Fire in Matthews.

Shortly after 4.15 yesterday afternoon an alarm was rung in from the box in Harvard Square, and a few minutes afterward the engine and hose carriage came tearing into the college yard and drew up before the front of Matthews. Another engine with accompanying hose carriage and hook and ladder company meanwhile was stationed in the Square. The cause of the excitement was a slight blaze in the basement of Matthews. Had not the fire been accidentally discovered, however, it would have soon done much damage. Mr. Blum, '90, in going to the south basement, noticed a cloud of smoke issuing from one of the coal closets and immediately attempted to extinguish the fire by the use of a hand grenade. This proved unavailing however, and he was forced to run upstairs and inform a friend, who rung in an alarm from the Square. As soon as the engine appeared the fire was quickly extinguished, not however, until it had already taken hold of the wooden partitions and began a little to burn the beams on the first floor. The occasion will be long remembered as the most informal meeting between faculty and students for many months.