New Ulm review., 1922-02-08
,ault were records and other valuable

vault were records and other valuable
papers.
Many of the instructors in the schoo.
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 spectacular
nature. BY ten o'clock the flames were
doing their worst to the large assembly
hall. Statues, gifts CT 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 seeth-
ing caldron of flames beneath as if in
tragic sef-destruction. The fine
stained glass windows, also the gifts Of
former graduating classes, were soon
split to fragments by the intense heat,
and their beauty lost forever. At
exactly 1915 the roof Of the hall
came down with roar, and the sparks
and flames spurted heavenward to the
great amusement cf some of the smaller
children. just forty minutes later the
north wall of the south wing of the
building next to thu training school fell
outward making a great noise.
Sheets Of Asbestos AS Protection.
AS precaution against any pos
sibility Of the flames spreading to the
training school building through the
windows, large sheets of asbestos were
hurried to the scene Of the fire and a
force cf willing hands soon cut this
into strips and placed cul tains 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.
1t was only matter Of four hours
from the discovery of the blaze until
the fire was confneed to small blazes
in the remaining bits of woodwork.
Why Flames Spread Rapidly.
Architect Henry c.. Gerlach of this
city, in a statement to The Free Press
today, said that hs had made the
plans and specifications for the wings.
Mr.. Gerlach said that the building was
erected by the E. c. Burdick company
at a cost cf $37,5OO for each wing.
As near as Mr.. Gerlach can estimate
the two wings were I'd during the
year 1894.
Mr.. Gerlach attributes the s rapid
spread Of the flames yesterday to the
Smead system 81 Of ventilation which
had been installed in the wings at the
time of their construction. Mr.. Ger
lach explained that this system con-
sisted of numbers of wooden passages
for air in the walls and between the
floors. The partitions were wood in
stead of brick which also permitted
Of rapid spread Of the fire. Mr.. Ger
lach is of the opinion that the flames
sucked through the air passages and
formed very strong draught which
no fire department could cope with.
Architect Gerlach said that one wing
could not be built today fer what it
cost to build both wings to the school
in 1894. The total cost of the two
wings at that time was $4,000. h
Mr.. Gerlach thought today that the
right course is being taken in wreck
ing the walls Of the Quilted building.
If a new building is erected new walls
will be necessary for the latest type 81
school building. The foundation, he
stated will be absolutely safe for even
an additional two stories. It is con-
structed in the most substantial man
ner out Of Mankato stone. 81
Chief Bangerter said that the pcor
water pressure was largely due to the
fact that two four inch mains leading
! into the college, burst with the heat
and the water was going to waste
through those two pipes, which low
cred the pressure on the six inch main
Sunday afternoon at three O'Clock
there was a massmeeting Of nearly 8
hundred citizens of Mankato who
furnished proof of the value Of con.
certed action on part Of the public II
any case Of emergency need. Wher
Continued on page 81