The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-18
Perfect tDisciplineShown
by Wellesley Faculty
and Students.
STRUCTURE LEFT
BLACKENED SHELL
Marked Goodness and Bravery
Shown by Young Women
When Aroused From Sleep.
Wreckage Represents Loss
of 100000, - College
Closes Till April7.

:. "e,teS!cy. MASS, March iI-Pcrfcct
p'scip'lhc. coolness and bravery. on the
| prevented loss of life or injury v.hnn
college Hail. oldest OF the Wellesley
ColieSc buildings, was burned to-day
wo hundred and fifty young wo-
men students, nifty instructors ann nc :
u maids were in bed when the fire
was niscoNered Every one was saved.
ana not one OF the scores who marched
In an orderly procession thro,,yb
smoke filled Railways. suffered so r,,c,,
as Il scratch.
The building was left a blackened
smell. Within it's crumbied walls wa,
wreckage representing Il loss of $500 :
900. OF this amount 100000 was the
estimated value Of personal property
! OF the inmates, nearly all OF WHOM, es
capped in scanty attire. Insurance will
amount to about 100000
MISS Ellen fit2 Pcndleton president
OF the institution. said another struc-
,ure would be erected in the near flu
turc.
College Ordered CIuscL
oH account OF the fire. the entire col
lege was ordered closed until April
.. the end of the Easter recess. Nnnr
! iy LOO of the 1900 young women had
ieit Tor their homes Tonight.
President Pcndleton took occasion to
praise the conduct OF the students as
"cxtraordinary."
Never before" she said has there
been such 4 fire. with similar condi-
tlons, without n loss of life or injury
to some one. The obedience TO the fire
uiill was a credit TO the college There
were no screams or cries heard, and
this In itself showed perfect ana mar
vclous control"
college Hall had commanding site
/ On Il hill cast Of Lake Waban. The
D r. tot. g,,
| building was Of brick and stone. with
! an interior of wooden fittings. It was
/ five stories high, with a floor space of
! 900 by 120 feet
/ The building was divided into dor.
/ mitories. administrative offices ard
/ quarters for servants.
I IIeroines of Fire.
! Miss Charlotte Donnell, OF W'iscas
set, Maine. and Miss Virginia Moffat,
or Orange. \. J., both seniors. We're
/ leroines OF the fire. They occupied
rooms on the third floor. under the
! laboratory. where the fire originated
supposedly from spontaneous combus-
ton. The glare OF the flames arous ed
| them. Miss AIoffat springing from her
/ bed, rushed into the hall. where she
met Mis- Donnell. There is fire"
I She said.
/ Miss Donneil replied: "rn ring the
! fire alarm while YOU call tho girls
and She ran down n flight of stairs and
started the fire gong on the second
! floor. Miss Aloifat hurried along the
hall pounding on every door. She did
not yell fire hut commanded: Put
on your wraps quickly"
( Soon the halls were filled with
startled young women. Some carried
| personal effects i'll their arms. but the
; greater number had not waited TO save
! their belongings The halls were al
! ready filled with smoke, ana the girls
| formed in line and marched from the
! building The college volunteer fire
brigade was early in action. and made
| sure that none of the sleepers was left.
| Once outside, several OF the girls
sought to re-enter the building to save
valuable papers i'll the Offices Miss
.Lary Smith. OF Westchester. Pa, sec
! retary to the dean. made a bold dash
| into the deans Office from the frs;
lioor, and with the aid of Edward G.
| Monahan, an employe, saved most of
I the records.