New-York tribune., 1909-03-29
FIRE At SETON HALL
Catholic College DOrmitory at South
ORANGE DESTROYED.

South Orange y. J.. March Is (SpeclaI)-+Ah
early morning fire completely destroyed one OF the
dormtories Of Seton Hall College here to-day do
ing damage estimated at $4,000. The lives OF one
hundred students in danger. and only the
late return Of of the professors TO ms nome
prevented great of life. Many of the studehts
their night clothes, leaving behind all tnelr
personal belongings. The South Orange Fire De
partment was unable TO cope with the blaze Out
with the help OF the Orange and Newark depart
ments able to save the main buhdlng' hcluu
ing the library and chapel To-day thousands oi
curious persons thronged the grounds Of the coege
viewing the ruins and hearing the story OF Ihe
prov1dentiaI escape Of the sleeping students
Professor Austin Gibbons returned TO the campus
shortly before I o'clock. and as he entered 'Iie
grounds he saw a blaze in the locker room OF inc
south dorrnitory, just the kitchen ABOVE On
the fourth floor slept four projects and at least
one hundred students. First rousing the rev
James Mooney. president Of the college, anu SEM
ing In fire alarm, Professor Gibbons theh ran
through the dormitory. spreading the alarm ne
called up the projects. who rallied the stuoeii'S
and got them out in good order John Knapp d
student. tainted from the excitement anu was
taken to the infrmary for treatment
The hremen trained two streams OF strong press
ure on the flames by tapping the standpipes on the
csnnnus hut the streams from the hydrants In
South Orange avenue two hundred feet distant dd
have force enough to reach the top OF lHe
building
Michael Fitzsimmons who was formerly assistant
Chief or the FIRE department, telePlh'iiSN ~
ark and Orange for help. and took command Oh the
Orange men when they arrived. After shutting all
the doors in the passage between the main oullois
and the blazing dOrmitGry, F1tzsimmons ana 'he
Orange fremen climbed to the roof Of the MAIN
building There they turned their attention to
tower at the north end of the burning building
forty feet above the roof. which threatened 10
crash through roof of the main building carry
Ing the fire with IT. BY playing their strongest
stream the tower they were able 10 seho II
sbi g roof of the dOTmtOry
When It looked though the library might burn
the students removed the valuable books, records
and manuscripts Armful after armful was carried
by the swarm of young into the seminary out
of danger but they had not completed their work
by the time the fire was under control. Engines IL
and 2 Of Newark did the telling service in sub
DUNG the flames and finally getting them under
control while Engine Of orange pumped the
stream that demolished the tower.
Bishop John J. O'Connor, who lives near the col
Ieee was on the scene early and stayed until the
fire was under control He was drenched by the
rain but continued directing the salvage work OF
the students who had clothing enough TO remain at
work and caring personally for those who mad 10
be given shelter
"Tbe building destroyed" said the Bishop TO-
dav was valued at $4,000 and the loss is approx
rnately covered by insurance We shall manage
somehow 10 carry the work of the college. al
| though 1t will be under serious ulIicu'les' VI
course"
short vacation will be granted until arrange
rnents can be made TO resume the college work
Although authoritative statement could be oo-
taned II Is expected that work the reconstruc-
ton OF the burned building will begin promptly
a possible.
Seton Hall College completely destroyed by
fire in 1850, and suspended work for year. The
institution which is of the leading Catholic
colleges in the country, founded in 1856 by
James Roosevelt Bayley. at that time Bishop Of
Newark II took its from Ann Elizabeth
Seton who founded the order OF Sisters Of Charity
ST Vincent de Paul. There eight buildings be-
sides the one burned. occupying a campus Of
seventy-nve acres. At the beginning Of the year
there were registered in the college 28 students and
l. instructors.
No one attached 10 the college was able TO guess
how the fire started although the general belief IS
that IL originated in the kitchen range.