The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-31

the door of the county treasurer's Office Several
barrels of coal oil were rolled in and match
, touched to them. In an instant the Office
in flames The release of the men arrested on
Friday night and imprisoned as leaders was de
manded and refused The crowd would there
lore allow no one to approach the fire for the
purpose of eXtingushin9 it. An alarm of fire
was sent in from box II. The flames quickly
crept up the stairs leading from the treasurers
office to the auditors from there III turn it
passed to the prosecuting attorneys Office and
the recorders office, and so on. When the
glnes arrived the fremen were advised to re-
turn to their houses, and they acted upon the
advice. Captain Devine and j. J Desmond,
captain of Company C, First regiment attempted
to drag line of hose into the treasurer's Office.
They persisted in their efforts to reach the fire
after being warned, There was explosion and
flash, and Captain Desmond dropped dead,
with the top of his head shot off This was the
signal for a regular, fusilade Volley at,
ter volley was fired and scores dropped
dead in their tracks Main and
North, and South Court streets were cleared.
The Courthouse continued to burn. The rec
| ords in the various Offices were food for the
| flames. Thousands upon thousands of dollars
were being consumed, with throng sufficiently
large to extinguish the flames were they so
minded, standing by. The flames finally reached
the law library, the value of which was almost
inealculable. The largest and best library of
its kind sacrifice to the fury of the flames.
Years had been spent in making the collections,
only to have the whole consumed in single
night
The fire ate through the immense building
very slowly, and many spectators of the awful
sight were hopeful that the strong partitions of
the second floor would confne it to the lower of
fees. But the structure was doomed, and soon
the illuminating of the windows in the upper
rooms showed that the flames were slowly tri-
umphing. The. rear part burned faster than the
front portion, and the lurd glare was
seen from the top apartments look
ing out the jail, while the fire
pnt q hOld ON f,a
Main-street side. 1t seemed as though Provi-
dence was against the destruction, so slowly was
the advance of the red fiend, and at almost any
time two good streams would have overpowered
1t Crash after crash betokened the falling of
safes or iron pillars, and loud reports marked the
bursting of stones AS the bright light appeared
! in an Office, the evidence of new conquest of
the flames, the vast assemblage sent forth
great shout. While the sides were one mass of
seething flames, fully fifty dare devils, armed
with ladders, planted them up against the front
entrance, and scaling the gates and even climb
ing to the balcony, disappeared in the interior.
| Soon they returned, carrying armfulS of books
| and papers These they hurled out over the
heads of the crowd, and as they fell. shout after
shout was raised heavenward Long tables,
chairs and furniture followed until it seemed
as though nothing would satiate them. The pro
viders of this decidedly novel and awe inspiring
entertainment apparently had fear of the
flames, for they ran to and fro from the Offices,
each time only to come back heavily laden. So
drove them out.
The vicious flames found palatabla food among
the shelving and books in the extensive quarters
of the law library. The magnificent collection
of costly volumes melted into nothingness before
the fiery element The work of years. repre-
senting untold wealth, was swept away in an in
slant. The law library was founded in 1884. and
held over $4,000 valuable books, many that can
not be replaced for love or money. A monument
to intellect and learning, the second of the kind
| in the country, is no more.
An inestimable loss is thrown upon property
| holders by the destruction of the general index
series and record of deeds mortgages and leases.
All these precious documents were treasured by
Auditor Rabenstein. Without them, titles to
property will be most difficult to establish. Lit
CATION is certain to spring up on all sides
The News Journal has repeatedly called atten-
ton to the necessity of providing duplicate rec
ords and storing them in a safe place.
| How the June taxes will be collected is mys-
terry. The auditors and treasurers books are
necessary to make up the proper bills. Both
sets are destroyed To taxpayers the situation
is decidedly alarming.
The wheels of justice will be blocked for
indefinite period. All evidences of entries, judg-
ments and executions have suceumbed, and the
tedious operation of establishing minor point
will have to be done by the introduction of sec
ondary evidence.
The destruction of the Probate Court carries
with it network of titles and settlements inn
possible to replace in their entirety.
What loss will be suffered by the destruction
of the treasurers Office remains to be seen.