South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-09-14
CHEMISTRY HALL
DAMAGED BY FIRE
Loss to Building and Con.
tents is Placed at $4,000.
viii Delay Classes.

the top walls and roof which caVed
in and came near injuring several
spectators who were watching the
fire.
Chief Irving ". Sihrel, Capt
Thomas Hartford OF Hose Co No. :.
and George Geltz OF the Central sta
ton. were injured while working on
the third floor OF the building Chief
Sibre1 was severely cut about the
hands and Fireman Geltz was burn
ed BY exploding chemical bottles.
Capt. Hartford suffered "A wrench
ed back. Vince Mooney. a post grad
uate student at the university. was
cut about the hands and an unknown
South Bend boy suffered a fractured
arm when he was struck by falling
bricks.
Several other students and fire
men slightly injured and overcome
by smoke and gasses in the burning
building.
All the men were injured in fight
ing the fierce flames which swept
the upper part of the building for
nearly 4 hours.
A large crowd of spectators at the
fire had narrow escape from death
or serious injury when the roof of
the building and part of the wall
fell within few feet Of where they
were standing
Quick work on the part of the
fremen and several hundred stu
dents Of the university saved the
building and it's invaluable contents
from complete destruction and the
damage it is estimated will not ex-
coed $4,000 fully covered by insur-
ance
Chemicals BaIk Firemen.
The hre started about 1880 in
collection of PHOSPHORUS on the
third floor and the South Bend fire
department was called and respond
EN- quickly. Phosphorus will flame
as soon as it is taken from water. |
but the collection of sodium which
was stored in the laboratory next
10 the PHOSPHORUS explodes if it /
comes in contact with water. Pre- |
scented with this dilemma the fire /
men could do little, for they could |
not turn their hose upon the flames !
for fear of exploding the sodium
which would probably have resulted
building. according 10 chemists at
the university. Finally. after many
gallons of wet sand had been
empued on the PHOSPHORUS and the
sodium had all been removed it was
believed that the flames We're ex-
tinguished without much damage
being done and the fire wagons re-
turned 10 the city
About 4:30 o'clock. however. or
two hours later. members of Coach
Harper's football squad were prac-
ticing on Cartier field noticed smoke
and flames issuing from the upper
windows of the rear end Of the
building. The alarm was sounded
and the Notre Dame and south Bend
fire departments and scores of uni
versity students rushed To the build
ing But the fire this time gained
a better Roadway than previously
and the fire fighters found il almost
impossible 20 gain access to the third
floor because of the thick black and
gaseous fumes which poured out
from every opening. BY putting long
ladders up the outside OF the build
ing the men were enabled 10 get
Gals out Of that section OF the build
ing before the flames which made
rapid progress on the pine woodwork
OF the interior. could reach them. {
After that the hose could be turned
on and the firemen weren enabled for }
the first time to make some headway (
against the flames. Several fire
men and students were however. [
nearly suffocated in gaining access to I
the building.
Meanwhile other students under ,
the direction OF Rev Drs 10
seph Mcclure and Ernest Davis. J
- 5 g. Of the chemical de-
partment of the university. were en- /
gagged in removing appacotus and /
chemicals from the lower eoOrs of
the hail. thus preventing great dam !
age being done them 10y the water
from seven lines of hose which was /
turned upon the flames.
The fire was well under control I
BY six O'Clock and the south Bend I
wagons were able To leave the uni |
versity grounds by S:So, the hre hay /
ing been eNtinEulshed
Authorities OF the university COM
students and the fire department i'm 7
hghting the flames and saving the /
greater part Of the building and its /
contents. under dangerous and diff /
cult circumstance
Third FLOOR IL Gutted
The third floor of the building |
was completely quilted by the flames. Z
and the roof destroyed and part OF |
the rear wall and the dormer win |
dows on the roof Knocked over by |
the water. Most ot the contents of /
the third floor. including the valu- |
able private library and laboratory /
o. Father Davis. e.. =. a.. teacher OF !
chemistry az the university. and a /
considerable quantity OF chemi..--s I
and apparatus situated in that part 1
of the building were destroyed.
some of the contents OF the first +
and second floors of the building
we're damased by the smoke and /
water before they could be removed. !
Irf the most valuable uart OF the