Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-04-25

P|PESToNE SCHOOL
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Early Morning Blaze Last We'd
'''''' Resulted f's;' n H''"
The Pipestone high school building
was reduced to a mass of ruins this
morning by the most destructive fire
this city has ever experienced.
The blaze which was discovered
about five o'clock in the tower at the
east end Of the building, spread thru
the entire structure despite the efforts
Of the f1remen to check it, and now
only the bare stone walls and a heap
of debris are left Of the massive build
ing.
It has not been possible to deter
mine the cause of the fire. The blaze
was first seen in the second story win
dows in the tower, and attracted the
attention of the George K Brown
family; residing at 504 South Frances
street, just south of the school build
ing, who turned In the alarm.
By the time the fire department
reached the scene, the tower was a
raging mass of flames and the fire
was spreading into the main struc-
ture. It soon began to appear that
the building was doomed, and altho
the f1remen fought hard for three
hours, the flames finally completed
their work Of destruction.
The structure was valued at $780,
900, and at the present expense of
building, the cost of replacing it
would no doubt far exceed that
amount. Books, furniture, etc., be-
longing to the school district were val
ued at $1,000, and a considerable
amount of property owned by the
teachers, pupils and employees was
consumed with the building. The
school district carried $50, 900 of fire
| insurance.
From the west rooms Of the build
ing, it was possible to save some books
and other property of value. School
records and other articles in the Of
| flee of Superintendent A. G. Tibbets
were carried out thru the windows,
and from the manual training room,
kindergarten department and other
| rooms in the basement a considerable
| quantity of fixtures and material was
saved.
The older records of the school were
kept in a vault in the basement and
will no doubt be found intact when
the debris is cleared away.
The high school building was quite
commonly regarded as a practically
fire-proof structure, and there was
consequently some surprise at the
rapidity with which the flames work
ed their way thru all portions of the
building this morning.
AS to the cause of the fire, there
are number of theories advanced.
but nothing of definite nature seems
to have yet been discovered. The
board of education at meeting this
evening, will devote it's attention to
an investigation of the fire, as to its
oIlsln, etc, anu Will seek 10 OBTAIN
all the information possible.
While the fire was at it's height,
nearby residences to the north and
northwest were in considerable dan
ger, every gust Of wind carrying big
fire-brands in those directions. Peo.
pie residing in the vicinity were kept
on the alert to protect their property,
and any small fires that started were
promptly checked.
It was fortunate circumstance
that during the fire there was not
much wind. There was storm at
midnight and for sometime after
wards, during which a very high wind
prevailed, but it abated before the
hour that the fire broke out.-Pipe-
stone County Star, Wednesday, April
| 18th.