The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-07

ne was 4 roaring furnace Within ten
liuutes after the arrival Of the ere de-
astnent, the flames we're under control.
Though, as precautionary measure.
traAus we're poured into the maraaars
dee, the library and the saatsrEzaean
asement FOR two hours
The nremsn weFe unable. however. Ear
considerable tine 10 extizgaish tae
anne OF gas which shot out Of tie four
sch main in the meter room Frosa this
iaIn the fire swept through an office In
ne hzsetneat floor. caasea ~ the expo
ION AID attacked the consultation room
4 the supreme court Justices on TIE main
or. Some damage was done 10 the fur
lfure and fittings of-fhis roosz. but IL
etfas incoEaiderahie as compared with ta4t
one eiseHhere. the ro1.ng room o. tie
Justices practically was undamage1. II
.sfaS evident that the ire could not DC sx-
fngutsned until the gas from the main
las ahut of That thlz might bs accom-
sIisssed the firernen, taaf-.ed tao streams
pom the maia. choking the flow o. gas
nd q. the same time cooling tae pipe.
IeetFiciaa GLEN. Drawing the iatsaSe
oAs, entered the meter room and cli OF
he gas at he floor valve OF the main.
Throughout the lowe. central Dort!oa Of
he old capitol building Goors. windows
I'd fittings liz committee rooms and other
paftmcn;s are badly damaged. Just north
- tbs crypt an arcaway almost over the
peter room was completely blown Out and
gfeat masses OF masonry torn from the
DOR were hurried h the ceiling with such
soFce as TO burst tho stone and plaster
5ere w-enched from their resting places
md throughout the corridors aud freq
eng on the ceiling and walls Of tie cor
3dor were utterly ruined No damage was
y0ns 10 the main foundations Of tho
&utldiEg as tanse are Of solid uiasaary.
seepiy imoedae5 and e feet inches thick
J4aa electric lighting apparatus. including
9yramos, boilsrs and wir.ngs. were Rot
damaged. In order 10 enable the ffemen
u work without peril frem live wires.
electrician GLEN cut of the current from
I'll wires except one circuit. which lighted
The lower western part nf the building.
Within 20 feet of the scene of tho expia-
lon solitary incanlescept lamp marked
he exact center OF the capitol structure.
and hanging directly over the bier In
which 1t was proposed 10 lay the remains
y George Washington. burned brightly.
Among the losses which will be most
sincersiy regretted are those OF husts af
chief Justice Marshall and other diailn-
kNtshed members about the supreme court
ehsmbfr. In the snake and ruin which
followed the explosion The yorks Of art
we're damaged or wholly destroyed, and
With their desirnct ion the country has
suffered an irreparable loss Many OF them
have been treasured as exhibits In the su-
pFeme court chamber for half a century.
The capitol building has been damaged
, number VI times before by Are. but 1t is
believed tonighs's fire VIII prove the most
ilsastrdus In the building'a history. On
lwo occasions prior TO this fires have been
started by explosions of gas. Seventeen
reaFs ago large amount Of damage was
lone to the same part OF the building by
an explosion Of this kind and In 1856 there
vas an explosion Of gas that killed two
men aud came near killing another. No
Intelligent estimate of the money loss by
he explosion and fife YET can be made
- the opinion OF the capitol officials and
mechanics who examined the structure to-
1lGht the loss viii reacn probably $AG Go
% the building. The less on the library
Ind records as stated above can scarcely
1e estimated In dollars aud cents. A mill
on dollars could not replace them, he
;Ause OF many Of them no duplicates are
y extstence,