Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac
Edward Sorin, CSC -- Translated by John M. Toohey, CSC, 1895

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1849

pg 137                      8. Burning of the Apprentices' Shops

                  On the night between Saturday and Sunday, November 18th, fire 
             started in the workshops, it is not know how, and in spite of all 
             the efforts of the Brothers, Seminarians, and of everybody, a line 
             of buildings of one hundred and thirty feet front and two stories 
             high was wiped away by the flames in two hours.  Such was the fury 
             of the destroying element that it devoured nearly everything in 
             the shops and in the kitchen and the bakery together with their 
             provisions, and the work-room of the Sister sacristan, where the 
             chapel lost in vestments and linen about 3000fr.  The total loss 
             was at least 16,000fr.  Most of the beds of the orphans and their 
             best clothes were a prey of the flames.
                  Mme. Coquillard and Mme. Woodworth of South Bend began a 
             collection the next day after the accident, and in three days 
             they raised about 700fr. in merchandise in South Bend and Niles.  
             It was necessary to rebuild at once the bakery and the kitchen--a 
             brick building of 44x20 feet, two stories, or rather to begin, 
             because the cold did not permit the finishing of even the first 
             story.