The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-29
VULCAN'S HEAD CAUSES
 FOUNDRYMEN TROUBLE

The making of the mould of the head of Vulcan was commenced yesterday morn I ing and 1t is we'll on it's way. Although the task is tedious and will require sew eral days, the workmen are pushing it
 rapidly and by the end of the week they
 hope to have large part of it com pleted.
 The work Is more difficult than the
 moulding of any of the balance of the figure, as there are many intricate lines
 to be followed In the face, specially !. around the beard and mouth
 The repairs on the head which was
 broken several days ago while being moved from one part of the foundry to
 another, have been completed, and now
 there is nothing to delay the foundrymen In finishing the casting in the next two
 weeks. The mould Of the shoulder was also commenced yesterday, and the outer DOT
 ton of it was about completed. Today
 the foundrymen will commence making
 the core and they hope by the first of
 next week to be ready to make a casting
 of this portion of the figure. l The mould and core of the left leg were 1 e>~%>~>~%>>~~ 1 for the necessary repairs. Street Com
 missioner McCartin was requested to
 send a part of the city forces to the
 building early this morning for the pur-
 pose of sweeping out the water and clear | ing away the debris as far as possible. At the meeting it developed that no insurance was carried on this building. President Lane said that the building
 was considered to be fire proof and for
 that reason no insurance was carried
 on it.
 Dr. Phillips then announced that the
 pupils would be notified to call at the
 school this morning at 9;30 o'clock for
 their books and clothing. The building l is in safe condition and it will not be
 necessary for the parents and guardians
 of the pupils to accompany them. The
 teachers will report at s:30 o'clock this
 morning, the usual hour.
 The fire was discovered yesterday
 shortly after the pupils had returned to 1 their classes from the noon recess, by
 Miss Mary Cahalan, the principal. She
 was in her private office at the time and 1
 kind. Other lighter explosions followed
 and it was then that she realized the
 building was aire.
 Fire Drill a Success. Stepping into her office she turned in
 the fire drill signal and it was only l few minutes later that the hundreds of
 children, thinking it was the regular daily foo <1..{n rooms into the hall, thence down the
 stairs and out upon the grounds through
 the three exits to the building. There was not the least confusion, and the bare | headed pupils walked out of the building | absolutely unaware of the roaring flames
 overhead which threatened destruction to
 the massive brick structure. Several of
 the teachers realized the surroundings but passed through the trying ordeal with l out displaying the least excitement. It is 1 said that three of the grades occupying | class rooms on the third floor oS the 1 building passed down to the ground floor
 knowing that the building was on fire.
 Many years ago Dr. Phillips installed | the fire signal drill in the public schools
 of Birmingham, and the daily drill is part of the school routine work. The re-
 suits were displayed yesterday, and Dr. l Phillips Miss Cahalan and the corps of l teachers were congratulated on all sides l by the mothers, fathers and relatives of
 the pupils for the easy manner in which
 the children were handled yesterday.
 Turned In Fire Alarm. After turning in the fire signal alarm, | tl1
 fire headquarters. Apparatus from all of | the stations responded promptly. By the time the department arrived the build {. ing had been cleared and the men were directed by Chief Mullin to carry the | lines of hose to the fourth floor To reach | the fourth floor the fremen found i. necessary to break in door leading from 1 the third floor. The fourth floor is not
 occupied for classes. The smoke and heat up there was terrific. At one time the firemen found it necessary to retreat. Inc thick smoke and the falling of 1 slate and burning timbers greatly re- tarded the fremen in their work, but it
 did not take them long by hard efforts to have the flames under control. The alarm was turned in about 12:2e o'clock and thirty minutes later all danger of destruction to the building had been over | come
 1 Dr. Phillips, Mayor Drennen, Eli P. | Smith, Harry Jones. chairman of the fire and water committee of the city council and other officials were on hand promptly. Mothers Rush to Building. It did not take the report that "the Powell school is burning up'' but a short while to go all over town. Then the rush | for the burning building was on. Mothers bare headed, left their homes, and fathers | left their work and hastened to see about their loved ones. Street carriages were brought into services like they have never been before since the cyclone of 1901. and all of the street cars going In the direc- ton of the school were filled.
 But when the crowds reached the school building they were met by the 800 pupils who were running up and down the side walks, bare headed but happy at the thought of recess from school duties. Some of the scenes of mothers and fath- CTS with tears running down their cheeks. | finding their children safe and picking them up in their arms were indeed pa thetic
 But everybody was happy