement and
rushed up stairs when the cry of fire was
raised. He was assisted by the students
who formed bucket brigade but they
could not smother the flames.
When he reached the first floor he dis
covered the fire directly under the amphi-
theatre, The amphithcatre is on the sec
ond floor of the building and extends to
the roof the floor being constructed upon
/ q steep incline. The blaze started near
the centre of the amphtheatrc and spread
quickly, owing to the dry condition OF the
floors and seats. Just how 1t started is a
mystery. 1t could not have started from
the heating apparatus as there were no
pipes where the blaze was discovered and
Furthermore the ianitor says everything
about the apparatus was in good order.
The theory is advanced that lighted
match may have dropped through a
crack in the floor and in that way ignited
the refuse collected below. Another theory
Is that gas might have escaped and caused
the blaze.
| Drs. insolvency and Watkins had been
instructng classes in obstetrics and anat-
omy. the former being in room below
the amphitheatre and the latter be-
ing in the amphitheatre proper, and
had only left the college building
when the fire engines dashed up the hill.
They Immediately returned to the build
ing. to find it in flames.
When the fire department arrived upon
the scene everything seemed to go wrong.
The connections with the MIGRANTS were
made with delay and the steamer was out
of order. Fire protection in that section
Of the city depends almost entirely upon
the efficiency OF the steamer and as the
InaChpe was out of order yesterday 1t
was a half hour before streams of any
'"ec,Ne.eS9 coulu oe Pou'eu i'to t"e
burning building.
III inc meantime .ne stud1its anu ire
men mao peen At WORK tah!ns 'dluaulcs
FROM inc tulu'ns anu Pldc1c"iS VERY
'HlIlS ON me ilSe hoUi was 9iNou - ldtse
hummer u poohS, tHc SPtcHHeHS III INC
museum some OF the Naluioie iptcH'ii''cdl
appliances ana the cadaNerS were saved
ne greatest loss was sustained III '!e
ueS'ructio" o. ,he ne" STOCK oil cheHlc0'S
ana nechaiHcal appllahcoS'
INC Hr' was conllneu Almost entlrc!y
10 the stoilos upINe the Hrsl Hcor' NNol
IL reached lhe cheinlcal laboratory there
were several EXPLOSIONS put none that dld
serious danl Age Inc hre was no. fung out
uhtn ABOUT 5.op CLOCK IN the afternoon
ana At that tune the -FOUR walls were
ABOUT all that was lett or the building
pr' H. {. Ilnkham' dean OF the faculty
was holGing clinic ut the Mary Fletcher
hospltai Whtn the hrc caught lie was
call'd from 'he room ana hotlhed or the
."r ~ H'ttcWS. ~, iIilh nm, ~.
announced that tbore would no M ftor
neon sessions as tho medical college was
burning ND. He gave the students pernois-
sion to retire if thew choose and they left
one bv one.
The loss is we'll covered nv insurance
Hickok d Hickok have 81 800 on the build
ing r. s. Peck has 5000 on tho building
and NJ. l.. Powell has 81 800 on the build
ing and $500 on the contents