The University Fire

About ten A. ]L., on Friday smoke was observad to issue from the roof of the mivin building uear tho chimney on the southeast corner of Unifersity Hall. Prompt alarm brought hundreds of people to the soene of anticipated conflagration. Kegent Ryud happening to be in attendanee upon tho building committeo, quiokly and unceremoniously indnoted hiinself into the foremansbip of n unorganized company, and with pail in hand, followed by others, ascended the stairwaye, and by way of the tower, reached the locality where the fire was burning;. The water works of the TTmversity heretoforo deomed sufficient for the extinguishment of an ordinary fire, were discoyered to be not in order for this emergency, and considerable delay lapaed before they could be put into Bhape. In the meantime flre companies of the oity had reachod the campus and went to work with early effect. Holes were qnickly cut through the loof, and ■what, at one time promised destruction to the entire building, waa soon extinguishod and danger removed. Anticipating a serious conflagra tion, Mayor Smith telegraphed to Ypsilanti for succor, the Cornwell steamer arriving at the depot in this city, accompauied by eeveral members of our sister city's fie departrnent within thirty minutes from the dispatching of the invitation. The fire extinguished, the engine was nol unloaded from the car. The theory first obtaining cnrrency as to the origin of the fire, being from an overturned tinner's fire pot, 3 explcded by the faot that there were no tinner8 engaged at or near where it originated. A better and more plausible explanation is, that the tin being lain upon a tarred roof, the rays of the eun reflected from au unpaintod chiuiney, heated the formei to that degree, that the tar beneath, and the pine below .vare ignited - spontaneoug combustión oreated by the center of the solar syatem. There ii $61,000 Insurance, placod in thirteea oompanies, on the building. Au adjustei from Detroit, representing the companies, caine on Monday, and the sum of $905.35 waa settled upon as the necessary amount to make the repairs. President Angelí, in a letter below, lotnrns thanks to the mayor, fireruen, and oitizens generally. A duplícate wae forwarded to the mayor of Tpsilanti : Hoif. W. B. Shith, Mayor: Dear Sir- Allow ine iu behalf of the Board of Regenta, through you, to return thanks to the fire department of this city and to the citizeus generally for their vigoroua and snccessful effort to extinguish the fire which threatened the destTuotion of University Hall Ia8t Friday. It is owing to their discretion as well as activity that no more serious damage was done to the building or its oontents. Tours very respectfully, James B. Angell, President. To the Firemen of the city of Ann Arbor : In behalf of thd University and the oitizens of our city I thank you for the promptness with which you responded to the fire alarm. For your noble and Buccessful efforts in saving the University Hall on the 22d inst. you thereby averted a grnat calamity not only to our city but to the state as well, for which you have the hearty thanks of all. W. B. Smitii, Mayor. Aun Arbor, Aug. 23, 1879.