Evening journal., 1897-02-03
sTATeAousE IN RUINS.
Fenosylvauia's Capitol Destroyed by Fire.
Causing a Loss OF 81, 800, coo.

tehuHNiNaniAs tapitoi DESTROYED by Fire,
Causing Loss OF S1.500.o00.
HAlRIsBURG, Fob S.-rhe legislative
halls are in ruins A new structure must
rise from the nshos that has served as a
meeting place of the PENNSYLVANIA legisla-
ture since 1922. The flamcs have eaten up
81 800 900 worth OF property The house
was in session. and the senate was about
to convene, after few minutes recess
when the flames were discovered. Smoke
could be seen in small volumes pouring
out into the capitol grounds from the
house windows The members were not
mindful OF ii until the great clouds rolled
by the windows. Instantly there was q
motion to adjourn, and all was consterna-
ton
In the senate the members were lolling
about in their seats. The place began to
smell OF smoke. and soon dense clouds
rolled down the roar elevator shaft. Sena-
tor John c. Grady Of Philadelphia quick
ly warned the senators, and there was a
general hustle to remove effects Fire
alarms We're sent in and soon the digni-
fed senate was a mass Of bowling men.
Desks were being ieikcd loose and carried
out. The same work was going on in the
house chamber
Rapidly the flames destroyed the roof
and ate their way down into the senate
chamber soon 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 tho house chamber Although there
was a heavy rain and snow falling. the
woodwork burned like tindor Soon there
was fire in every portion of the building,
and there was no hope for the historic
structure of which there now only remains
blackencd and smoldering ruins The old
capitol. the finest piece of colonial archi-
lecture in the state, was completely de-
stroycd. Every department. I'm it lost ev-
erything and the loss is complete
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, lieutenant governors
room, room Of president pro tenn school
department, house chief clerk 5 room, room
of speaker of house, resident clerk room,
two telegraph offices, room OF the Harris
burg Legislative Correspondents associa-
tion, pastors and folders departments,
cloakrooms Of both branches and the en-
gine rooms.
superintendent OF Public Buildings De
laney places the loss nt 81 500, O0O There
is not much over S100,O 900 insurance on
the building and contents, according TO
the statement Of the treasury officials.
There was S400, 600 ON the capitol build
ing while the state library was in IT, Aft
er it removed to another structure the in
surance on the legislative halls was re-
duced to $50 600.
The capitol was built carly IN the cen
l.a.a /.
of the handsOmest specimens Of Ionic
architecture in the country. The buildng
was Of red brick with white trimmings.
1t was surrounded hy park of ten acres
and stood on an eminence almost i'm the
center Of the city. The main structure was
2l9 stories high, sumountod by large
dome from which fine view of the sur
rounding country could be had. The cap.
itol's dimensions were Length, $50 feet;
width so feet Tho cornerstone was laid
ON May 81. 1919, by Governor Findlay.
The building was finished i'm 1921 and was
first occupied by the general assembly on
the Sd of January, 1922 ON each side was
a 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 il by "a narrow space, are located two
buildings containing the state treasury de-
partment, the adjutant 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 81, 600, 600, for the accommoda-
tion Of the governor, attorney general and
secretary of state This building also shell
tiers the state library, and a portion Of it is
used as "a state museum. The library, one
of the finest in the world, until two years
ago was quartered in the structure just de-
stroyed by fire