New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-03-09
THE BURNING OF THE STATE
CAPITOL.

WHICH we miue DTleI meuClOu Ill
our last issue, occurred between nine
and ten o'clock on Tuesday night'of
last week while both branches of the
Legislature were in session. In re-
gard to the origin Of the fire nothing
is known, but It is believed to be
the work of an incendiary as it
started in the dome where no light
or fire Of a2y kind was kept. Two
Senate pages were the first to bring
the tidiags of fire to the senators,
and.,when they opened the doors
there was a flood Of light through.
out the room, and at the same time
the fire could be distinctly seen
through the large ventilators in the
ceiling of the chamber. The Sena-
tors then moved toward the door, but
this was locked before they could
pass through, as it was at first sup
posed that the hallway was on fire.
It happened, however, that it was
only carpet that was burning at
that place, the main fire being over.
head. The senators next made a
rush for window in the cloak room
and jumped to the stairs ten feet be-
low, a few getting out of the door
after it had been kicked in by sena-
tors Kinds and Castle. Most of tn
senator's went out Of the chamberlin
a comparatively orderly manner,
some even taking the contents of
their desks along. Soon after the
last one went out the chandelier fell
to tn. fl 'or,. and then everything
was in flames.
A similar scene prevailed in the
House, but many Of the members of
that body were not so cool as their
brother Senators. When the doors
were opened dense column of
smoke rushed in, after which the
doors were closed for a time till a
draf, cleared the smoke away. Mem.
bers got out of the burning building
in great many different ways,
some going down on ladders placed
up to the windows and some even
jumping down. Among the latter
was representative Schmidt, OF
Washington county, who became
somewat hurt. The clerks of both
the Senate and House showed a
great deal of GOODNESS and presence
Of mind, gathering up all the records
and every scrap Of paper that had
any connection with the proceed.
ings.
The safes in the different offices
were most Of them readily opened
after being cooled off, and all the
valuables unframed. The State
treasurer's safe contained SO, 900, OOC
in United States and State of Mis-.
souri, bonds, belonging to the school
university and internal improvement
permanent funds, and also the &C
counts and records of the Office,
with about 5000 dollars in currency
and specie, all Of which was found
perfectly safe.
On Thursday the Legislature pass
ed a bill appropriating $4,000 fol
| rebuilding the capitol on the
old site, it being found that most O.
| the old walls can be made use of
The Governor recommended this ap
preparation at the hands of the legis
allure, stating that an extra sessio .
Of that body to further consider thu
matter would cost more than thu
amount appropriated. The burned
capitol was completed in the yea
1853 and at that time cost $40 900
but many additions have since beer
made so that at the time of the fir
the whole structure cost about $108,
900.
The greatest loss besides the burn
ed building was the destruction of tn
State library, only about1, 300 vol
umes being saved out of 1850. Tn
cost Of Che library was about $65,
600. with an insurance of $40. 900.