The Washington herald., 1910-02-07

Fire in the College Building at GallaUdet
College for the Deaf and Dumb yester-
day afternoon caused damage estimated
al $4,000 There is no insurance.
Members Of the faculty and students
who we're in the building escaped without
injury. The majority OF the students who
occupy rooms in the college building were
in an adjoining building at dinner.
The fire was caused by sparks igniting
waste paper in the basement The blaze
was discovered by students about l0:0
O'Clock in the morning
Students ran down stairs with FIRE ex-
tinguishers when smoke ascended a
waste-paper chute running from the
attic TO the basement. There was
strong draft in the chute. and sparks
from the burning paper at its base were
carried TO the attic. The FIRE in the pa
per was quenched in a few minutes, but
the embryo fre-fghteTs overlooked the
danger OF sparks going up the chute.
Origin Not known.
Inquiry was made as TO the origin OF
the waste-paper fire, but no one was
found who could explain It, When
smoke was detected coming from the roof
Of the building a few minutes after
o'clock In the afternoon, the excitement
increased. Students ran for the fire ex-
unguishers, but before any one reached
the attic il was seen that the blaze was
too big To be eXringulshed without the
aid Of the IRE department
An alarm was sounded from box e
which is on the main floor. Before 2
men arrived flames broke through
roof. making an opening through
/ the wind reached The iurert
attic Tn few seconds T.
TO alarming proportions.
When engines reached the SCENE
/ men saw there was a hard fight aa.
/ Hundreds OF students were iu and out.
the building and througs Of residents
in the vicinity Of Kendall Green ran
through the gates OF the grounds toward
the burning building. College Building
is the main structure in the grounds. It's
rooms are used for d0rnit0ries and class
rooms. The structure is three stories In
height. with an attic and basement The
interior is constructed Of wood, while
the walls are of red brick
second Alarm Sounded.
With a fresh breeze blowing from the
northwest. il seemed as If the building
was doomed 10 destruction. When Second
Assistant Chief KeIIiher reached the
scene with three engines and one truck
company. in response TO the FIRST alarm,
he saw the number of men and apparatus
under his command was too small Sue
cessfully TO combat the flames. A second
alarm was sounded, summoning Third
Assistant Chief Proctor, three engines.
and one truck company.
When Chief Wagner. who has been I'll
with pneumonia for several days, was
notified Of the fire. he jumped from bed
entered his carriage, and went TO rhe
scene at full speed, arriving shortly after
the first hremeu. The chief ordered a
third alarm sounded az I.53 o'clock Three
engine companies, a truck company, the
water tower, and Deputy Chief Sullivan
responded To the third call
Chief Wagner directed that the fire be
fought from the INSIDE" Firemen car
ryiug lines of hose went into the struc-
ture and worked their way toward the
top of the building, This effective but
/ somewhat hazardous method prevented
/ the flames from reaching the third floor
beneath the attic. and saved the building
from destruction.
Wind Fans Flames.
Three trucks were lined along the front
Of the building, which faces the west
Ladders were raised TO the roof Fire
men who ascended with the hose were
able to throw streams Of water on the
fire from a distance Of a few yards The
wind blew the flames toward the rear
Of the building. and out Of reach Of the
tiremen on the ladders.
The exterior of the building was sheeted
in ice, trees and shrubbeyy near 10y were
coated. clothes worn by the frehghters
We're frozen stiff with icy spray, and the
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