The morning times., 1897-02-03

Harrisburg, Pa, Feb. "A fire, which
started in the rooms of Lieut.. Gov. Lyon
some time this morning, swept through the
ancient capitol of Pennsylvania, and within
an hour and a-half after the breaking out
of the flames the structure was in ruins.
The senate and house were about to
reconvene for their afternoon session,
when the fire burst through the walls, and
lawmakers were driven for their lives to
the open air. A S far as known, 10 one
was killed, but number OF people were
in the building, trying to save furniture
and other effects, when the dome fell in,
and it is possible that someone may be
buried under tile ruins Quite a number
OF people were cut and bruised or half
smothered by smoke, but no one was
seriously hurt.
The most valuable of the State and legis-
lative records, which were in the build
ing, were saved, but the records and
statistics of the department of public in
struction, which included much valuable
information bearing upon the public schools
of the State, were destroyed. The legis-
lature will find temporary home tomor-
row, the senate in the rooms OF the
supreme court, and the house in the United
States district court, in the postoffice build
ing, and the legislature will at once take
steps to have the capitol rebuilt.
The total loss is estimated at nearly
81 900, 900, on which there is an iIIsur-
ance of but 100000. The origin OF the
fire is unknown.
During the morning session of the senate
smoke was sInelt, but could not be traced
and but little heed was given to it. Shortly
before / O'Clock as the president of the
senate was rapping that body to order
puff of smoke made its way into the
chamber.
Some little excitement followed, but as
the capitol has frequently been visited by
slight fires since its erection, and as the
buildings employees have never had any
trouble in putting them out, it was thought
that the smoke could he traced to its
source and the fire extingushed with a
bucket or two of water.
Chief Clerk Smiley improvised u hasty
bucket brigade made up of senate attaches
and senator's. This amateur fire force
traced the fire to the magnificent apart
meuts of Lieut.-Gov. Lyon on the floor
above the senate chamber. An AK speedily
shivered the woodwork and column OF
flame shot out. The efforts of tie bucket
brigade were useless, as the dry and
rotten timhers composing the raiters and
joists of the building burned like gun cot
ton and the fire ate its way through the
ceiling into the senate chamber Then
some one bethought him OF calling the city
fire department, but in the excitement u
firemen to the capitol. This further delay
gave the fire opportunity to spread.
n the opposite wing of the building
the house had been about TO recouvene at
the same time as the senate Only an
ordinary interest was at first given by the
assembly, and the people in the gal
lery to the smell OF smoke and the eX-
element and hustle in the rotunda OPP
posite BY the time the people in the
house had realized the seriousness of the
situation they were in peril of their
lives Tie flames and smoke made their
way into the chamber and drove the
throng headlOng before them. So rapid
was their advance that some people had
no time to even make their escape by the
doors, but were compelled to jump from
the windows to the ground.
BY the time the city fire department
had arrived on the scene the flames were
pouring through the roof of the building
A driving snow storm and a strong North
west wind doomed the building to de-
struction The fiTcmen could do nothing
and soon the great dome Of the structure
crashed downwards. The firemen then
turned their attention to saving ad dioinng
department buildings and in this they Were
successful. Within an hour and a half
after the fire broke out the building was
in ruins.
The State capitol was handsome brick
structure situated on a knoll in q park
of ten acres. 1t was so feet long, so
feet wide, with circular Ionic portico
in front and was surmounted by a fine
dome. 1t was begun in 1919 and first
occupied on January IS, 1922. The
original cost of the structure, including
grounds, was $291,6 ,6SS, but since its
erection it has been frequently embellshed
at large cost. Within the last two years
1t has been remodeled at a cost OF
$3.50 900, and the handsome frescoing in
the legislative chambers was even yet
uncompleted.
Protection Of Game and Fish.