The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-02-10
STATE CAPITOL BURNED
Fierce Flames Destroy the Historic
Structure.
BURNED
STATE

Structure.
| HARRISBURG, Feb. 2.-Capitol Hill
is tonight scene Of desolation. The
historic structure which for three-quar
tiers of century witnessed the deliber
ations of Pennsylvania law givers,
and wherein have assembled the mel
who have made most of its record as q
commonwealth, is now only ruins. The
round tower of its rotunda, dismant-
led and blackened, looks down in trag-
ic silence on broken walls and smold-
ering embers. The tall pillars Of the
portico, yet crowned with flames,
gleam white and ghastly against a
background of smoke and blackness.
The whole scene lacks no element oi
desolation.
The destruction was as sudden as II
is complete. 1t came almost without
warning. The Senate had met and
taken brief recess. Most of the Sen
ators were in their seats, and the gal
leries were filed with the usual crowd
of spectators. In the House business
was moving sluggishly along. The
flames, which had doubtless been at
work for hours unseen and unknown,
suddenly spread to the whole of the
upper floors of the Senate wing, and
volumes of smoke poured at once, al
most, through the pictured ceiling.
Even then, so sudden was the coming,
few seemed to realize the truth. IL
was only when the water, turned on by
some of the officials Of the school de-
partment, began to pour down, and a
crackle of flames came, soon deepen
ing into a roar, that the Senator'S saw
their danger. An adjournment not
contemplated by any rule was hastily
taken, and every one rushed for the
doors. The House took fright at the
same time, and adjourned with equal
haste, the Representatives beating a
retreat without any semblanee of dig
nifty.
They were none too soon, for in a
few seconds an explosion above shook
the whole building, and the flying leg
islators were thrown from their feet by
it force. \ mighty blast Of air smash
ed windows and tore open doors, the
ceilings fell, followed by flaming en-
bers and torrents of smoke, while all
the woodwork in the uncompleted in
terror of the dome was dashed down
into the rotunda. That no one was
injured, saying nothing of the posi-
bility OF their being killed, now seems,
when the unparalleled progress Of the
fire is appreciated, little short of a mir
acle.
Within five minutes after the ad-
journment the calm, pictured face of
William Penn which has so long hung
behind the Lieutenant Governors
chair was cleaning redly amid a blaze
of flame and was soon Obliterated.
The House was swept by a whirlwind
of fire In Is minutes the dome had
fallen, and from end to end, from the
floor to the roof, the entire capitol was
ablaze. Its downfall was accomplish
ed, and any effort to stay it was futile.
All that could be done was to prevent
the spread of the fire to the buildings
on either side. Outside almost the entire
population of Harrisburg seem ed assem-
bed. Among them were the Senators
and Representatives and State officials,
gazing helplessly on the scene. 1t was
n sad one. So many memories cluster
ed around the doomed building that
few could witness its destruction I'M
moved. Apart from the great loss, ir-
reparable so far as much of its con-
tents was concerned, il was crowded
with historic associations.
Here Thaddeus Stevens, the "Great
Commoner," had won his earliest fame;
John Hickman and Samuel J. Ran
dali had served in those halls. Twen-
ty-two of Pennsylvania 81 United
States Senators had been elected there.
or these Daniel Sturgeon, William
Bigler, Charles r BlcSalew and Will
ism A. Wallace, and later John /.
Mitchell, Matthew 5. Quay and the
present Seaator-elect, BDies Penrose,
had served within its walls. Hendrick
p. Wright, George V. Lawrence, Gov.
w. T. Packer, John Cessna, James l..
Graham, James ;. Rutan, B. l.. Hew-
lit, Charles ). Wolfe aud scores of
others had there won prominence in
their day. Ii has seen the peoples
welcome extended to Lafayette, Web
ster, Taylor and Lincoln, and all these
memories and associations lent a sad
ness 10 the event, aud no visions of
new capitol, grander and more gor-
geOus could dispel the sorrow felt as the
old capitol went down in smoke and
flames.
OF course, a new capitol must be
built. The general feeling is that it
must be one commensurate with the
| importance of the State. That to-day
destroyed, much as it is regretted, was
in every way antiquated and made
quate for its purposes. All the money
spent on it in late years has been prae-
tically wasted. Now that it is gone
there should be erected capitol that
will fully answer every need of the
State for at least a century to come,
and which will be worthy ofthe State.
With the public debt almost entirely
provided for and return of prosperi-
ty in every way probable, the Com
monwealth can afford 10 do this, and
the beautiful site on Capitol Hill
should soon be crowned with a struc-
ture of which the people may be justly
proud.-Henry Hall, in Pittspurg
| Times.
THE FLAMES RAPID wOBK.
Bare walls, warped and shattered,
with the ribs of the dome and the tall
pillars at the entrance, are practically
all that is left of the capitol. The en-
tire interior is destroyed.