The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-26
Especial to The Messenger.)

Especial TO Inc heSSenSer.)
Greensboro, n. c.. January 21.-It was
with a feeling Of absolute terror that
people awakened before light this
morning and were told that the Nor
NAL college was on fire, and at the
where $50 girls were known
to be sleeping. Every one thought of
them. every heart longed to be present
to help to save AS crowds hastily left
their beds. hurrying to the college a
mile distant, there was an awful dread
Of coming horror. No thought was
given the loss of the building. in the
ignorance of how its precious occupants
were faring. No street cars were run
ming at the hour, and those who reach
ed there were overcome with JOY to find
that not a soul of all the four hun
dred had been hurt, burned or disabled,
but that with wonderful f~orethought
On the part of the Waterman and the
system Immediately organized by the
college authorities. every soul was saw
ed. there not even being a PAM dur
ing the whole time of rescue. The
nerve and GOODNESS displayed by these
SoAS SAA "oo 80 hl
BILE, and the concern felt for them by
every man, woman and child in Green's
boro, is sufficient assurance Of their
high merit.
Generous Aid Offered
Everybody and everything turned out,
and poured out assistance and accom-
modations, feeling that the best they
could offer was not half good enough
for them. The proprietor of the Ben
bow Hotel, was thoughtful enough to
at once begin preparations for break
fast for the whole crowd, the street
cars rendered free passes, and at 9
o'clock every one of the girls had been
comfortably and royalty fed and cared
for, by that and other hotels in the
city, who had also responded in no
uncertain tones of hospitality soon af-
ter. The same thing occurred at din
ner. and parents of the students all
over the State need have no fear that
their daughters or wards wi / suffer a
moment OF discomfort.
The college authorities are not at all
ratified. for at the meeting at 10 o'clock
everything was being planned u for
comfortable disposition Of the burned
out students, and arrangements were
made to begin the reguIar exercises
Monday. this causing only one days
interruption in college studies.
The Fire Discovered.
The fire was discovered in the kitch-
en- by the Waterman at 4 O'Clock this
morning in the building devoted to the
laundry. kitchen. dining room, cold
storage, boiler oom and heating plant.
In this building were rooms for
hundred and fifty girls, and near by
was the dormitory proper, a four story
brick building. containing rooms for
two hundred and fifty inmates and
crowded to it's capacity. When dis
covered the fire was breaking out the
roof of the kitchen. With rare presence
of mind, the Waterman, instead of
turning in a general alarm, quietly
ummoned aids. and went through all
the rooms waking up the sleeping stu
dents, and so systematically and quietly
was this done, every n of the girls
were saved without accident or panic.
The general fire alarm was sounded a
few minutes after four, and the fire
companies responded with rapid work,
getting to the burning buildings a mile
away with speed. 1t was impossible to
save the four story dormitory proper,
which was in a few feet of the burning
wind blowing towards it. soon wraE ing
it in flames.
An Amusing Incident.
Sh4l lLO oC1lS II
without damage. There were some hair
breadth escapes and much excitement.
but at no time was there anything
like a panic among the young ladies.
Two girls in the fourth story who had
been overlooked We're walked up just as
flames began to lick their beds, and
with horror on being awakened by a
man in their rooms and the heat and
smoke and noise around, they rusned
on their ~eScuer. knocking him down
and ran screaming to the window, and
were just in the act of jumping out,
when he caught them and carried them
struggling to the first landing. where
assistance was in readiness and they
were carried safely out. Many trunks
were burned. ALI in the third and
fourth stories were burned. There were
seventy five rooms. and from two u
three trunks in each room in these
stories. The other trunks wee saved.
but much clothing was hanging in ward
robe0 and of this a great deal was de-
stroyed. The girls saved their money
in most instances. taking their purses.
even when they had to leave their
trunks and clothing. A loss of sixty
and one of fifty dollars has been report
ed. but in most cases the girls having
money saved it. n hundred and
twenty five lost all their clothing.
Weird Sight on the Lawn.
1t was a weird sight at 5 o'cio-k by
the light of the burning buildings to see
five hundred women students. shivering
with cold, busily chatting and chatte--
ing over the occurrence, with perfect
composure, some with only one shoe,
others with bare feet, while trunks.
bedding, clothing. furniture and br C
q bra scattered on h lawn. while
fire was roaring in the buildings con-
tanning many of their precious belong
ings.
Soon everything was in order under
the wonderful system inaugurated and