Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-27
STATE CAPITOL BURNS
Wisconsin Loses It's Fine
Edifiee at Madison.
PARTIALLY INSURED
REASONS ASCRIBED AS
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
Involves Erection of New Building
Estimated Loss $500, ,OOO-Prob-
able Removal Agitation.

MADISON. Wis, February 27-The Wis
consin state capitol building practi-
cally destroyed by fire today with loss
estimated at $500 001. The state carries
only partial insurance. being in the process
of changing from insurance in companies
to a system of state insurance. The fire
involves the building of new capitol
special session of the legislature and the
probable renewal of the agitation in favor
of the removal of the capital from Madison
to Milwaukee.
The flames, which were caused by de-
fective electric wiring, at 6:15 am, had
completely ruined the east and west wings,
containing the senate and assembly cham
bers and the departments of the tax COM
mission, the adjutant general. railroad
commissioner, state school superintendent,
superintendent of public property. board
of agriculture. state normal school, COM
missioner of fisheries. fish and game war
den, state board of pharmacy, state land
office dairy and food commission, state
treasurer and commissioner of labor. and
were about to attack the departments of
the governor secretary of state, state board
of control and the insurance commissioner
The local fire department had ten streams
of water playing the flames with but
little effect and the Milwaukee depart
n ent was on its way to Madison to render
assistance.
Only $4,000 Insurance Fund.
Governor Schofield maintained insurance
on the building throughout his term total
Z ing S6o0,0o0. but the last legislature insti-
tuted an insurance fund and directed the
states officers to allow the Insurance poll
cies to lapse. In June last there lapsed
$5i0 0eO, and in December the sum of $780,.
COO There is in the insurance fund a the
present time about $4,000 to meet the loss,
which conservative estima tes place at $780,
600
At s o'clock the flames were bursting
from the extreme windows of the north and
south wings, the east and west wings hav-
ing by this time been destroyed. The
building win be a total loss.
Valuable Records in Vaults
The last departments to burn were those
of the secretary of state and governor, on
the south; the attorney general and insur-
ance commissioner, on the main floor, and
the supreme court law library and state
library commission. on the second 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
tent of the freproof character of the vaults.
The state treasury had only about $1,000
in cash ON hand
The origin of the fire is now believed to
on the second floor. The fame was close
to and ignited vanished ceiling.
Every Portion of Building Devastated.
The fire practically devastated every por-
ton of the capitol building with the ex-
ception of the northern end, which was
saved, but which is in such dilapidated
condition that 1t will have to be torn down.
Gov. LaFOi1ette was early on the scene
and by his GOODNESS did much to enfore
order among the workers.
Law Library Saved.
All the contents of the immense law
library in the north end of the building were
carried out, together with a large quantity
of other books and papers. These We're not
greatly damaged. Included in the burned
part of the capitol was the Grand Army
Hall and all the priceless records These
were saved and are now stored in the tenn
porary quarters.
Fire Chief Overcome.
During the fire Chief Charles Bernard
was overcome by smoke and fell from a
ladder, receiving serious injuries. He was
taken to his home where he is still un- |
conscious. From an original cost of 500 600 |
in 1887 appropriations from time to time |
for new additions made the cost OF the |
state capitol to date about 100000.
The Capitol Total Loss,
Col. Casson, sci geant-at-arms of the
House, and formerly secretary of state of
Wisconsin, today received a telegram from
the mayor of Madison announcing that the
capitol building would be a total loss. |
Nothing was said about the fate of the
records and the valuable law library of the |
supreme court
The Wisconsin delegation in Congress