Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-24

We can add but little to the facts which we
gave last week about the burning OF the State
House. How much Of the library was de-
stroycd cannot he told till careful cxamina-
ton is made Of what was saved. That most
Of it is saved is beyond dispute. The coec-
ticns made By the State naturalist we're all de-
stroyed-d loss not so clsiv made good rs
some others Great credit is due TO the spirit
with which the Montpelier people eyerted
themselves To save the building and to rescu~
the moyeable property WI. ch It contain-S. The
best being m1d- VI it, no Guubt many books
and n"p.rs were consumed whose loss will
bring serious Inconvenience, to say 70 more.
1t is gratifying fac! that the important records
and papers in the safe room Of the Secretary OF
States Office were left unFurl. The Auditor 5
Office was destroyed, with how much damage
we do not learn. There was small safe in
il; but not sufficient, we Judge, to protect all
that would naturally pertain TO that department
What the extent Of pecuniary damage is to the
State, canno! he stated now with precision -
The cost of the Notwithstanding the heavy
outlay Of some thousands of dollars in blasting
down the rocky spur Of the hill on which the
buildlng was erected, is well known, and for
State Of this size and resources it was large.
The granite walls of the building were pro-
tccted from the direct attack of the fire on the
inside by sheahing of brick, foot o. more
in thickness. To that circumstance alone is it
owing that they were not crumbled to ruins
Granite stunes are cracked by fire about as ca
silly as glass, and oltenllmes when they are left
Gnbroken by fire, the cohesion Of the stone is
So destroyed by the heat that a moderate blow
or weight will crush it. Where the fire burst
out and came in contact with the granite, the
injury is made obvious in cracks and hakings
of from the surface, and in the destruction OF
the cornices to greater OF less degree The
Sergeant alarms has caused the top Of the
walls to be protected by boarding TO keep them
from farther injury by fost and rain but it
must require thorough and sl systematic exami-
nation-such as cannot well be made immed-
ately-to justify decision how far, and in
what way the walls, or the materials ia them.
can be- made available for new structure
The most favorable result on that head must
leave necessity for very large expenditure
to provide as good building for the use of the
Stale as was the one now SO unfortunately de-
siroyed. 1t was noble building, ornamental
and credita6le to the State. lis interior ar
engagements were faulty in important respects,
and subject Of considerable complaint among
members from year to year. a proper legis-
lalive commission will of course bring out, in
an authoritative way, the extent of the damage,
the defects Of construction or management
which led to the great disaster, and also what
notifications are eXpedent to promote conven-
fence and safety hereafter
There is one topic connected with this sub
ject to which we will barely allude more be.
cause an entire silence on our part on q
pUiu, which we know to be spoken Of widely
in the State, might be misiuterpreted, than
because we have any thing special to say
The destruction of the State House, so far as
it is destroyed, inevitably opens anew the ques.
Ilon OF locatlon--a question which excited a
great deal Of interest previous to the erection
of the building just burned. We do not wish
to review the reasons which at that time deter.
mined the majority of the legislature to decide
in favor of its location at Montpelier, nor to
inquire whether time has weakened or strength
ened them All we " sh to say on the subject
now, is, thai whatever discussions shall be had
on that mailer throughout the Stale they should
be had in candid, temperate sprit-regard
less of individual wishes, and the special benc
fits which may incidentally arise to the inhab
itanis of one locality or another, because the
State House shall be located in their midst.-
The whole subject should be viewed in an en-