New Ulm review., 1922-12-06
CIR TES OF
.!$5O0|,0|OIO WINONA.
COLLEGE |, | / + BLAZE. |
Miss Lillian Eyrich Gives
Vivid Description Of
Big Fire.
GROUND. Is SHAKEN
BY THREE EXPLOSIONS
Main Building Burned And
Other Structures Are L
Damaged.

Other Structures Are
Damaged.
A graphic description of the fire
which early Sunday morning destroyed
the main building Of the Winona
State Teachers college and damaged
the library and heating plant has been
received from Miss Lillian Eyrich, by
her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Ernst Ey-
rich, South Broadway, Miss Eyrich
and Miss Eleanor Gewerth, daughter
lof Mr.. and Mrs. John Gewerth, South
Front street, are the two New Ulm
girls attending the institution.
The total loss is placed at $500,O00
without any insurance. The dormi-
tories OF the school were not burned
gnd there was no loss Of life. Miss
Eyrich's letter to her parents which
was partly written while the fire was
in progress is as follows:
''I am sitting here with my coat on,
too heart-sick even to take it off.
Our Normal school is burning! We've
Just been over to watch it. Every little
while a roof or part Of a wall groans,
falls and rumbles. The flames look
horribly beautiful!
ut started at about 5 o'clock this
morning. All our records, term grades,
books and Industrial artwork-
everything is up in smoke! | have We
some books there and Industrial Art
work. s.sasF tsS IS 1870 ys3.
Gone Of the girls just came home and y
said that the library is burning too.
Its in separate building und oh,
all those books! There is absolutely
no decent fire protection b! here. re-
.There were three explosions, one
right after the other, and they shook
the ground like an earthquake, tore
(down the partitions, and blew of the
roof. They think it was the gas in
the Domestic science rooms. Eleanore
and were in the building all day yes
terday and can't help thinking what
would have happened if the explosion
lhad occurred a few hours earlier.
"Miss Loughlin had a $500 set ot
new books and they're all gone. Miss u $
Guildermeister has more than that AL
the teachers lost Just oodles. Miss S
Richards is crying and everyone is ts
upset. The school nurse tried to get
some things out, but it was useless
We're going over now to watch i
burn. It's nine o'clock and it's ssti1ll still
raging.
ssLater-this is II o'clock. The
buildings look awful They managed tee
save saw, the library furniture and we're
all going over there to help dry i
With rags. They've called a mass )
meeting at the Congregational Church
flor 9 o'clock tomorrow morning
THEY'VE ordered new books which vii
be here by Tuesday, 50 there won't b
any delay
! Ignition Of dust in ventilating tubes
or a leak in gas pipe is believed t
Ihave caused the fire, according to tn
report y appearing in the MinneapolSi
Tribune. The flames spread rapidly
No insurance was carried on the build
/ ings. 4.
Shortly after the fire had been dis
covered there came 2 series OF explo
]sions which tore out whole sections 9 9
1 the roof and flooring.
Flames Seen il Basement.
The FIRE was discovered at $50 a
I'm. by resident Of the nsighborhood
lwho observed flames in the basemen
!. at the southeast corner Of the mai
hall, in room used partly Tor tn
4 baling and storing Of waste paper.
! IA general fire alarm was sounded an
Ills streams Of water were played q
the building with little effect. At
4 IA. m. little remained except the QUITE
/ walls, which are still standing.
Sparks and flying enbers carried th
J, flames to q. score Of houses in the res
dence district east of The college, an
! citizens, aroused from sleep, wel
aided by hall the fire departmep
allotted for emergency measures
: extinguish minor roof fires. /.
Later the intense heat from I'll
s Blazing main building caused Il
wooden supports under the tile ro,
{ of the college library to ignite, an
! that roof was destroyed.
Books IN the building were damage
by water and s.aeke bat that da1aai AZ
Continued On page 2.