The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-11-17
Austin.
Speclnl 10 tho Herald


AUSTIN, November 0.--About noon to-
day smoke was seen issuing from the state
capitol, and discovering that it came from
the back room adjoining the attorney
generals office, the secretary of state, with
the assistance OF his clerk and others broke
omen the door, which was locked. A
dense cloud of smoke issued forth
rendering the effort futile. Smoke was also
discovered ascending in circling spirais
from the northwest wing of the building,
and the alarm being sounded, the hook and
ladder company, followed by the engine
companies, were promptly on hand.
Owing to the defect in the last
state legislature of a bill making
provisions for supplying the capitol grounds
with hydrants the fire brigade was forced to
take position outside the capitol wall, where
the hydraulic pressure proved insufficient
to get up q stream. The flames spread rap
idly and within an hour and q half nothing
remained of the old capitol but the bare
walls which proved to be iire-proof in
a superior degree. The archives of the gov
eminent were all saved, for which much
gratitude is due to the scholars Of Professor
| Becktop's school, the largest of whom hay
ing arrived among the first on the scene,
rushed into the smoke and did gallant
work. The library, containing among
other treasures, an ancient history
of Mexico, the only one that
was extant, and which cost in
England f3, 600 sterling and the reports of
hundred years, was entirely destroyed.
The geological specimens were also destroy
ed, but as duplicates ofthOse are at Atlanta
the loss amounts to nothing. The Texas
reports were also destroyed, involv-
ing loss to the state of $4,000;
All the portraits in the hall of
the house of representatives We're
Fortunately Mr. Huddle, a ma.
tive artist, had been. taking copies of
lhe presidents of the republic, and
we're ,ns SuY left in the executive
office, and as it was the last to catch fire
they were saved. All the daguerotypes
and ambrotypes were burned The origin
express man had entered the book-room
Yesterday, and it is surmised that a
spark from pipe or cigar may
have been dropped carelessly. A gentle
man while passing the back room three
quarters of an hour before the alarm was
given smelled the smoke. There could
have been no possible object in an ineen-
diary setting fire to the building
with the purpose of fastening
as the building plans and specifications of
the new capitol have been approved, and
the act of burning down the old building is
a loss to the city in the labor that would be
required to pull it down. The building
was not insured. For the present the eXecu-
tive and state departments will be in the
supreme court building, the attorney-gen-
erals office in the land office and
the offices of the adiutant-
general and the commissioner of insurance,
statistics and history in the Brugerhoff
building The building plans and specitl-
cations of the new capitol were saved. Upon
the suggestion of Governor Roberts, the su-
perintendent of the public grounds this
evening made complaint before Justice
Gregg, to cause an investigation of the fire.
The Investigation will go on tomorrow.
AUSTIN, November 10-The New York
e Texas Land Trust company filed a char
ter to-day. The object of the company is
to promote the full purchase and settle
ment of land in TaXas and other states.
The principal office is at Austin, and the
capital stock 100000. The incorporation
includes John Hancock, of Austin, and Rich
ard Hubbard of Tyler.
Before the jury of inquest to-day over the
fire the government heads of departments
and several others were examined. The
evidence showed conclusively that the fire
origin ated in the book room, being from
stovepipe in the east room of the attorney
generals Office. Years ago an aperture in
the wall between this room and the book
room was cut for the stoyepipe to run
through to an opening in ilue on the
opposite wall of the book room.
In 1875, the better to pre-
serve the books and records, the book
room was ceiled, closing up the aperture for
the stove pipe, the ceiling being about two
inches from the wall. None OF the force in
Al 80 off vi
about this, and the supposition is that there
was a flaw in the wall separating the at
torney-general's office from the
book room. Recently Mr.. Edmun-
son, assistant clerk, asked and
obtained leave of the attorney general to
put up q stove in the extreme corner, where
he had his desk. The stove was set up sew
srs. us,s sss, the mechanic attending to it
as well as Mr.. Edmundson, believing
fom the smoke stains at the stove
pipe entrance and the fact of its being
closed directly upon the other side, that IL leu
directly to chimney. The weather turned
cold yesterday, and Mr.. Edmundson had a
fire lighted in the stove about an
hour and forty minutes before the fire was
discovered. This is the salient point in the
testimony given to-day. The examination
will be resumed tomorrow.
AUSTIN, November 1.-THE capital board
this morning concluded to postpone receiv-
ing bids until the first of December. The
principal reason for this was that some OF
the specimens of hardware were destroyed
by the fire and it would be difficult TO de-
scribe them, they beng referred TO in the
Specifications by number. The governor
and some Of the heads..o departments have
been talking of throwing down the
capitol wall 90 the second story, and fitting
up tie remainder for department offices.
They think that it can be done for 5000,
and as the new capitol will not be erected
for five years, that it would prove saving
TO the state in rentals.
Several witnesses were examined before
the jury Of inquest on the old capitol. The
chief Of the fine department swore that
twenty engines could not put the fire out
when the companies got there. William
Bruggerhof, an active member Of Wash
ingtOn fire company No. ], testified 10 the
fact that his company's hose threw very
fine steam.
AUSTIN, November 12.-Unless the inter
est that has accrued on the sale Of the uni
versity.bOnds be regarded as constituting the
available university fund, TO be used for
building purposes and general support Of
this institution, there will be only about
$1,000 subject 70 use by the board Of regents
after payment Of the present appropriation
out Of that fund made BY the last legisla-
fure for the support Of the Agricultural and
Mechanical college, and Prnirie View nor /
NAL school. This appears in the rec Mt re-
view II the university, and in the report
made By the comptroller
The capit0l commissioners on the esti- /
mates ~ the architects report the
cost Of the material and la
Dor on the proposed new capitol %
81 40 SO. Mr.. Meyers. the architect. places
the margin 81 the contractor al So so, |
making a probable cost II sl.7l7.Ol2
Tie Gonzales tap railruad. branch Of
he Sunset route, VIII fie q charter on I
Monday.
Argument ~as concluded today I'm tie 4
case al Generm Steele vs.. the STATE for un-
Taid salarr. and the case was taken under /
Tyler.