Morris tribune., 1881-03-10

to him that the report Of the committee would
be made this morning. When, however, Mr..
Wilson found that the reporter was pretty we'll
posted, and that he knew the committee had
about decided that the Chicago, Milwaukee
St. Paul Railroad company held lands
which should be taxed; that Greenleat
Clark, ESQ, had been before them; that
Col. E. F. Drake was to argue the case Of the
St Paul & Sioux City road, in the morning, and
several other facts, the gentleman was about to
submit to an interview and foreshadow the
findings of the committee, when the fearful
cry burst forth,
THE SENATE IS ON FIRE!
Then the house immediately became the
scene of riotous tumult The memb.
rushed from their seats, and the wide door
leading to the long, narrow hallway, were
thrown open, revealing vast pillar Of fire in
the rotunda at its end The smoke rushed II
clouds into the hall. The strongest men
blanched with fear Some struggled to be
brave, but found no support The scene which
met all eyes through the open doors was terri.
BILE, for the only exit seemed to be by the one
stairway, now so evidently enveloped i'll flames.
leap to the ground was dangerous for the
height was at least thirty feet What
should be done? Several calm members
counseled camuess, but it had no influence
on the greater portion of the members; soon o
clear voice was heard, the voice of Capt Hur
ter, assistant sergeant alarms, "the fire Is
out" The doors had been closed, and but for
the hurrying to and fro of the members, no.
body would have suspected that the destruc.
ton was going on. For moment a calm en-
sued, then q cry from one of the members
came
'sLooK-ABovE THE GALLERY"
Looking up small flame not larger than a
mans hand was visible in one of the hammer
beams At the first alarm the gallery, which
had been crowded, had been instantaneously
cleared. On looking in the direction indicated,
the reporter detected the flame, and saw one
solitary individual sitting beneath it. He lifted
his soft hat from his head and threw
it at the flame, which Immediately vanished, as
did also the individual. Quickly the flame re.
appeared, and many of the members became
panicstricken rush was made for the win.
dows The sashes were thrown up;
PTTEoUs CRIES FOR LADDERS AND ROPES
resoun ded in the night air Some undertook
to throw themselves from the windows but
were restrained by cooler comrades; others
sank down in fright, unable to help themselves
Several of the coolest men, including Coils
Baxter Geary Hicks and Denny, made their
voices heard, urging the members to keep
cool and promising relief. Mr.. Kendall mount
the speakers desk and rapping heavily with
while Col. Denny, from the summit Of a desk
proclaimed that he had just returned from the
lower story by the stairway, aid that all could
pass down without fear of injury. These in
structions and announcements quoted many,
but the fear that the fire was overhead, and
that the roof might fall at any moment. caused
quite panic among the more nervous, and the
open windows were crowded, while the appeals
for help rang forth on the night air. Repre-
| sentative Schmidt flung himself from thu
window and escaped mninjured, except deer
cut on his left cheek. 1t is rumored tina
another man, not member, took the fearful
leap, but the truth in regard to it is not known
Some of the strongest men on the floor of the
house displayed the greatest fear, and Others
who would be ordinarily credited with nervous
ness and fear, proved the coolies
and most unconcerned. The re-
porter, perhaps, because he knew
| under just which window the deepest and soft
est snow bank lay, was extremely cool. He
got on his overshoes and his ulster and
crammed his notes into his pocket, then turned
to admire the admirable GOODNESS of the clerks
who with admirable pluck proceeded to save
| the records And here, it may be stated thai
Chief Clerk Howard, with his faithful assist,
ants Deakin and Daniels, saved every
|
indefinitely postponed. The reporter had gone
before these gentlemen completed their labors,
| but he saw everything
COME SAFELY DOWN A LADDER,
and knows that the business of the house,
thanks to the faithful clerks, will not be inter
rupted
| E.-, WHAT WAS SAVED.
| Fortunately there was time to remove mos
of the valuable contents of the building, the
loose records, papers, ETC., but the general re-
greet for the loss of the building will be en-
HANGED by the special regret of the legal frater-
nifty for the almost total loss of one of the most
valuable law libraries in the country. With
| creditable presence of mind, the secretary of
| the senate and of the house contrived to save
the records and pending bills of both branches.
| The supreme court records were saved. All
| bills signed by the governor as well as great
quantities of valuable records are safe in the
spacious vaults of the secretary of state. In
the vaults and safes of the treasurers office
are safely slowed the bonds in which the State
| has invested its school funds, and an immense
store of other valuables. In what was the State
auditors Office, in another immense vault, are
securely deposited the valuable records of that
office About all the contents of the rooms of
the State Historical society in the basement of
the building were removed to safe quarters Sc
that except the building itself and the law libra
ry, the loss will not probably be great.
| WHAT is TO BE DONE.
Immediately upon the alarm being sounded
Mayor Dawson, with rare presence of mind
ordered the magnificent city hall heated. Then
he proceeded to the Metropolitan and telephoned
Gov Pillsbury at his home in Minneapolis, in
behalf of the city of st. Paul, rendering him, as
the executive of the State, the free use of the
hall for the rest of the session. Then he set tc
work to have the halls put in order for the re-
ception of the legislature, which met there al
the usual hour ON Wednesday. Temporary Of
fees have been procured for the State officers
1t is expected that an extra session of the legis-
lature may be necessary to meet the exigency
but at present anything concerning the future
is undecided.