University of Virginia Library

PREFACTORY.

My Mother, the late Mrs. J. Enders Robinson, and I were,
during her life, such close comrades, and shared so fully every
thought and interest, that, when I was a student at the University
of Virginia, at the time of the Great Fire in 1895, I was
eager for her to know at once all that I had seen and heard on
the day of that disaster; and to that end I began writing her
a letter that Sunday night,—the night of the fire, when my
mind was vividly inflamed by the happenings of the day. The
letter was twenty-eight pages long, when completed Tuesday
morning,—and fortunately she kept it.

In consequence of a serious accident, I was absent from the
University for six years (1896-1902); but was back in college
at the time of the tenth anniversary of the fire in 1905. The
Editors of the University of Virginia Magazine then requested
me to contribute a short sketch of that fortunate catastrophe,
which, in October issue of that year, was characterized as the
second epoch in the history of the University,—the founding
being reckoned as the first, and the Installation of Dr. Alderman
as the third.

In that sketch,—of which this edition is in substance a
copy,—as also in this reprint, all narrative and descriptive matter
relative to the fire itself is taken verbatim from the letter
referred to; while the account of the movement of the fire
apparatus and fire trains, the resumption of lectures, the books
saved, the insurance, and, in fact, everything else, is based
upon the official records.

In spite of assistance from every direction, it has been the
source of much regret that I was unable to secure copies of the
following photographs showing the activities of Prof. Echols
and his bag of dynamite,—

(a) View from East, showing connecting roof between
Rotunda and Annex, at the moment of the explosion,—and
showing the dèbris flying.

(b) Same view, a moment later,—showing only two scantlings
left between Rotunda and Annex;

(c) Same, still later,—showing everything enveloped in

dust and smoke, the wind drifting from the Rotunda towards
the Lawn.

It is pleasing to be able to make acknowledgment to Dr.
Philip Alexander Bruce for his kindly interest, helpful criticism,
and unstinted assistance and suggestions of value and
guidance,—and especially for the generous introduction; to
Mr. David I. Bushnell, Jr., of the U. S. Bureau of Ethnology,
for his ever-ready co-operation and general assistance,—
and especially in connection with the preparation and the reproduction
of the fire pictures: to Prof. Echols, Mr. Howard
Winston, Registrar, Retired, and Mr. E. I. Carruthers, Bursar,
for the location and identification of sites and things, the location
or status of which has materially changed since the date
of the fire: and to the following officials and persons for generous
assistance, suggestion and co-operation in locating and
securing the copies of the fire pictures,—

Mrs. Sally Nelson Bardin; Miss Estelle Burthe; Mr. Russell
Bradford, Secretary of the Colonnade Club; Mr. E. I. Carruthers,
Bursar; Mr. B. P. Chamberlayne, Secretary of the Y. M. C.
A.; Miss Bettie Cocke; Mr. James H. Corbitt, Suffolk, Va.; Mr.
Lewis D. Crenshaw, Alumni Secretary; Prof. R. Heath Dabney;
Miss M. L. Dinwiddie, Assistant Librarian; Miss Sallie
Doswell; Judge R. T. W. Duke, Jr., Charlottesville, Va., Prof.
W. H. Echols; Judge John W. Fishburne, Charlottesville, Va.,
Prof. Thomas Fitz Hugh; Mr. Armistead Gordon, Staunton,
Va.; Mrs. Anna Tuttle Heck, Registrar; Prof. Milton W.
Humphreys; Editor J. H. Lindsay, Charlottesville "Progress";
Dean J. M. Page; Mr. John S. Patton, Librarian; Mrs. Isabelle
H. Perkinson; Mr. Charles H. H. Thomas; Prof. W. M. Thornton;
Prof. Thomas J. Wertenbaker, Princeton University;
Prof. Thomas L. Watson; Prof. Richard H. Wilson; Mr.
Howard Winston, Registrar, Retired; Mr. Theo. S. Garnett,
and Mr. W. W. Old, of Norfolk, Va.: to Mr. Frank Reade
Robertson, Editor in Chief of Corks and Curls, '21 for the
frontispiece; and to Mr. Emmet Bruffey for the splendid
picture of "Uncle Henry".