The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-18
ISLAND CITY NEWS ITEMS.
Speculation as to the Origin Of the
Court House Fire.
7HIRTY.NINE THOUSAND INSURANCE
Hope Mil Secures Railroad Rates
which VIII Enable the Mil TO
Make n ProRt-Ex ports.

Galveston, Texas, December 17.--The
four walls Of the burned county court
house stand like grim sentinels, so TO
speak, with enough OF the original struc-
ture left holding them together to make
out a pretty fair case OF court house. bar
ring n roof and some interior arrangements,
such as stairways and ceilings After the
roof fell in the fire was got under control
and comparatively little damage was done
to the ground floor or second. except by
water, the fro seeming to have burned
down and to have been arrested there. on
this point. however there Is much contro-
versy and uncertainty. II is contended by
some OF the court house people that all
the signs show that the fire could not
have started anywhere else than In the
third story, while others insist that 1t
must have started below. The former view
seems to be borne out by the fact that the
damage by fire is nearly all above the
second floor.
The loss In books papers and other eff
fects is not SO great as was thought early
this morning. The clerk of the district
court was unable to get into his office on
account OF the heat and smoke and it was
supposed most, II not all Of the papers OF
that office not In the vault were destroyed
but Clerk Easton says today that every
thing was saved. though some damage by
water was suffered IT. is also said today
that the records and papers in the office
OF the criminal court clerk we're saved
though In a somewhat damaged condition
from water. 1t was In his room that the
fire was at first supposed 10 have started,
but as the office escaped though other
rooms on the same floor wer0 destroyed,
spoils that assumption. The county clerk S
Office is steel vault and there was no
damage whatever to anything contained
therein. The sheriff and other officers got
nearly all their valuable effects out so that
the loss except to the building is NOT
very considerable. and even that is pretty
wei covered by insurance ms follows
Hughes & Stowe Insurance company Of
North america ton huiidingl, $1,000; Liver.
pool. London and Globe ton contentsl.
$4,000
L. Il. Rice-London Assurance corpora.
ton Ton buildngl. $1,000. London and Ian.
cashre Insurance company ton building),
$1,000
John A. Stubhs German Insurance com
pany Of Irecport ION buildlngl $4,000; Liy-
erpool London and Globe ton building
$1,000, Home Insurance company, New York
ton bulldingl. $4,000
c. NJ, Guirard & Co.--Fire association Of
Philadelphia ION buildngl $1,000
Il. Mccormick e Co. Hamburg Bremen
Insurance company Ton buldlnBl, $4,000.
Beall q lI9rris-Aetna Insurance COM
pany oi Hartford ION buldmg), $4,000
Charles Il. Bgown-fIanoyer Fire lnsur
ance company ION buil1igg) $4,000
J. u. Quiun d Co.--North British and
Mercantile ton buiIdingl $1,000
|. loyenberg caled0nian lusfitfnce com
pary ION buildinel $4,000.
Total u building. $40 600; on contents
$4,000
Grand total 500 900
The county court and district court have
moved into the Sealy building temporarily
and It is TO get the usn OF he OLD Fedora,
building Tor use as acourt horse until
rev one can he built