Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-05-18
HARRIS MASTERPIECE.
THE LEXINGTON COURT HOUSE WAS
Quilted BY FIRE.
Harris Celebrated Statue Was Ruined Ia
Attempting to Remove IL toa
Safe Place,

Lexington, KY, May 14.-The
handsome courthouse building in this
city was destroyed by fire this morn
ing, only the walls remaining, and
they so badly damaged that they will
have to be taken down.
When it was first discovered little,
wreaths Of smoke were seen issuing
from the doors and windows of an
empty jury room, and moment later
there was a crash of breaking glass: J.
and the flames burst forth in a fierce
torrent. The fire department was on
the scene with its usual promptness.
but the fire had gained such head
way that it could not be checked.
There was great danger of a general
confagration, and it was all that the
firemen could do TO prevent it from
spreading to the business houses in.
the neighborhood.
The greater part of the loose re-
cords in the building were carried
out. The records Of the county and
circuit clerks Office were yet in their
vaults, and it is presumed that they
are safe.
Fifty school children who were uns.
dergoing examination in the court
room, were rescued safely, not one
being hurt.
Joel. t. Harris celebrated statue.
woman Triumphant" which was
priceless as a work of art, was ruined
in an effort to remove it to place of
safety. This is felt to be the most
lamentable loss. The women of Ken
lucky contributed $1,000 and Fayette..
county 81 900 to its purchase. It was,
on account of the latter contributions
that it was placed in the courthouse.
much against the will of many OF the
ladies, who feared it would be de-
stroyed.
1t could have been saved to day.
but the falling glass from the dome
rendered the work Of rescue so haz-
ardous that nobody but City Treasur-
er Stanley Milward and MIR. David
Barrow had the temeIity to work Oh
it, They succeeded in breaking the
glass case which surrounded the
statue and were in the act of remov--
ing it from the pedestal when the.
skylight began to fall in large pieces.
and as nobody would come to their
aid, they were forced to abandon the
work.
Capt. Stephen g. Sharp arrived too
late to be OF any assistance and his
left hand was badly cut by the
falling glass. After the fire was got
ten under control relic hunters gath
cred up the pieces of the statue.
which had been broken into frag-
ments by the bell falling on it. Chas!
Kemp got the head of the main fie-
ure, Ernest Bradley the left foot of
Cupid, Archie Hamilton part of the
left limb of the large figure, Chas.
Morgan part of the limb, Capt. Sharp
he right foot of Cupid, and II. M.
Edwards the left elbow of the main
figure.
In addition to the total destruction
Of the Hart statue, many valuable
paintings in the court-rooms were
lost. These are portraits of Henry
Clay, Richard Menefee, William T.
Barry. Judge Robertson, Thomas F.
Marshall and other famous Kentuck-
ans, painted by Healy, Sully and
other noted artists.
The court house was built ten years
lgo at cost Of $4,000, and was a
structure. TWAS partially
insured. and it is already the express
I'd desire of the citizens that the new
shall be handsomer than the
I'D.
The buildings of the Herald and
leader newspapers were considera,
NV DAMAGED