Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-05-14

able effects and state papers.
| While the stories of those persons
connected with the control of thu
building and those first to arrive up
on the scene are very conflicting
still enough is known to make it Ger
tain that this disaster is the result o
deliberate incendiaryism. What the
motive is has not yet developed; il
may become apparent later, but un
questionably the job was well timed
and cleverly executed.
c. G. Everhart, the superintendent,
states that he left the building at
about ten minutes past six, locking
all the doors, but leaving Auditor
Perez at work in his Office. At about
Z o'clock he returned to the building
and opened the west door to admit
U. S. convict Francisco Hernandez,
a trusty from Socorro county, detailed
from the penitentiary to irrigate the
capitol grounds. Hernandez unbarred
the south doors and took the hose
out onto the grass, turning on the
water from stand pipe on first floor,
complaining at the same time that
there was very little water in the
pipes. 81 knew this" said Everhart;
81 have complained time and again
of the lack of water; so paid no
particular attention to the convict's
grumblings." About s:l5 o'clock
Mr.. Everhart, while working in his
garden, saw the smoke about the
dome and ran to the capitol, and as
he ran one way the convict ranSo-
ward his house by another street to
warn him that the building was on
FIRE.
Privates Young and Downey, of
d, Fort Marcy, were walk
ing past the capitol grounds at a
little before when they saw small
light in the south dome and a volume
Of smoke. They cried fire until a
response came from north of the
bridge, and ran to the janitor's room,
where kerosene lamp was on a
able. They tapped on the window
md man of medium height and
having beard on his face came out,
'ut he did not seem the least dis
urbed when told that the building
vas on fire. They thought this man
vas the night watchman, and push
ng by him they ran up stairs and
ttempted to turn on the water when
hey found a slit in the hose
Vasted the water as it flowed from
he stand-pipe.
Santiago Baca, the night watch
IAN, says he usually reaches the
between 1880 and 8, and
dmits that he was not about the
remises last night until after the
ry of fire was raised; he saw the
rowds gathering as he was ap-
reaching the capitol about o'clock.
When he arrived he told the convict
} go up stairs and turn ON the water.
lie saw no soldiers at that time.
An official inquiry will be insti-
tied to ascertain particularly the
Icts in relation to the mysterious IN
ividual above referred to and the }
atus of the water service. At this
rlting it appears that the city water
is not to blame, for while
lie capitol service pipe was of little L
Sc, the company's water mains, one |
ock distant, showed by actual tests /
ade last night that the pressure was q
'2t pounds to the square inch. The t
blowing explains itself:
The capitol custodian committee 7
i'll institute inquiry tomorrow, Sat '
day, morning at 10 o'clock, at the q
lice of the secretary of the terri I
ry, in the palace, for the purpose e
calling out all the facts in regard \
the origin of the 6Le at the capi- s
and the failure to extinguish it. t