Bloomington, IN State University Fire, Apr 1854

THE COLLEGE BUILDING OF THE INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY IN RUINS.

News-Letter Office, Bloomington, Sunday Morning, April 9.
This morning, at 2 o'clock, the University building in this place was discovered to be on fire, and being situated about half a mile from the main part of town, was completely enveloped ini flames before and considerable number of our citizens could be collected on the ground.
It having taken fire in the vicinity of the stairway, all chance of regaining the upper stories, was totally excluded. Nothing now remains but the four main walls, and the smouldering timbers and books belonging to the valuable libraries of the University, and of the Athenian and Philomathean Societies, which are valued, altogether, at about $6,000, comprising nearly 2,700 volumes. Nothing whatever was saved from the flames.
Nothing is known as to how the building took fire. There had been no fire in the stoves since Tuesday night, and no candles lighted in the building since Wednesday night, at which time the session closed.
The laboratory and the old College building were not injured in the least, so that these together with the buildings now used as boarding rooms, will be amply sufficient to accommodate the students at the next session, and no delay whatever will be experienced in the regular course of instruction. The loss is estimated at about $15,000.
There will probably be an official circular issued this week, containing the action of the Faculty.

The New York Times New York 1854-04-18
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!