Show PRESIDENT OF SCHOOL BOARD EXPRESSES appreciation E FOR HELP GIVEN GIVE N BY PEOPLE OF FILLMORE IN SAVING THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING FROM FIRE SPLENDID SPIRIT SELF SACRIFICE AND PURE THE outstanding DING jbf tali OP OF SUNDAYS ALL AIA DAV BATTLE TO SAVE EDIFICE FROM WRECK AVRECK GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE president john C bennett of the board of education makes the ie request in behalf of 0 the board of education uca tion that the progress express their profound thanks and ampre appreciation ci to the people of fillmore for I 1 I 1 the effective and heroic service rendered in saving the millard county high school briding from imminent destruction from spontaneous combustion in the coal bunker where some ninety tons of coal were stored mr air bennet himself was on the grounds most of the day while the herculean task was on of removing the burning coal from the basement against baffling odds of heat steam j I 1 smoke and stifling gas ile he expressed himself then as greatly impressed by I 1 the devotion of the people to the task tack of saving their building there were so many cases of individual meritorious conduct that a mention of the names becomes impracticable the first explosion giving alarm of the danger occurred about nine sunday morning A crowd of if me ceif u quickly assembled and deluged the me basement with water from the fire hose this operation seemed to check the egress of smoke and it i was thought that the combustion was definitely under control A few men were left there to keep watch and I 1 apply more water it necessary tu ill the meantime expert advice on spon ganeous combustion in coil coal was i sought and the information was givon given 1 Y that there was grave danger of subsequent explosions that would wreck the entire building and that this danger would be super induced by the addition of any more water telephonic advice from provo fire chief was to remove the coal quickly I 1 and to beware of explosions while I 1 the operation was in progress being careful to add no more water until the base of the combustion had been eclied and then to adl add limited i j t i from the side where the thea workmen were to prevent the heat from becoming intolerable A second and more violent explosion 1 occurred and preparations were rushed tor for removing the coal through the small openings at best the operation of hoisting out ninety tons of coal must be slow but the work was seriously impeded by dense smoke and gag gaa fames electric fans j were put in ipe ration at the openings to help clear the atmosphere clentry clent ly to permit crews of men to work in the basement on short shifts small tubs ropes and pulleys were used in hoisting the coal out some of the coal was brought out hot and turning burning and some difficulty was experienced perien ced in emptying the hot eon con 1 tents of the tubs improvised gas masks and amonia amoel i soaked sponges used by the shifts working in the smoke and gas A few burns bums cuts and bruises were the inevitable results of working in the darkness and smudge of the pit one young man a high school student had his shoes almost burned from his feet one of the worst accidents was suffered by mr air littledike the janitor most alost of the last joint of his right thumb was severed iu in some unknown manner while ho he was wag I 1 working in the darkness of the E smoke ma ke during the afternoon and evening a group of ladies and high sch ool girls organized tor for serving refreshments fresh ments to the workers on tho the forges of the adjacent blacksmith shop the best chefs in town prepared beefsteak sandwiches to be handed out to the men of 0 and the work of hoisting coal went on without Int eruption this is the second case this year of spontaneous combustion in school coal pits the kina ot of coal used this year seems to havo have that tendency superintendent has taken steps to prevent combustion in ober coal bunkers in the district the building suffered no damage and school Is going on without interaction ion the students stu deats spent about t aoi hours monday morning clearing cleaning up the debris and up the coal I 1 i 10 p |