Connecticut western news., 1897-02-04
STATEH0USEINR RUINS
THE PENNSYLVANIA CAPITOL IS pG-
 sTRoYED BY FIRE.
Historic old Structure, Built Early In th. Ceptury-Msny Valuable Records Less. The Loss fs Estinst.d at sI. soo, ,o0oS Lerist.tors Driven Out by rlamsa

HARRISBURG, Feb. 2-The legislative halls are In ruina A new structure must rise from the ashes that has served as a meeting place of the e,pennsylvania logisla- ture since 1899. The flamc~ have eaten up ti, bo0, 900 worth of property, Tho house was in session, and the senate was about to convene, after few minutcs' recess, when tho flames were discovered. Smoke could be accn In small volumes pouring out into the capitol grounds from the house windows Tho members wcN not mindful of it until the grcat clouds rolled by the windows. Instantly thcre was a motion to adjourn, md nll was oonsterna- ton.
 about in thoir seats. Tho place began to smell of smoke. and soon dense clouds rolled down the rear elevator shaft Sena- tor John c. Grndy of Philadelphia quick iy warned the senators, and thcre was a general hustle to remove effects Firc alarms were sont In, and soon tho dlRni- fed senate was R mass of bowling men. Desks wero being jerkcd loose and carried out. The samo work was going on in the house chamber.
 Rapidly tho flames destroyed the roof and ate their way down into the senate chamber. Soon the men who were trying to recover property wore driven out Tho flames shot along the senate roof, wound themselves about the dome. and on Co the roof of the house chamber Although thoro was n heavy rain and snow falling. the woodwork burned like tinder Soon there was fire in every portion of the building. and there was no hope for the historic structure, of which there now only rumeinx hlackencd and smoldcrlnR ruins. The old capitol, the hnost piece of colonial archi- tecture in tho state, was completely de- stroycd. Every department in it lost cv- srything, and the loss Is complete.
 Department. In the Buiidias.
 The departments in the burned build ing were the following:
 Senate and house all of tho committee rooms, the senate librarlan's room, eenate chief clerks room, lieutenant governor'm room, room of president pro tenn, school department, house chief clork 's room, room of speaker of house. resident clerks room, two telegraph offices, room of the Harris burg Lnsi slativo Correspondents aasocia- ton, pastors and folders departments. cloaknooms of both branches and the cn- zine rooms.
 Superintendent of Public Buildings De- ianey plaoos the loss at si, BOO, GOO. Ther~ is not much over ti00, 900 insurance on the building and contents, according to the statement of the treasury officials There wns s400, 900 on the capitol build ing while the state library was in it Aft CT it removed to another structure the in- surancc on the legislative halls was re- duced to s6o, 900.
 The capitol was built early in the con- tury, but was nevertheless regarded as one of the handsomcst specimens of Ionic architecture in tho country. The building was of rcd brick, with white trimmings It was surrounded by park of ten acres and stood on an eminonoe almost in the center of the city. The main structure waa 2h stories high, surmounted by large dome, from which fine view of the sur rounding country could be had. The cap itolis dimensions were; Length, is0 foctI width, so feet Tho cornerstone was iaid on May Si, 1919, ny Governor FiDdlay. The building was finished in 1891 and was first occupied by thu general assembly on the Sd of January, 1929. On each side was a wing, that on tbs north Icing occupied by the senate apa the southern wing by the house.
 At each end of tho building, separated from it by a narrow space, are located two buildings containing the state treasury de- partment, the sdjutaDt generals office and other state offices. which narrowly escaped destruction About 100 feet south is the modern granite building known as the ex- ecutive building, recently erected at a cost of nearly si. ooo. GOO. for the accommoda- ton of tho governor, attorney general and secretary of state This building also shel- ters the state library. and a portion of it Is used as state museum. Tho library, one sf the finest in the world, until two years ago was quartercd In the structure just de- stroycd by fire.