The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1901-01-02
IRE PUBLIC LIBRARY
is TOTALLY DESTROYED
The Disaster Occurred Before | O'Clock
| This Morning. Valuable Collection
\ Of Books Is q Heap of Ashes.

In the city. The library vas cios.
ed 20 the pubic yesterday. az an in
ventory 81 the institution was being
made.
Origin Of the Fire.
The origin Of the firs IL q mystery.
Prom Investigations made b the
ftfsmen thin morning. they are Of the
opinion that the Are FIRST originated
ever the furnace. when potiee on
GERS Crane and wiison arrived At
ahe scene they discovered that the
back doors were unlocked There are
suepielons Of incendiarlsrn rife
The public library was first started
On > very small plan IN ISL. IL
Immediately received strong SUP
pert from the people. Tafsl I've
years ago the library had quarters
IN the Ratio building On Second ave
nue.. On the hrst day q January.
issA the books were moved % thu
yesler building. ard since that lime
nearly z0.eoo volumes have been add
ed. The spacious rooms and halls
we're adapted for library purposes.
The library maintained a delivery
sfafiaa At Fremont. and several
tr.vriinx collections had been in CIR
culaston.
mayor Hsnss rsIts
Mayer Kurnes saif that the library
should he ge-estahiished forthwith
I all state said the mayor. that
I an confident the city viii at once
rebuild the library. and favor the
cite II tbs Old Yesier mansion for
that purpose"
Ths police are today lnvessixating
the IRE. This morning Detective
Powers was detailed by Chlsf Mere-
dith. and after spending over an hour
In searching Through theruina. Pow
ers was convinced that the ere vas
not Of tneendtary origin. ffis opln-
ian IL that tho Ere started around
the furnace. r. J. NiIlaFs, the ian
ftor. informed Powers that he isft
the building az o'clock. and every
thing SEEMED 20 BE- IN order. White
the reii~e are confident that the
building was not set on fire. dssec-
tives have clues which are being
quietly investigated. Early thiA
morning Police officer Roberts ar
rested J. II. eagle. father u Mrs.
Yesfer. on a charge % .diaorderiy
conduct. He was intoxicated at the
flrne & the arrest.
Librarian Smith n confident that
no efnpi0ye of the library would be
guilty of selling Ere 20 the building.
and no discharges have occurred.
Librarian Smith also stated this
afternoon that about s.co0 books
were outstanding.
The following clubs and societies
used tbs eIubroom IN the public lib
rary for their meetings: Red Cross
Society. Advance Club. Alpha. Cian-
SIC Culture. Citonisn. Kindergarten.
Nineteenth Century. Orptec. r. r. O..
Seattle Federation on Women >
Clubs. Washington Federation OF
Wcmeu's Clubs. and Wornan'x Cen.
fury Club. The Century Club lost
some china and pictures. Several
other clubs lost pictures and minor
decorations. while the pecunlary
boss II not large. some % the photo
graphs cannot be replaced. The fur
fture belonged 10 the library.
The library committee Of the city
council. consisting Of councfInsr
Perry. James. criehton. Vincent AMI
Byers- IL meeting In the city hail
this afternoon. They will Inveatl-
gate the cause ~ the ERE, the Insa to
the city. and the number OF books
remaining. The committee will take
the fret steps towards establishing
new library. Their report viii be
read at the council meeting Monday.