Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-16
FIRE At THE STATE PRISON
Nebraska PeniteDtiary Suffers Heavy Loss
From Flames.
FULLY THRrY-fNe THOUSAND DOLLARS
Insufficient Water Pressure Causes
the Loss TO lie Greater Than IL
Otherwise would-DetniIs
of the Disaster.

LINCOLN, Dec. 15.-(Special. Fire broke
out in the manufacturing department Of the
state penitentary at noon today and de-
stroyed property to the value of $4,000. The
major portion Of the lose is borne by the
state and the balance by the Lee Broom and
Duster company Of this city, which sustained
a loss of between $4,000 and $4,000 The
total loss may be heavier, depending upon
whether or not the walls of the manufacture
ing building are in condition to be used
again. which is doubtful. The state prop
erty destroyed was uninsured, but that of
the Lee Broom and Duster company was
covered by insurance for about IS per cent
OF it's value.
The fire was discovered a few minutes
after IL o'clock by one of the convicts on
duty in the boiler room. The penitentiary
fire apparatus was at once pressed into serv-
ice, but the flames had gained such head
way that it was of little use. The mate
rial in the building was of such inflammable
nature that the flames spread rapidly, not
withstanding the united efforts of the peni-
tentiary attaches and trusty convicts. An
alarm was turned in and the Lincoln fire
department respo nded with a full set of
apparatus.
The fire is supposed to have originated in
one of the rooms of the broom factory on
the first floor of the building. 1t is thought
lighted lamp that had been left in this
room fell over during the absence of the
convicts, and that the burning oil spread
over lot of brooms. Another theory ad-
vanced is that the fire originated in the laun-
dry room, Immediately above in the second
floor. When first seen, however, the flames
were confined in the one room on the first
floor After hasty examination the author
tiles of the penitentiary were unable TO
place the blame on any convict or other
person connected with the institution.
stock Damaged.
Adjoining the fixing room of the broom
factory, where the fire is supposed to have
originated, was the store room on one side
and the engine room on the other side. A
portion CT the stock in the store room was
saved, but it was all more or less damaged
by water. The section of the building oc-
cupied by the engine, laundry, bath aud
clothing rooms was completely destroyed
The walls remain intact, but may possibly
not be in condition for rebuilding
Warden Hopkins was out of the city to-
day and in his absence Deputy Warden
Welch directed the work of fighting the
flames. He estimated the damage to the
building and contents belonging to the state
at from $4,000 to s25,OOO The heaviest loss
occurred in the engine room, which is now
one mass of ruins. Several pieces of heavy
machinery from the laundry crashed through
the floor to the engine room soon after the
fire started which, together with the intense
heat, probably damaged the engines to a
considerable extent.
The building in which the fire occurred was
large stone structure. built about eight
years ago at a coet of $4,000. A similar
fire occurred in 1t three years ago, but it was
rebuilt by the state. The major portion OF
the first floor was occupied by the broom
factory and the balance by the engine and
boiler rooms. Above were the laundry, tailor
shop, clothing room shoe shop bath room
and the manufacturing rooms of the broom
factory. The extreme south end of the build
ing was not damaged, but otherwise 1t was
completely Quilted.