Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-05
Loss of $5OO,OOO in
Capitol Fire at Des
MOines.
FLOODED AND SMOKED
Supervising Engineer
Falls 90 Feet to
Death.

DcS Moine>. Jan. = The >upcr,is-
ing engineer, {. l.. I.indirl. of Chica-
90. fell so feet to death today while
inspecting the capitol builling ruined
by the fire yesterday.
DpS MoineS. la. Jan. Fire gulted
the northwest wing of the state cap
itol. with an approximate loss of half
q million. The chamber of the house
of representatives is Charred mass
of ruined debris. and cannot he fixed
up in time for the approaching seS-
sion of the leGislat turc. The fire gained
great headway before il WAS checked.
starting about 10 II. NJ. At noon il was
thought the entire building WAS dCOmel
and Governor CummnS ordered the
contents of all the offices removed.
However. it was finally confined 10
the wing of the capitol in which it
originated. and 10y Ii p. III. was prac-
tically eXtinguished.
Ne POstpOnement of Lawmaking.
The executive council of the state,
consisting of Governor CumminS. See
retury of State Martin. State Auditor
Carroll and State Treasurer Gilbert
son. held Il brief session and an
nOuncPd that the cOnvPning of the leg
islature would not he postponed. 1t
will meet Jan. IL and arrangements
will he made so that the sessions can
be comfortably held. The plans are
not completed. hut the idea is to have
the house sessions in the senate cham
Der. the senate sessions in the room
of the supreme court. and the supreme
court will either adjourn or hold its
session in one of the committee rooms.
Thought the building Doomed.
The origin of the fire is Il mystery.
The SuppOsitiOn is that il started either
from IL lighted candle carelessly left
burning or from an electric light wire.
The fire originated near shaft in com
mittee room No. >. and spread upward
and all around the ceiling Of the house
chamber. The fire department WAS un-
able to fight the flames effectively. the
height of the building and elevation Of
the capitol site making pressure i'm
possible. When the house gallery fell
everybody thought the ebuildilgdOomed,
including The governor The state
library and funds in the treasury were
hastily removed to places of safety.
Governor i'm Rubber Boots.
Governor Cummins laid aside guber-
Material dignity. and clad in rubber
boots and rough coat SnGaGed in the
work Of fighting the fire. The fire final
~ burned itself out in the wing in
which il started and was prevented
from invading other wings. The beau
tiful state capitol preC"ntS II scene OF
dcsClation. Many beautiful frescoes in
the chamber of the house can never be
replaced. The Iowa capitol Is one. of
the most beautiful in the 'nitcd States.
II Is built along the lines OF The capitol
Of New York
Pride of the State and Cost $3.OOO,OOO.
1t has been the pride of the state and
of the city of Dcs Moines and was
erected at II cost of S3.OOU.0OO. The
state capitol commission. appointed for
this purpose. had just completed the
restoration and repair of the building
at cost Of SI2J.COO. most OF which
had been expended in the chamber
which is ruined. The building was
supposed 10 have been hreproOf. Iowa
carries her own insurance, 80 that the
loss Is total.