Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-07-26
FIRE DAMAGES SCIENCE HALL
at Furmnn Univcrsity-Uppcr Floors
Completely Guttcd.
(Grcenyille Piedmont.)

OF Science at Furman University,
causing damage vari0usly estimated
at between $4,000 and $4,000.
The fire department was greatly
hampered in fighting the fire by lack
OF a sufficient number Of fire hy-
drants on the university campus.
and by mechanical trouble with two
OF The big Ah"ens-Fox pumping en-
gines. ]. was found necessary to call
on the fire department at the United
States Public Health Service Hospital
for assistance. The hospital depart
ment loaned one Of their ,Irge pump
ing engines.
The fire was discovered and the
alarm turned in about I.l0 Wednes-
day morning by two youths in the
Grecnville News building. When tho
fire department reached the scene
the entire roof was ablaze and the
flames were pouring out of the two
top floor windows. Only the prompt
aud efficient work Of the fire depart
mcnt, working under heavy handi-
cap, saved the building from being
a total loss. All available apparatus
Of the fire department was called
out for use. !
For several hours the fire depart
mcnt fought heroically to save the
building, and it was not until eight
o'clock that the fire was pronounced
under control. II was several hours
later before it had been entirety ey-
tingushed.
DR.. j. S. Murrays library of rare
and valuable books was completely
destroyed. In this collection. made
Ivy DR.. Murray over a long period OF
years, there were about l,50O vol
umes, many Of them hundreds OF
years old, and worth many thousands
Of dollars. The books were kept in
4 room on the top floor Of the build
homo IN Macon, Ga.
In addition, many fine instruments
that were used in the laboratories
wcro destroyed, while valuable rec
work done at the university were al
so lost
A largo amount OF laboratory
equipment bought for the laborato-
ries has not yet been delivered. and
thc science department will. there
for" hav" . nucleus with which TO
carry or the work. Of lhe summer
school
There w"s !, .oJal OF >%2.500 III
3urancc on the nUj}ding ana ouuip-
ment, S2o,uUU OF this amount being
on the building itself and $500 on
Tho equipment. Members Of the in
surancc committee OF the board de-
clarcd that this amount will not re-
place the building and equipment in
the same condition as it was before
the fire.
students OF the summer school.
aroused by the fire. gathered at the
scene and rendered valuable assist
hncc to the firemcn in lighting the
blaze.
Fire Chief Frank Duncan cyplain-
ed that fire plug located between
the university library and the main
academic building was on a "dcad
cNd' and the suction OF the pumps,
instead Of increasing the water pres
sure created vacuum and that no
water could be secured from this
hydrant
Alcster &. F'urman, secretary OF
the board OF trustees Of the univcr-
sity and chairman Of the insurance
committee OF tho board, declared on
"Wednesday that the work Of repair
ing the damage would begin at once,
and that the building would again
be ready for occupancy by Oct. 1st.
summer school classes will not be
interrupted, but will close Friday as
scheduled. Laboratory work will Do
temporarily suspended pending the
arrival Of the new equipment.
The building was used for tho
chemical. biological and physical
laboratories. 1t was erected in 1911
at cost Of about $Gn. 600, raised by
popular subscription. The building
:S .hrcc-Story and basement Struc-
tnre and is one OF the handsomcst
on the university campus. The fire
Ct Wednesday destroy cd the tin roof
and gu'tcd the TWO upper floors. The
lower nOor$ suffered considerable wa
ter damage.
lr. W. i. McGlothlin. president Of