Evening star., 1914-04-24
HIGH SCHOOL HOME
IS RUINED BY FIRE

CONTINUED from First Page.)
in the building to open the doors, and II
was necessary to batter down the doors
and break windows in order to gain &C.
cess to the burning structure.
w. J. Conlan, janitor, was summoned
from his home nearby and he assisted IN
the work of saving the records and Other
valuable property. Fortunately, Miss
Westcotts room, in which the records
were kept, was at the south end Of the
structure and the worst of the fire was
at the north end, giving the rescuers
ample time to get the archives from the
building
Chief Wagner in Charge.
Chief Wagner of the fire department
responded to the second alarm and took
personal charge Of the hre-flghting force
When he reached the vicinity of the
building the fire had made its way along
the entire distance of the roof, and the
chief feared his men would not be able
to check the progress of the flames pc
fore some of the outer walls would fall
The scant supply Of water greatly dis
couraged the chief and his assistants
1t is stated the supply was SO scant al
first that some of the engines were un-
able to throw water above the second
floor. AS soon as representatives OF the
water department arrived and shut OF
some of the nearby valves. diverting the
supply to the pipe in front the supply
increased and the work Of the hremen
became more effective.
Estimate Of Damage.
Fire Marshal Nicholson. who was at
the building during the progress Of the
fire and who returned later in the day,
stated that the exact amount Of damage
will not be determined for some time.
He suggested that the damage probably
will amount to about one-half the value
Of the building, or between $25O,OOO ana
100000. The damage to the contents,
he stateu. will amount to approximately
$4,000 The building was not insured,
Costumes and other property belonging
to the .obuTn Players and Morris Dane
ers, it is stated, suffered considerable
damage as a result of the blaze. Two
companies of firemen were still at work
on the ruined building this afternoon
Chief Wagner stated that some OF the
engine companies had to lay out fully
1900 feet Of hose in order to reach the
hydrants. The companies carry only
about 100 feet of hose, 1t IL stated. and
in order to cover the long distance 1t was
necessary for one company to pofro"
Fully 1000 spectators gathered about
the vicinity of the burning structure as
early as 2 o'clock in the morning. the
police say, but 1t was an easy matter to
preserve order, and Capt. Schneider die
not have to use the reserve FORCES AroH
other precincts.
Many of the pupils fingered about the
scene of the fire during the day, some
assisting their teachers to recover prop
erty from the different rooms on tnt
lower fioors Firemen assisted the teach
ers and assistants through the water tha1
was showering from overhead and took
precautions for protection against dan
ger while in the building.
Plans for Dispossessed Pupils.
Supt. Ernest L. Thurston arrived
at the scene about o'clock. re-
naming until after the fire had beer
practically extinguished. He Immediately
called a meeting of the principals of the
Central, Mckinley and Business High
schools, these being, respectively. Emory
Wilson, Frank c. Daniel and Allan Davis
and Miss Anne Cooling. principal OF the
James Ormond Wilson Normal School
for II o'clock this morning At this meet.
ing plans were discussed for the housing
Of the pupils for the remainder Of the
school year.
The pupils Of Western are to be To-
Gated in the buildings mentioned, in the
Franklin School building and possibly il
dings Eastern High School cannot b<
used as 1t is too far from the homes oi
the pupils. The crowded condition Of
all the high schools makes 1t impossible
to accommodate the Western classes com
fortably, but it is believed the arrange
ments made this morning, and which will
become effective Monday morning, will
suffice for the remainder of the schoo
year-about two months. Pupils OF West
ern are ordered to meet in the assembly
hall of Business High School Monday
morning at 8 o'clock.
Hugh McQueeney. superintendent o.
janitors. with as many assistant jani-
tors as were available, were sent t.
the ruined building by Supt. Thurstor
and told to get out such Of the furni.
ture as had not been badly damaged
This will be used in the improvisei
classrooms. AS all of the rent none,
for the present school year Is alread!
obligated by contract it Is impossible
for the authorities to rent buildings.
Free Quarters offered.
Several offers Of classrooms ant
from colleges and similar institution.
in this city. One of the first to offel
aid was Myron ]. Jones. director o.
education of the Y. NJ. C. A.. who sale
the classrooms in that building coult
De used lOF tne TSIldIHQeF OL tHe SCuOO
year, as at this season they were occu
pied only by evening classes.
Before the work of rebuilding the West
ern can be begun it will be necessary t,
have an emergency appropriation bill
passed by Congress. This may be diff
cult, inasmuch as the time of that bod.
is pretty well consumed With Mexican
affairs. The fact that the fire occurred
at nearly the end of the term is consid
cred fortunate, although 1t creates a hard
ship for the pupils who had books in thei
desks. High school text books changt
from year to year, as different studies
are pursued. and the pupils themselves
have to furnish them. It will now d
necessary, probably, for the Westerner:
!! to procure new books, although they ar
to be used for only few weeks.
Faculty to Meet.
Detailed arrangements and plans are tt
he worked out as soon as possible. Supt
Thurston called a meeting of the facult!
of the institution for this afternoon
the Franklin building. At the meetint
this morning. in addition to those alread!
named. were Miss Westcott. principal o
the western; Henry P. Blair, presiden
of the board of education; Ernest II