The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-04-15
STATE HOUSE FIRE
Senate Wing Of the Illinois
Capitol Building Badly
Damaged.
CAUGHT FROM TINNER'S STOVES
For a Time 1t Was Feared the
Building Would Be
, Ruined.

SRINGFIELD, Ills, April 15.-Illinois'
magnificent 5000, 600 state ous
caught fire in the senate wing shortly
after noon and in a few moments it
looked as if that portion would be
Quilted. The fire is supposed to have
originated in one OF the committee
rooms, but from what cause it is not
known. An alarm was at once turned
in and two steam and one chemical
engine responded Fire Marshal
Fountain soon discovered that he
would be
= Unable to Control the Fire
with that force and so turned in a gen.
eral alarm, calling for all Of the engines
in the city. The fire spread rapidly
and soon the whole of the immense
building was filed with smoke, SO that
it was with great difficulty that the fire.
men could find their way through the
labyrinth of Railways and rooms Of the
upper part Of the capitol. In the wing
Of the capitol where the fire was raging
the auditors Office, the state treasury
and the offices of the insurance COM
missioner and board Of agriculture are
located. At once when the fire broke
out
Wild Confusion Prevailed
among the clerks Of the various depart
ments and soon the halls were filed
with excited girls and me The
chiefs Of departments remained cool,
however, and in a few minutes all of
the valuable papers and records were
locked up in the fire proof vaults. As
sistant Treasurer Whittemore at once
ordered his clerks to lock up all the
money and the books Of his Office and
then with them beat a hasty retreat.
In Auditor Cores Office matters did not
run SO smoothly. In that department
many women are employed and they
became badly frightened, increasing the
confusion. With much difficulty the
books, papers and records were
bundled Into vaults.
Meantime the fire continued to spread.
There were not enough fire plugs near
the state house to keep the engines
working, S firemen had to labor at a
great disadvantage. The fremen re-
ported shortly that all of the committee
rooms in the senate wing and the SEM
ate chamber were ruined. While the
state house has been regarded az prac-
ticallv fire proof the floors of all COM
mittee rooms and of some other por-
tons, are of wood, and being ex-
tremely dry,
Burned Like finder.
The roof was made If slate and the
beams supporting it of steel, but it was
said that if the fire was not soon
checked the intense heat would SO warp
them that the great roof, with its i'm
mense dome, might collapse. In such
an event the loss would be enormous.
The fire was probably started from
timers stoves, a large force of timers
having been sent up on the roof to
make repairs. 1t is said they left their
stoves when they went to dinner. A
gale of wind was blowing during the
fire and the firemen seemed to be I'M
able to cope with the flames. The SEN
ate chamber was speedily Quilted and
all the expensive frescoing is ruined.
The Damage Not Great.
At 1:45 p. IN. the firmen had gotten
the flames under control. 1t is esti-
mated that the damage to the senate
wing of the state house will mount to
from $4,000 to $4,000 0 Most Of the
damage will result from smoke and
water.
The state library escaped with slight
damage. The room occupied by the
enrolling and engrossing committee
was flooded and it is believed that many
important bills passed by the senate
nave been destroyed. Should this be
the case it will require Il vast amount
Of extra work on the part of that body.