Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-03-02
Records and Papers Saved.

The first thing done after the fire was
discovered was to get teams and remove
the money and records from the state
treasury to a place Of safety. Most of
the records from the office of the secre-
tary Of state were also removed, besides
valuable records from the executive Office.
Madison, Wis, Feb. 81 Special. i
1t is thought the various freproof vaults
in the capitol will stand the strain and
that none Of the records they contain
will be destroyed.
GovernE Leads Firefghters
Gov. La Toilette was early on the scene
and by his GOODNESS and self-possession
did much. to enforce order among the
workers and get things carried out in fair
order. He worked hard for five hours
and did not go home until 8 o'clock He
was wet through and thoroughly chilled
He came back at 10 o'clock and resumed
charge Of the fire department
Extra Legislative Session.
Il have not had time to think yet about
whether TO call an extra session Of the
Legislature or not" he said. 80 far I
have made arrangements for storing the
state goods in the gymnasium at the uni
versity, where [ expect some Of the de-
partments Of government will open head
quarters. I suppose it will be necessary
to call an extra session, but at present I
am too busy attending to the immediate
needs Of the day"
Flames Spreading Rapidly.
III The 1o+d flames usnod at e. e:l5 a. m, had
wings, containing the Senate and Assem-
bly, chambers and the departments of the
tax commission, the adjutant general.
railroad commissioners, state school SUI
perintendent, superintendent, of public
property, board Of agriculture, state nor
n1 cob 81 ,te-crs~ Il
and game warden, state board of phar-
macy, state land office, dairy and food
commissioner, state treasurer and COM
missioner Of labor and were about to at
tack the departments of the governor,
secretary Of state, state board of control
and the insurance commissioner.
Spreads Toward North Wing.
At 6:2O the flames were creeping along
the roof over the north end. By 8 O'Clock
the flames were bursting from the ex-
IRENE windows of the north and south
wings, the east and west wings having by
this time been destroyed.
The attention of the firemen was con-
centrated on the north wing
State Records in Peril.
The last departments to burn were
those of the secretary of state and gov
ernor Cd the south, the attorney general
and insurance commissioners on the main
floor and the supreme court law library
and state library commission on the sec
ond floor. Practically all the valuable
state records are believed to be safe
Most Of them remain in masonry and
steel vaults in the ruins and their safety
depends on the extent Of the ireproof
character of the vaults.
The state treasury had only about
$4,000 in cash on hand.
81 yn, ~J,xocs
Soon after the blaze started, the cleo
burned out and the whole structure was
left in darkness, thus greatly handicap
ping the firemen, as we'll as the men en-
gagged in saving the valuable records.
There were many narrow escapes IN the
darkened building, as men who were UNI
accustomed to their surroundings plunged
down dark smoke filled stairways.
The great mass of records in the base
ment of the governors office could not
be saved and were Tapped up by the
flames.
Large forces of men, especially univer-
sity students, worked hard carrying out
the books in the law library. About 4
O'Clock the books and money i'll the state
treasury were removed to a place OF safe
ty by teams.
Under Control at 10 O'clock.
At 10 o'clock the fire was virtually I'M
der control with the north wing nearly
intact, but the other three wings were
total wreck, nothing remaining but the
bare walls and the dome, which was
blackened by smoke, but was otherwise
uninjured.
Loss Is $4,000.
Practical insurance men say that the
loss if the entire building burned would
not exceed $S00,OOO, and that with the
of no He