The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-02-05
CAPITOL BURNED.
State House at Harrisburg. Pa, ia
In Ashes.
STATE LEGISLATURE IN SESSION
Session Records Saved-No Loss of Life
Los . Million and = Balf-Buildtng
Erected Ia 1821-Fire Burn
ed I'LL L. Burned Ont.

| q, =
vania state capitol was destroyed by
fire this afternoon. The legislative halls
are in ruins. and a new structure must
rise from the ashes Of the structure that
has served as a meeting place of the
state legislature since 1922. The flames,
within the short space of one hour, ate
up $1.5Oo.000 worth Of property. The in
efficiency of the Harrisburg volunteer
fire department is greatly blamed. The
house was in session and the senate was
about to convene after few minutes re-
Cess. 1t was about 1 o'clock when the
flames were discovered. Smoke could be
seen in small volumes pouring into the
capitol grounds from the windows. The
members were not mindful of it until the
great clouds rolled by the window. In
stantly there was motion to adjourn
and all was CONSERVATION. In the senate
the members were lolling about in Their
seats. The place began to smell Of
smoke and soon deep clouds of smoke
| came down the rear elevator shaft SEN
ator Grady of Philadelphia, quickly
warned the senator's and there was a
hustle to remove effects. Fire alarms
| We're sent in and the senate became
mass of bowling men. Desks were be-
ing 5erked loose and carried out The
same work was going on in the house
| chamber.
SEEN FROM THE GROUNDS.
| Out In the grounds great crowds quick
| y gathered. The flames were then shoot
| Ing out Of the roof over the lieutenant
| governors chamber. where the fire orig
mated. The fire department was slow
to arrive and those about the capitol
were doing their utmost to check the
blaze. 1t was useless. The fire licked
| up the little streams of water At last
the local companies started streams on
the senate wing, now a sheet of flames
| The water had hardly force enough to
| reach the blaze.
Rapidly the flames destroyed the roof
| and ate their way down into the senate
chamber. The men who were trying to
recover property were driven out. The
| flames shot along the senate roof, wound
| themselves about the dome and on to the
roof of the house chamber. Although
| there was a heavy rain and snow fall
| the wood work burned like finder Soon
there was fire in every portion of the
building and there was no nope for the
| historic structure. During the fire sew
eral persons were slightly injured by
falling timbers. For time it looked as
though the adjoining department build
| ings would be destroyed, but a shifting
wind saved them. About o'clock the
flames were under control, the fire hav-
ing been confined to the capitol build
| ing.
SESSION RECORDS SAVED.
The records of this session were saved
The contractor for the improvements IL
| progress held an insurance of $40 600; his
| contract not being finished
The departments in the burned build
ing were the following: Senate and
mouse and committee rooms, senate IL
brarian's room, senate chief clerks
room smoking room, barber shop in
| senate, lieutenant governors room, room
of the president pro tenn, school depart
ment mouse chief clerks room, speak
er OF houses room, resident clerks room.
| two telegraph Offices, room of the Har-
risburg Legislative Correspondents as
soc'a tion. pastors and folders depart
| ments, cloak rooms in both hrsnches
and the engine rooms.
| IHere Is talk of finishing the session
either in Pittsburg or Philadelphia, but
| Senate Librarian Miller says a building
| can be secured here
Superintendent Of Public Buildings De-
laney, who estimates the total loss to be
| $500, 600, said:
Il will fight for the rebuilding in the
colonial style. We will have a meeting
of the building committee as soon as the
house and senate committees can be an
pointed. l don't think it is possible to
take the session away from Harrisburg.
which city is named in the constitution
as the place Of meeting
There Is not much over sYOO. 900 insur-
ance on the building and contents. ac-
| 1ording to the statement of the treasury
| officials.
| THE BURNED BUILDING.
The burned capitol was built early in
the century, but was nevertheless re-
| gardei as one Of the handsomest speci-
| mems OF Ionic architecture in the coun-
try. The building was of red brick. with
white trimmings. It was surrounded by
a park of ten acres and stood on an
| eininence almost in the center of the
city. The main structure was two and
onr-haf stories high, surmounted by a
| large dome from which a fine view of
the surrounding country could be had
| The capitors dimentions were: Length
$50 feet; width so feet. The cornerstone
was laid on May 81. 1919, by Governor
Finlay. The building was finished in
1921, and was first occupied by the gen
eral assembly on January 3, 1922 On
each side was wing, that on the
north being occupied by the senate, and
the south by the house.
ADJACENT BUILDINGS.
A. each end of the building, separated
| from it by narrow space, are located
two buildings containing the state treas
ury department and adjutant generals
| ONCE ana other STATE OulceS- ABOUT lUU
feet south is the modern granite build
ing known as the executive building, re-
Gently erected at cost OF nearly a
million dollars for the accc nlmodation of
the Governor, attorney general and Sec
rotary of state. This building also shelf
ers the state library, and a portion of it
is used as a state museum. The library
is one Of the finest in the world, and I'M
til two years ago was quartered in the
| SAr ha
danger from fire that constantly men,
eced the library in the old building that
induced the authorities to erect the fire.
proof structure in which it is now Ia
Gated.
There are three fire companies on the
ground tonight. and the fire still burns
l.in the cellar and part Of the house.
President Pro Tenn. McCarroll Of the
senate and Speaker Boyer Of the house,
and the members of the BOARD of public
property, met this evening to arrange for
places of meeting for both branches Of
the legislature tomorrow. IT was decid-
ed that the senate should r,eet in the su-
preMe court room, AMI arrangements
were made for the meeting CT the house
in a room on the second floor of the
postofhce building.
Chicago. Ill. Feb. Frank Gage. mem
Der of the governing board of the Chicago
Stock exchange. has been expelled from
the exchange. The charge against him was
bucket-shopping.
ID