The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-24

=" dear old MAN, as it is fondly re-
ferred to by thousands Of students who
have gone out from twas destroyed
by fire early this morning. -.
1t will be complete loss.
The interior was consumed, includ-
ing the score or more of classrooms and
fine and costly department libraries.
stone skeleton, which loom in ugly out
line against the sky and totter in in
security, which means that they will
have to be torn down. ~ -.
The building was the oldest on the
campus, having been erected, in part, IN
1857. For many years it was the whole
university, and the traditions which
every alumnus and alumna Of the insti-
tuition. In recent years it was the home
Of the departments of mathematics,
rhetoric. pedagogy, French, Greek, Lat
in and German. The Minnesota Daily,
the university newspaper, and the Co.
pher, the annual, had their office in the
building, in which also were ladies
university postoffice, and the home Of
Captain Guild, custodian Of the build
Nothing was saved from the burning
building except the desk Of the post
master and the mail.
Started In Lockerroona.
The fire started shortly. before 8
o 'clock, presumably in the 1ockerroem
at the center Of the Sbui1ding. on Il, the
wife were aroused from sleep by VIC
lent coughing and severe pain in the
throat, caused by the smoke which was
rolling into their apartments on the
second floor. They aroused their
daughter, Edith, and the servant. Be-
fore they could dress they. were forced
to flee from the building. in which the
smoke was dense and sitting. The Ia
building, across the lawn to the rear,
while the captain 8 hostler, John Hol-
stein, ran block east to the corner
of the lot, where stands the engineer
ing building, and turned in an alarm.
When he returned he and Captain Guile
attempted to get into the building to
save property, but were unable to
breathe because of the smoke, and had :7
to abandon the attempt. Meanwhile
however, o. T.. Woman, university
student, broke down the front door and
removed most Of the letters In the sew.
eral hundred mail boxes in the postof
fee.
The fire spread with almost In.
credible rapidity, Captain Guile says
and he believes that it was conveyed
to all parts Gf the buildi E thru III the
p nssr the be- IT, 6rary noe avg ao se Ss
up thru the floors. Within a few
minutes they burst forth from the win.
dows in the upper floor and then ate
their way under the cornice and caves
just before breaking out thru the roof
F1remen Were Handicapped.
When the fire department. arrived,
the fire had q long start, There was
delay in getting to the scene caused
the wide entrance large pile Of brick
for the pavement had been left. The
drivers, unaware Of this obstruction
drove their teams pell-mell over the
bridge and then had to draw them up
with all their strength to prevent col
lision with the pile. Then it was neces
sary to back and turn and run around
the campus fence and thru the FIT.
teenth street entrance. One this side
the hremen could see, over the fence
and trees, the flames leaping skyward
thru a dense volume of smoke, and
they knew that hard fight was at
hand.
Across the campus, switching around
trees and the Pillsbury statue, and over
sidewalks, terraces and flower beds
the horses tore, the wagons dropping
long lines of hose thru which water was
pouring into the building within few
minutes. But the fire was unquench
able. 1t ate its way thru the ole
building, and the floors fell in with dull
crashes. Then the walls Of the centra
portion tumbled with loud roar.
Swarns Of Students Out.
Meanwhile hundreds Of students wer,
rushing onto the campus. Boys II
sweaters or team jackets, some of then
hatless in the damp morning, ral
breathless to the scene, and watched tn,
progress Of the flames: Girls were Their
in attractive dishabille. Their hal
and they chung tightly to their long rail
coats which had troublesome habit O.
] flying open at the neck disclosing fluff,
edges of colored kimonas-or white
Professors and their wives also came
and stood about helpless, some watch
ing their books and valuable note
! and manuscripts, collected by work o
many years and inteded, some Of then
for publication, going up in the flames
| All Of them stumbled around in Ihei
efforts to get new and better view O.
| the fire or to. avoid falling embers
sometimes tripping over the lines o
! throbbing hose which spread net-lik
i across the yard, sometimes steppin,
with splash into an unseen puddle O
! water, sometimes lodging the team
/ which rushed the fire apparatus Il
| points where the flames could be Tough