Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-08
FIRElNIOWA CAPITOL
THE STRUCTURE DAMAGED 70
AMOUNT OF 100000.
Entire Northwest Wing Of Buildin:
Mass of Charred Ruins-Regular
legislative Session Not to Be Post

Fire ruined the northwest wing of the
Iowa State capitol in Des MONIES Mon
day, with an approximate loss OF $780,
900. The chamber Of the House OF Keep
resentatives is a charred mass of ruined
debris and cannot be fixed up i'll time for
the approaching session of the LegIsla-
ture.
The fire gained great Roadway before
it was checked 1t started about lO
o'clock and at noon it was thought the
entire building was doomed and GOV.
Cummins ordered the contents of all the
Offices removed. However, it was hnally
confined to the wing of the capitol IN
which it originated and by o'clock was
practically extinguished. The executive
council of the State, consisting of Gov.
Cummins Secretary of State Martin,
State Auditor Carroll and State Treas
urer Gilbertson, held q brief session IN
the evening and announced that the con-
yening of the Legislature would not be
postponed. Arrangements will be made
so that the sessions can be comfortably
held
The origin Of the fire is mystery and
Gov. Cummins has ordered an immediate
investigation. 1t started near a shaft IN
committee room No. and spread upward
and all around the ceiling Of the House
chamber The fire department was I'M
able to fight the flames effectively, the
height of the building and elevation OF
the capitol site making pressure impossl-
BILE. The only thing possible was to cut
off the progress Of the flames.
The gallery of the House chamber fell
with crash portions of the debris
slightly injuring two firemen and endan-
gering the lives of several. Tile crash
and scattering of the burning debris made
the saving of the building seem impossi-
bic. Gov. Cummins gave up hope and
State Architect Liebbe was also of the
opinion that the building was doomed.
The valuable volumes of the State Ii
brary. located near the fire, were hastily
removed and the State offices We're quick
ly emptied The funds of the State
Treasurer were hastily loaded on a wag-
on, supposed by those not in the secret
to contain books. and carried to q down.
town bank for deposit. Gov. Cummins
laid aside gubernatorial dignity and, clad
in rubber boots and rough coat, engaged
in the work of fighting the fire.
At night the beautiful State capitol
presented a scene of desolation The
marble staircases- are covered with ice,
the floors are flowing with water and the
Offices under the burned part of the
building are flooded. Many beautiful
frescoes in the chamber of the House
can never be replaced. The Iowa capitol
| is one of the most beautiful in the Unit
| ed States. It is built along the lines OF
| the capitol at Albany. 1t has been the
| pride of the State and of the city of
! Des Moines and was erected twenty
years ago at cost Of $3,000,000 The
| State capitol commission appointed for
this purpose had just completed the res
toration and repair of the building at q
cost of $125000, most of which had been
| expended in the chamber which is ruined.
| The building was supposed to have
| been freproof, but the use of several
false ceilings in the House furnished ex-
cellent material for the flames.
Gov. Cummins said that the House
chamber could not possibly be repaired
this winter. The estimates on the loss
are varying, Gov. Cummins placing it at
100000, but the majority of estimates
place the loss at 100000 to 100000.