The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-03
Destruction Of Pennsylva-
MAS Legislative Halls.
Fire Broke Out While the State
SOlOnS We're In Session.


Harrisburg. Feb. 3.-The state capitol
Tcomrete ruin. as a result of fire.
- broke out in the lieutenant gov
erhUr's chamber, while both branches OF
The legislature were in session yester-
day The building was erected in 1922.
The fire made rapid progress, and, ow-
ing to the inefficiency OF the city fire de-
partment, the structure was soon de-
stroyed. The records OF this session
were saved. The loss is estimated at
Sl,5000OO
CONSERVATION seized the members of
both houses when the flames brust out.
and there was a rush to save papers and
other articles of value.
The old capitol, the finest piece OF
colonial architecture in the state, was
completely destroyed; every department
in II lost everything. and the loss is
complete. The cone-actor for the i'm
provements In progress had an insur-
ance of $4,000. his contract not being
finished.
Just as soon as the legislature can
meet a bill will be introduced to re-
build the capitol at once.
The departments in the burned build
ing were the following: Senate and
house, all OF the committee rooms the
senate librarians room, senate chief
clerks room, smoking room, barber
shop In senate. lieutenant governors
room, room of president pro tenn, school
department, house chief clerks room,
speaker of house room, resident clerks
room, two telegraph Offices. room of the
Harrisburg Legislative Correspondents
asssocIation, parlor and folders depart
ments. cloak rooms of both branches
and the engine rooms.
There is talk of finishing the session
either in Pittsburg or Philadelphia
Senate Librarian Miller says building
can be procured here. A session will
be held today to arrange for ttis. A re-
cess will then be taken for a few days.
Superintendent of Public Buildings
Delaney places the loss at 81, 50O,0
"I WILL" said he. fight for the rebuild
ing on the colonial style. We viii have
a meeting of the building committee as
soon as the house and senate committees
can be appointed. 1 don't think that it
is possible TO take the session away
from Harrisburg, which city is named in
the constitution as the place Of meet
ing"
There is not much over 800, 900 insur-
ance on the building and contents, ac-
Cording to the statement of the treasury
officials. There was 100000 on the
capitol building while the state library
was In it. After it was removed to an
other structure the insurance on the
legislative halls was reduced to $50, 900.
In addition to this. there is $l2S.0O0 in
surance carried on all the state build
ings.
The capitol was built early in the
century. but was, nevertheless, regard
.Nff hnv not aniv aaVG
Of Ionic architecture in the country.
The building was of red brick, with
white trimmings. 1t was surrounded by
a park of 10 acres, and stood on an emf
nence almost in the centre Of the city.
The main structure was two and one
half stories high, surmounted by large
dome, from which fine view of the
surrounding country could be had. The
capitols dimensions were: Length,
$50 feet width, 80 feet. The corner
stone was laid on May 81, 1919, by Gov
ernor Findlay. The building was fin
ished in 1921, and was first occupied by
the general assembly on the Sd of jan
uary, 1922.
On each side was q wing, that on the
north being occupied by the senate, and
the southern wing by the house. At
each end of the building, separated from
it by a narrow space, are located two
buildings. containing the state treasury
department, the adjutant generals office
and other state offices. About 100 feet
south is the modern granite building
known as the executive building, recent
ly erected, at a cost of nearly 81, ,000, 900,
for the accommodation of the governor,
attorney general and secretary of state.
This building also shelters the state IL
brary and q portion Of 1t Is used as a
state museum. The library, one of the
finest In the world, until two years ago
was quartered in the structure destroyed
by fire yesterday. 1t was the danger
from FIRE that constantly menaced the
library in the old building that induced
the authorities to erect the fireproof
structure in which 1t Is located today.
The injured by the fire were very few.
none Of them seriously. The story that
Senator Stiles lost several thousand
dollars cannot be verified.
There were three fire companies on
the ground last night, and the fire still
burned in the cellar and part OF the
/. Sc. 1t is almost impossible to get at
/~nd IL will be left to burn itself out,
Pit cannot damage surrounding build
ygs.
president Pro TEN. McCarrell of the
tnate and Speaker Boyce OF the house
and the members of the board Of public
property met TO arrange for places of
meeting for both branches OF the leg
islature. IL was decided that the senate
shall meet I'm the supreme court room.
lf1'd arrangements will be made for the
meeting OF the house I'm a room on the
second floor Of the postoffice building.
Mrs. Nancy wirts, 1901 Caroline St.,