Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - 16 Years (Edmund James) [PAGE 83]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

78

Sixteen Years at the University of Illinois

Thus the original "Champaign and Urbana Institute building" was used from 1868 until 1880, but was so badly damaged by storms during the spring of the latter year3 that it could not longer be occupied and was soon afterward razed. In 1899 the building which had been erected in 1872 at a cost of $25,000 to accommodate the wood shops and to serve as a drill hall was totally destroyed by fire.4 Fire destroyed also the Experiment Station barn in 18895 and the Animal Husbandry barn in 1910.6 In August of 1890 the Chemical Laboratory was damaged to the extent of $40,000 by fire caused by lightning, and in the following June the University suffered a loss of $75,000 by the partial destruction of the Natural History building by fire originating in the same manner.7 It should be noted that, although the University is not permitted to insure its buildings, on the theory that "the state is carrying its own insurance,- - no fund is provided for replacing automatically any building that has been burned, nor can the necessary funds be taken from the state treasury for this purpose except by specific appropriation at some subsequent legislative session.

UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS ERECTED FROM 1867 TO 1904 Date of Original Erection Cost 1873 University Hall $ 150,000 1878 Law Building (formerly Chemistry Laboratory) 40,000 1890 Men's Gymnasium Annex (formerly Armory) 16,000 1890 Implement Shed (South Farm) | 500 1890 Animal Husbandry House (South Farm) 1,500 1892 Natural History Building 70,000 1893 Dairy Barn (Pure Bred Cattle) 7,500 1894 Engineering Hall 160,000 1895 Metal Shops 20,000 1895 Horse Barn (General) 3,090 1896 Observatory 15,000 1896 President's House (old) 15,000

3 4

Rept., Univ. of HI., 1880, p. 17 Rept., Univ. of HI., 1900, p. 301 0 Rept., Univ. of 111., 1890, p. 95 °Rept., Univ. of 111., 1912, p. 506 'Alumni Record, Univ. of 111., 1913, pp. 46, 47