The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-10

men, who faced the smoke and the flames in
desperate endeavor to save as much of the val
81 erong their Is the
library and threw the ponderous law volumes
out into the snow, where they were gathered
by men and boys and conveyed to place of
safety. All Of the offices on the main floor
were soon denuded of their portable effects
books, papers, desks, chairs and even carpets.
These were conveyed to the streets. whence
they were afterwards taken to secure quarters
in Unity church, Judge Palmer's residence,
and other houses in the near vicinity. Some
Of the perishable articles were badly damaged,
but the greater part were preserved in good
shape.
The Loss to tho Historical Society.
/ The Minnesota Historical society had its
rooms in the basement of the new wing. They
had here very valuable library of books, pic
lures, maps, historical relics, and antiquarian
objects, which the society has been diligently
collecting for nearly thirty years. Mr. Will
Hams, its librarian, informed us at one o'clock
this morning that there were,as near as he could
remember, in round numbers 10000 bound
volumes, $4,000 pamphlets and unbound vol
rmes, 500 maps, some hundred or SO pictures
(such as portraits of old settlers and historic
ncrsonagcS) and a fine museum of aboriginal
implements and weapons: Many of the books
ana an documents were very rare and valuable.
The whole collection was valued recently at
$4,000, and it would be difficult to replace it
for this amount. An insurance Of $4,000
was placed last year on it, in companies repre-
sented by II. L. Moss, John S. Prince and the
st. Paul F. & NJ. company
AS soon as the alarm was given the book
cases were unlocked and crowd of active citi-
zens worked with energy to save the books
and other property. Mr.. Williams thought at
midnight that every bound book was saved,
and carried into the Unitarian church close by,
many wet and injured, though. The pam
phlets did not fare so well, as
den under foot in the snow. The society had
very capacious fre-proof vault, in which
was stored 900 volumes of Minnesota news
papers. This collection is irreplacable, but it
is believed that the vault has done its duty
we'll, and that the precious volumes are safe.
The cabinet and pictures, together with
quantity OF movable property,was carried out.
The book cases, costing some $1,000, are a
| total loss.
| Mr.. Williams, the librarian, had private
library in the inner room, which is total
loss; It was valued at $500, and insured for
also loses considerable other effects not insured
This fire will, of course, give the So
but all its friends are thankful it is
| no worse. Mr.. Williams, on going out of the
| door, cheerfurly remarked: ttJust say that
donations to our library and museum will be
thankfully received"
At the Ifxams.
A walk around the building, this morning,
at 2 clock, showed complete destruction of
the interior of the building. OF all the wood
word of the interior nothing was left but
blackened, fallen timbers and burning frag-
menus. None OF the timbers were IN place.
Those of the roofs, with the floors, were
floors not altogether burned away,
which was in the east and north wings, had
dropped down and hung or stood, black and
broken Skeletons In the centre and west and
south wings all infammable material above
the easements seemed to be wholly
consumed. The outside walls, and so far as
could be seen, the interior brick walls appear
ed to be all standing. This, remembering
what has been said of the cheapness and inse,
curity of the new parts of the building, is re-
markable. But it was not lhot fire, said a
f fireman. Yet' not only was the governors
corner of the building, where the
melted snow outside shows that the
heat was greatest--but the gas and steam
pipes throughout all the building appear to
have been subjected to intense heat. Perhaps
the walls were saved by the rapidity with
which the dry fuel burned and dropped away
| from them.
The governors safe, fallen into the base
ment and turned on it's side, appears to be
cooling with It's shape SO perfect that it can
probably be opened easy and it's valuable con-
tents, records and documents of the executive
office, from the organization of the Terrific
ry, Will probably be found
clerks safe also dropped into the basement,
appears to be in COON condition. The State
treasurer's safe, containing $2,09O,OOO in
limited States and State of Missouri bonds, be-
longing to the school, university and internal
and improvement permanent funds, and also
the accounts and records of the Office, with
about $1,000 in currency and specie, appears
| 70 nave escaped even outward harm.
The vault of the insurance commissioners
office and the great vault of the State
auditors office, containing records covering
all the financial operations of the State and
papers which appertain to titles of real prop
erty all over the State, with also the great
vault of the Historical society, holding some
! nine hundred volumes Of newspapers, includ-
ing the earliest publications in the Territory
OF MinnesOta-all are safe. In respect to these
vaults certainly the capitol was better built
than was generally supposed.
The blank, bare walls, ragged as to tops and
openings where were the windows, with
smoke pouring lazily out, and here and there
flashes OF flame showing blackened tlmbers,
wide blank spnces above and Debris, black.
smoking or glowing-these were all that was
left of our State capitol few hours after the
first cry of fire!