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A New DU Rises in 1910
Cornell Alumni News Reports
In early 1910 the alumni association hired noted New York City architect F.Y. Joannes, Arch. ’00 to design the reconstruction of the chapter house. Later that same year, the Cornell Alumni News reported on the work in progress:
“The new house of Delta Upsilon, which is almost completed, is built on the site of the old house at South and West Avenues. The old foundations have been used except on the east side where the house has been enlarged 12 feet. The house will be ready for occupancy about Christmas time.
“The basement contains the kitchen and pantry, but not the dining room as in the former building. That room will be on the main floor, and will be 42 feet long by 26 feet wide. Besides the dining room, on the main floor there will be a chapter room and library on the north, a reception hall in the middle and a music room at the south of the house. The second and third floors will contain the studies and sleeping rooms. These floors are arranged in suites and will accommodate thirty men. Two separate stairways lead from the basement to the top floor and it is thus made possible to divide the house when occasion may require.
“The third floor has a sleeping loggia, which is ample for twelve beds. In its exterior the house will be similar to the one that burned last winter. The first floor will be of brick and the remainder of stucco. It will be of slow burning construction and divided into three sections by fireproof walls.” [Oct. 19, 1910]
To see more pictures of DU 100 years ago, visit the DU Scrapbook.
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More Fires Strike DU
1916: Basement Fire Over Christmas Break
The Cornell Alumni News in January 1916 reported that “a fire in the basement of the Delta Upsilon lodge … practically ruined” the basement, but did little damage to the upper floors. “The prompt work with a battery of fire extinguishers” by three undergraduates living in over the break kept the fire within bounds until the firemen arrived. The cause was not ascertained.
1919: Third Blaze in Nine Years Does $30,000 Damage
In January 1919 the DU House was badly damaged by fire, which was discovered about 6:30 pm on a Sunday evening, when tiles from the roof fell through a skylight and tumbled on the stairway underneath. Fifteen brothers holding a meeting at the time in the drawing room on the first floor.
Investigation led to the discovery of flames in the attic and an alarm was telephoned. The Fire Department responded promptly, but when the companies arrived, it looked to the firemen as well as the spectators as if the building were doomed.
The firemen were able to check the flames in the attic. The roof was burned away and the attic was destroyed, but the lower portion of the house was uninjured. The water damage to the lower floors and furnishings was considerable. No one was seriously injured, but there were many minor injuries.
While the cause of the fire has not been definitely determined, Chief Reilly is of the opinion that it may have been caused by defective wiring, as the electric wires were not in conduits. Another theory is that the fire started in the chimney.
The fire of Sunday night was the third in the history of the local chapter of Delta Upsilon. The first occurred at 5.45 on the morning of December 24, 1909, when the house was completely destroyed. There was only about $1,800 insurance on the building at that time. At 11.30 the night of January 2, 1916, a fire broke out in the basement of the house, but it was checked by the Fire Department before it got past the first floor.
The rescued furniture has been removed to the Telluride House, recently vacated by the Officers’ Club, and here the fraternity will live temporarily.
Credit: Cornell Alumni News, Jan. 30, 1919
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