The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-02-10
An Observation-Disclosures
Reduced To Ruins
WATER PRESSURE WEAK
Efforts of Firemen of No A val
In Face of the Fires
Rapidly

the state reserve set aside TOR
hpe losses, Downer Mullen, sec
rotary of the board of control.
said today. The state does not
carry insurance on state buildings,
but draws against the state insur-
ance fund in case of a loss. This
fund was created by the iegisla-
ture several years ago. There have
been no appropriations for the
fund, however, by the last two or
three legislatures and the reserve
has been reduced to $25o,ooo.
According to Mr.. Mullen. it may
be necessary to call on the state
emergency commission to supply
the balance Of funds needed in
addition to the $3.50, 900 in the
fun6s. c. II. Johnston, architect
for the board Of control, has gone
to Mankato and will meet there
with the state teachers training
college board tomorrow. Mr..
Johnston will represent the BOARD
Of control. j. M. Mcconnell, COM
missioner Of education. also is at
mankato.
Fire originating from some I'M
known cause in the basement of the
manual training department OF the
Mankato State Teachers college
about nine o'clock yesterday morning
completely destroyed the main build
ing with the exception of the elemen-
IaTy school, which was saved. 1t was
roughly estimated by architects who
were at the tire that the building
could not be replaced for much un
der a half million dollars, not to
speah OF the valuable collection OF
Looks in the library, apparatus in the
various apartments, and valuable re-
lies in the museum, which mounts
the loss upward several thousand
dollars
President c. H. Cooper in a state
ment 10 The Free Press said that
Walter Mccoy, the night Waterman,
stated that ne went through the
building at four o'clock Sunday
morning and found everything in its
usual condition. Al that hour there
were no papers about the building
and no sign OF smoke whatever. Mr..
Mccoy goes on duty at P. NJ. and
remains in the building until he is
relieved al 6 A. NJ. by the day engin-
Ger.
Discovery of Fire
The firsa intimation that there was
fire in the building was when smoke
Mas seen emerging from the base
ment near the manual training de-
laItInCnt in the rear of the building.
A call was Immediately sent TO the
Genital .tITe station and the depart
Inent responded Immediately. Chief
Ben K. Banserter, in a statement 10
The Free Pless, said that the build
ing VAS so titled with smoke when
the firtmen reached there that it was
no use 10 send men into the building
Wearing gas masks. Realizing that
the ii. e was an exceptionally bad one,
CHIEF B4ngei,sc sent in an emer-
SIncy caII for volunteers and truck
wa; rushed from central station TO
the Duke addition hose house and
the apparatus there hurried TO the
fire. every volunteer fireman in the
city responded, and every one worked
q like a demon to stem the flames but
without avail.
The news OF the fire spread rapid
Il. Chief &. r Walrath of the North
Mankaeo Fire department, learning
that the department on this side or
the river was having its hands full
had the moth side sirens sounded
and the boys were rounded up on
double quick time and rushed to the
scene Of the fire on a large truck.
They gave valuable assistance in the
manipulation of hose, etc.
Lack of Water Pressure
Chief Bangerter stated to The Free
Press while the fire was raging that
the firemen were greatly handicap
ped by the lack Of pressure on the
water mains. This lack of pressure,
was plainly visible to bystanders who
not force to them.
The flames rapidly spread through
the building, but before they had
eaten their way to the office, Presi-
dent c H. Cooper, and Mrs. Belle c.
Darlington, secretary to the president
managed to get into the euilding and
saved all the valuable records with
the exception of very few. It is
thought that the vault will be found
intact when the ruins are searched.
In this vault were records and other
valuable papers.
Many of the instructors in the
school suffered personal losses in the
form of private libraries used in the
teaching of their classes, etc.
On one or two occasions the scene
at the fire was of the most specta-
cular nature. By ten o'clock the
flames were doing their worst to the
large assembly hall Statues, gifts,
of classes that had graduated from
the institution for years past, and
which were mounted on pedestals,
were seen to plunge some OF them
head foremost, into the seething cal
dron of flames beneath as If in tragic
self destruction. The fine stained
glass windows, also the gifts of for
mer graduating classes, were soon
split to fragments by the intense
q heat, and their beauty lost forever
At exactly Is the roof Of the hall
came down with a roar, and the
sparks and flames spurted. heaven
ward to the great amusement OF some
of the smaller children. Just forty
minutes later the north wall of the
south wing of the building next TO
the training school fell outward
making a great noise.
Sheets of Asbestos AS Protection
AS a precantion against any pos
sibility OF the flames spreading to
the training school building through
the windows, large sheets OF ashes
tos were hurried to the scene Of the
fire and a force of willing hands
soon cut this into strips and placed
curtains Of the substance over \ the
windows. Had It not been for the
fact that the wind was due west and
angling from the training school,
there would have been no possibility
of saving that building.