MISSISSIPPI.
Burning of Building at Tougaloo.
REV. A. HATCH.
Sunday, Jan. 23d, at half-past seven o’clock, the students of the University assembled as usual in the chapel for the evening worship. The pleasant afternoon had given place to a chilly night. In a warm but not overheated room all were attentive to the opening exercises. In the midst of the second hymn, which all had arisen to sing, one or two young men near the door were seen to pass out quickly from the room. Several others followed at their heels, when, immediately, as by a common instinct, both divisions of the assembly turned and pressed down the aisles toward the two front doors. Not a word of alarm was spoken by an individual and the order, “back!” “back!” which was given from the rostrum, checked for a minute this sudden movement, and some at the doors hesitated whether to pass out or to return. A moment more when a quantity of water fell from the ceiling through the thimble of the stove pipe, simultaneously with the cry of “fire” without, all in the room became aware of the real cause of alarm. The young men who first passed out ran to the hall above, and, with what water was found in three or four rooms which they burst into, attempted to put out the fire. It was found to have broken out, however, above them, beneath the roof and very close also to the open bell-tower. This tower, with the long, straight hall, which, at one end, opened into it, and at the other had an outside stair door—the only entrance—provided at the start a powerful, furnace-like draught to the flames, which had they not been out of reach, could have been with difficulty brought under control.
Within one hour our chapel was entirely consumed. During this time the young men managed to save a trunk, in some cases, a handful of clothes, a few books, or whatever else they could snatch out of their rooms the quickest. A number lost everything except what they were wearing at the time. In several instances what was thrown out of windows and carried to a safe distance from the burning building was stolen by enterprising neighbors.
No sooner was the chapel well in flames than the attention of everybody was centered in the effort to save adjacent buildings, and especially the mansion, the most valuable of all. This and the chapel stood broadside toward each other, 37 yards apart. We had, however, the advantage of a flat iron roof easily accessible to work upon. To keep the northern side of the building thoroughly wet with water thrown from the roof, from the ground, and from the second-story veranda, was the work of a long half hour, each moment of which we expected to see the building take fire. The working force of our institution was put to its utmost strain for the whole of this time. This and all the other buildings were saved.
The conduct of our students was truly admirable. Each young man worked with a will, wherever he was placed, or at whatever needed to be done at the moment, whether it was at the pumps or carrying water, guarding a roof, or taking out furniture and books. None worked harder than some of those who had rooms in the chapel building and were losing nearly all they had, forgetful even of the trunk or handful of clothing that lay somewhere scattered about in the yard—all that was left of their possessions. Many of the young women, also, showed much presence of mind and were of great service. One was found upon the roof of the mansion with a bucket of water.
We received much assistance, too, from friendly neighbors both white and colored. One old colored woman was the means of saving a great deal from the burning building, running in and out carrying away the books and loose furniture.
Previous to the fire every available room was occupied by our students, and many apartments which were barely comfortable for two had to accommodate three. At ten o’clock that Sunday night our main dormitory for young men was in ashes. Thirty were without a place to sleep. For that night fifteen were stowed away on the floor of one of the teachers’ rooms in the mansion, five were put similarly in one of the offices, and the rest managed to squeeze themselves into the ten beds at the “Barracks.”
It shows the earnest disposition of the class of students which are attracted to Tougaloo University that we were able the next morning, promptly at nine o’clock, to go on with the regular school work. The classes all recited as usual, though school books had been scattered upon the campus and our school room and two recitation rooms had been turned to ashes by the flames. The Monday writing-class, however, did not meet. Pens and desks were burnt.
The fire has indeed seemed to result in a moral blessing, softening the disposition of many, and teaching a lesson of unselfishness. It has served, we think, to attach our better class of students to the institution as perhaps never before.
Students have been arriving every week since the fire and we have sent none of them away. The very week following brought us half a dozen young men. In addition to this, about the first of March quite a number of young men as well as young women are expected to return to us from their winter schools.