Weekly Independent

University Lost Heavily.

An alarm of fire was turned in Sunday afternoon at three o'clock from box and the department hastened to the University in response. It was the government experiment station building that occasioned the alarm from supposed combustion of chemicals in the basement. The whole interior of the building was soon in flames and all the wood work such as the ceilings, etc., was entirely destroyed.

The loss is a heavy one to the University, coming just at the beginning of the fall term, notwithstanding it is well covered by insurance. The building and contents were insured at $4,500, which will probably cover the loss. The excellent experiment station library was damaged by water but the most of the books will do for reference yet. The library had no insurance.

The station lost valuable data collected by Prof. Hilgard, including the botanical collection. Most of the scientific instruments were saved and a good portion of the chemicals.

The building belonged to the government and will probably be rebuilt. The cause of the fire is a mystery, no one appearing to know how it originated.—Gazette.

Sunday's fire proved to be very disastrous one for the Nevada State University. Hatch station, commonly termed the Agricultural building is a pile of charred and water-logged debris.

The origin of the fire is not positively known, but it is supposed to have started from a combustion in a consignment of chemicals stored in the basement.

Prof. Frandsen happened to be in the building and he heard a light explosion followed by a serious one. By the class rooms into the gas room he encountered a seething mass of flames.

The force of the explosion had demolished the door on the west side of the station allowing the wind to sweep in and fan the flames. The open stairway leading clear up to the third story afforded an excellent draught and the fire spread with rapidity.

Nearly all the station books, including valuable statistics, had been moved into this building a few days back. A good portion of these were destroyed. The greatest loss falls upon the botanical and biological departments.

A collection of plants representing over eleven years' careful gathering was ruined.

The building and contents were insured for $4,500, but the total money loss will reach $7,000.—Journal.