Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-12-23
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 23. 1882.
THE OLD CAPITOL.
Destruction OF the Ola state House al
We Lansing. +.

THE OLD CAPITOL.
Destruction OF the Ola state House nj
N Lansing. -
Special Dispatch to the Post and Tribune.
LANSING, December 16.-The old can't
t0l building i'll this city took fire at half
past O'Clock this afternoon, and in the
space of All hour was entirely consumed.
The fire caught in the garnet from de-
fective chimney and spread very rapid
ly. The building was occupied by Piatt
u Bros, handle manufacturers, and by
the grand army of the republic. The
loss on the building and material will
be fully covered by Insurance, but Piatt
Bros. will lose largely In consequence
OF stOppage of business and failure to
fulfill large contracts already made. The
insurance was di 'ided as follows: NOrth-
ern, OF London, $500; Commercial
Union, of London, $500; Niagara, $500;
Westminster and st. Paul, $1,000 each,
and Union. of California, $1,750, Rbesides
$1,000 on the building.
This ancient structure was cOmmenc
ed soon after the decision was made by
the legislature to remove the capital
from Detroit to Lansing, the act for its
construction being approved March 16,
1847. 1t was occupied by the Legislature
in 1848. In 1866 the Legislature in 1865
the legislature provided for an enlarge
ment of the building by the addition of
10 feet at the south end. The cost of the
structure was as follows:
Original building 70
ADDITION In lS65..'. 3,97l ~
Total. $22,5 l3 or
In 1853 the legislature provided fer
the erection of a fire proof building on
NonitoI 20 for Of ha ota 20 nf
fees. This was completed at cost of
1852, and 1863 it was enlarged at
cost of SO, 1872.
In his message to the legislature in
1871 Governor Baldwin called the atten-
tiOn of the body to the necessity of the
erection of new capitol. He said:
The present state house was built
nearly 20 years ago, when the state was
comparatively new, with population
about One-fOurth us large as at the pres
ent time, and with about One-twelfth of
the present taxable valutiOn. The
present and growing incapacity of the
state buildings, the insecurity from fire
of the public records and library, ca
lamity likely to result in irreparable
losses, and the requirement of several
years time to complete the building
sufficiently, are, liz my judgment, ade-
quate reasons why immediate action
should be taken to erect new state
house with capacity sufficient for the
proper accommodation of the legislature
and all of the state departments, and
commensurate with the present prOspec-
tive wants of the state.
This recommendation was followed by
the passage of an act, approved Marcn
81, 1871, providing for the erection of
new state capitol and building for the
temporary use of the state offices. The
corner stone of the new capitol was laid
October 2, 1873, and the completed struc-
ture was dedicated January l, 1879.
The old structure was vacated by the
last Of the state officers in December,
1878, and under authority of an act
passed in 1879, the building was sold
with two lots. to +. s. Smith, George E.
Ramsey and Myron Green for $500.
They rented it to various private parties
and subsequently sold it to A. A. Piatt.
1t has been several times on fire but
hitherto without serious loss or damage.