The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-13


 known Manner, and Was swept
 by Flames-Owned by the state.
 The main buiiding of the state Nor- mai School for Negroes was completely destroyed by . fire which was 'discov- cred at l2r45 o'clock this morning and at this hour-3 o'cIock--the MontEom- cry Fire Department h hard at work to save the other buildings of the in- stitution. { The property is owned by the State. Prof. W. 5. Paterson, the white Prin- cipal of the school, during the progress of the Ire. said that the property was valued at s2o,oo0, and that it was fully covered by insurance.
 The school is located on the extension 0f South Jackson Street, and consisted of the main building, . three story frame and brick structure, the indus trial departments, in two tvo-story frame buildings adjacent to the main building, which sat in the middle of a large lot. of the fire the industrial buildings caught fire and engaged the attention of the aremen.
 The main building was practically destroyed by the time the fire depart- ment reached the scene.
 The Are originated in the northeast wing of the basement and was burning nerceIy when 1t was discovered. Pro- fessor Paterson said there was no Are in the building yesterday owing to the fact that the institution suspended for the day because of the burial of Mrs. Paterson.
 He said that insurance men had pronounced the heating apparatus ip the building as very nne and thers were no aefects In it..
 Asked it he suspected Incendiarism Professor, Paterson said that 90 far as he knew the institution was without an enemy. He felt sure he said that he had no personal enemies.
 The great iliuninatiOn of the skies in the southeastern portion of the city attracted . great crowd to the scene and at this hour perhaps e thousand per- sons are there.
 None of the furniture was saved. There were desks for 500 pupils in the maIn building besides the desks, tables end chatrs in the chanel.
 The alarm was sent in from Box 113. corner Union and High Streets. It was pulled by a patrolman who saw the flames flash against the sky. The dis tance is fully one mile from headquar- ters
 When the firemen reached the scene the blazing building was falling in and Fire Chief Browder directed his men to the work of saving the adjacent indus trial buildings. They are about 200 feet from the main building. The heat was so intense that the flremen were compelled to work behind blinds while endeavorlng to save them.
 A brisk wind was blowing and burn- ing embers eddied about the grounds. but the firemen were able to protect the industrial buildings.
 Professor Paterson was on the ground soon after the fire was discovered. He resides nearby the school at Rosemont Gardens, 100 Tatum Street, and was reached by telephone message. Ac- companied by his young son. he hur- rled to the institution. Seeing that the destruction of the main building was Inevitable. Professor Paterson, assisted by people who lived in the vicinity of the school, directed his energies to saving working apparatus in the in- dustrial buildings. Everything in the main building was lost.
 'T have no idea" said Professor Pa terson. "how the fire originated. There was no fire in the building yesterday. The heating apparatus had been Nciar- ed by insurance me nto pc exceiIent. cannot think it was set afire. We have m enemies. The property Is, of course, owned by the State and is fully insured. T cannot tell the exact amount Of the tusurance until I go over my DOCKS, which are at my residence.
 professor Paterson said that just be- so.a .ha school opened for the present acholastic season. $500 was expended for new furniture and that improve n,ents had been recently made on the buildings. ,,,, rro- ,o..ar paterson said he hoped to be ah1a +o continue the work Of the school without more than brlef inter r,,ntion It was a matter, however bs added that would rest with the Roard of Trustees of the Institution which will probably be called to meet today Among the Montgomery mem bers of the Board are Colonel w b. Jones. Rev Neal L. Anderson and Hon. I Kirkman Jackson.
 Professor Paterson expressed the oninion that just as soon as the in- s,,rance Is adjusted. the State would be- gin to rebuild. ,,..
 The state Normal School is the oldest institution of it's kind in the South. It Ia owned and operated by the State for negro pupils of which over 1000 are enrolled this year. Its work has at tracted favorable attention everywhere. The school was first located at Marion a number of years ago. but was later removed to Montgomery
 Throughout it's life the institution has been conducted by Professor Pater- aon. In his work he had the most pathetic assistance of Mrs. Pater- son. who died Sunday morning and was laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery yes- terday afternoon.
 Mrs. Paterson took a deep pride in the buildings which marked the in- stitution and 1t Is regarded as espe- ciaIIy pathetic that one of them should have gone out of existence almost on