The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-10
was made for the windows, and members

was made for the windows, and members
prepared to leap for Their lives,
yelling at the top Of their voices to
mattresses---eve ything that chance happened
to suggest to their half-crazed thoughts.
Desks and chairs were overturned in the fran
tic race for means of exit from the burning
building, and for few moments
BEDLAM REIGNED SUPREME.
One member, Mr.. Schmidt, of Washington
county, leaped from south window, landing,
happily, in the deep snow, and sustaining no
injury save a few scratches of trihing moment.
Others were about to follow his example,
when fireman procured entrance and shout
ed for all present to make for the door. stFor
the door!'' 'For the door!" arose from the
entire assem.blage.. The exits were thrown
open, when it was found that the density of
the smoke had subsidized, while the corridors
were illumined by the lurid flames
that were mounting up the interior of the
dome overhead. Fearfully at first-for no one
knew what danger was ahead-the imperil1ed
men advanced to the stairway. This reached
their reassuring shouts encouraged those be-
hind them, who followed quickly, but without
that precipitancy that had characterized the
first alarm, and within few moments the
hall of the House had been de-
serted by all but Chief Clerk Howard, Assist
ont Daniels, Representative Roberts, and one
or two others who were gathering up the rec
The scenes in the brief interval between the
alarm and the opening of the doors battles :
scription. Strong men were
s. COMPLETELY UNNERvED.
One who had at first mounted his desk and
shouted for order and GOODNESS, himself lost
control, and wringing his hands shouted
s'We'll all be burned to DEATH over and over
again. Others rushed hlther and thither, ap-
parently with no aim, but shouting at the top
of their voices "We're shut in and Will be
smothered!'' The occupants of
the gallery let themselves down
to the floor of the hall over the railing and
and confusion. Curses both loud and deep
resounded through the hall, while orders were
shouted hither and thther by every one. A
few of the more collected of those present
gathered their personal effects together, pre-
paratory for their departure. There were
about dozen ladies present. These, with
blanched faces, chung to their masculine COM
save inquiring anxiously whether there was a
prospect of release.
THE CLERKS OF THE HOUSE
showed great presence of mind. They stuck
to their posts from the moment of the alarm,
and gathered all the records of the House,
down to the last scrap of paper that had any
connection with the proceedings of the body.
Each loaded himself with the most valuable
portions of the records preparatory for the rush
but when the hall had been cleared and the
necessity for unseemly haste was over they
proceeded more deliberately. Ladders that
were thrown up to the windows by the fire
department were used and all the records safely
cared for. Down these ladders the clerks fol
lowed, and the hall and what it contained was
left to its fate. The splendid portrait of Gen.
Thomas, back Of the speakers desk, was
! saved uninjurcd, as were several other articles
| of ornament about the hall.
! There was great
| EXCUSE FOR THE PANIC
that reigned supreme for a few minutes.
When the smoke poured in at the doors, the
| first thought was that the fire had occurred in
the lower part of the bnlding, and was rushing
up the stairway and through the corridors
cutting off all means of cgress. The VIM
dows were therefore regarded as the only
means of escape from dreadful death. When
this superstition proved unfounded,. COM
! parative order was restored, and though the
| cinders falling from the burning dome acceler-
ated their speed somewhat, all symptoms of a
scare had disappeared before the outer air had
been reached: Col. Crooks and others stood
at the foot of the stairway counseling order,
and directing the rushing crowd what course
to pursue, and succeeded in allaying the prev
alent alarm.