Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-05-23
FlREMEN HELPLESS TO
RENDER ASSISTANCE
Apparatus Stalled in Deep
Sand; Flames Lick Up VaIu-
able Property Unchecked by
Man; Loss Estimated at Over
Hundred Thousand; Origin Of
Fire a Mystery.

The Hadley Science HAN. one of
the handsomest and most costly VI
me buildings o. the University Of
Now Mexico erected in 1889 at cost
" 100000. and ccntaining equipment
ld oicnttflc apparatus valued at uf-
wards Of $4,000, was entirely de-
sroyed by fire o, unknown origin
which Nns discovered at , O'Clock
this morning When the blaze was
discovered, the flames were already
lcaplne through tho loof and it was
but comparatively short time until
the entire building from the basement
TO the top floor was scething mass
Of flames. The numerous chemicals
IN the labiatories, becoming ignited
added q curious glow to the blaze. An
slarm of fire WAS sent into the city
fire department and both the High
land and down town fire companies
starlcd ~ the hill with the intention
of rendering whatever service pos
sible. The deep sand, however, inn
pedcd the progress of the department
and Chief Klein was reluctantly com
PEELED TO order his men back to their
quarters. The fire chief pressed on
10 the scene Of the blaze, but was un-
able 10 do anything The fire was
under good headway when discov-
cred and as a stiff wind was blowing
nom the north, it is doubtful if the
flames could have been subdued even
with an elaborate fiIe fighting equip /
ment.
Deep mystery surrounds the origin /
~ the blaze. the members Of the fac I
nifty who live near the University and F
who we've on the ground this morn +
ms being at an absolute loss as to +
the manner in which started. School .
was dismissed several days ago, and
"S itr as is known, no one had been
IN the science han for more chan
thlr'y hours The only possible ex-
pla nation of the blaze is that it orig
mated as the result Of an electric
llsht or power wire which in some
manner became crossed. a portion of
'Ae building is given over to the engl-
heei'ns department and there are nu-
merous motors and dynamos. together
WIN the necessary power wires, in
'ils section one theory advanced at
ine fire this morning is that in some
manner one of the power switches
was thrown on. which resulted in
'he burning up Of one Of the cleo 5
Iical instruments end the subsequent 7
blaze y
Dead Hodgin, who lives almost di-
.e''ly opposite Hadley hall. was one
= me first persons to discover the
'l'ze Mr.. Hodgin notified other
members of the faculty. including
'fol Clark and Pref. Espinosa and
''s" telephoned to the members of
ne Board of Regents in the city
haNing gained such headway be- I
ore being discovered, it WAS useless q
- make any efforts TO extlnsuish the
maze and those who went to the scene /
''e helpless TO render assistance of $
my kind The probability OF the
'.'Hiicals exploding caused these who :
Hlsnt have been inclined to make "A 5
'sh INTO the building and attempt 90
ss'ue some Of the most valuable in
'uments and other property. to de-
's' from doing so. !
fne building was equipped with s
hpiete fire fighting apparatus, {
mas containing thousands cf gallons /
water being located in the attic. b