The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-03-04
CAPITOL BURNED
WISCONSIN STATE HOUSE Is DE-
STROYED BY AN EARLY
MORNING FIRE.
LOSS MAY REACH 100000
ALL BUT SMALL AMOUNT OF
INSURANCE PERMITTED
TO LAPSE.
TALK OF CAPITOL REMOVAL
MOVEMENT STARTED IN NIL
WAUkEE FOR REMOVAL TO
THAT CITY.

Madison, Wis, March 1. - wiscon-
sins picturesque capitol, the pride or
the state for decades, is in ruins.
All that remains intact from the
devastating flames, which started
early Saturday morning, is the ex-
IRENE north extension, the contents
of which are practically ruined by
water.
Jagged walls, from which every
thing of inflammable matter has been
eaten by the flames. are all that mark
what was the center of Wisconsin's
executive life. The loss will be about
81 600, 900, exclusive Of the relics.
There was little or no insurance,
the state having changed from iBsur-
ance in companies to . system OF
state insurance.
Gov. La Toilette issued the following
statement:
81 have summoned the state officers
to consider the disaster that has be
fallen us and make some provision for
carrying on the states business. From
general appearance, I should say that
the north and south extensions Of the
building, which were built in the
early sos, are not damaged much. ana
can be repaired easily.
"The wings from the main portion
pf the building are much damaged, but
only part Of one of the walls probably
will have to be rebuilt. Practically
nothing remains Of the north portion
of the building except the outer walls.
the walls supporting the dome and
the tile floor in the first story. It is
not improbable that these walls will
have to be taken down and replaced
by new ones
1.-THE reason why the old portion OF
the building burned SO much more
rapidly than the newer part was be-
cause 1t was relatively less f%reproof,
or perhaps it would be better to say
that it was Of more inflammable ma
terial than the newer portions.
81 am unable to venture an estimate
of the total loss on the building or the
contents. have been informed that
the loss on records and documents in
the different departments is much
smaller than at first supposed.
Nearly every department has a
good vault, and nearly all the valua-
BILE records and documents were
stored in those vaults. am informed
that these vaults are In good condi-
not damaged much"
Mayor Rose of Milwaukee has of
fered the use OF the Milwaukee city
hall for temporary quarters of no
state government.
Later Gov. La Toilette issued a sup
Elementary statement in which he
fixes the loss on the capitol building
fire at $500. 900. based on reports Of
several experts.
Other estimates or. the loss range
from $780, 600 to 81, 200. 900.
One Of the most serious losses by
the fire was the destruction of the
Grand Army room, together with all
of the records OF the department of
Wisconsin and OF Lucius Fairchild
post of this city; "Old Abe" the ia
nous war eagle. and all the records,
mementoes and relics OF the Civil and
Spanish wars Not a shred was saved
from the room except the battle flags.
Milwaukee. Feb. 20. - A movement
has been started for the removal OF
the state capital to Milwaukee from
Madison. There are nc constitutional
provisions preventing the location of
the capital here. and the change a
be made by legislative enactment.
Article IA. section 40, of the consti-S
tuition provides that the seat of goy-l
eminent shall be at Madison until
otherwise provided by law"
Article 16. section 10. relating tol
the university. provides that provis-I
ion shall be made by law for a stateE
university at or near the seat Of goy-I
eminent"
Good lawyers say this provisionf
would be amply complied with by thel
location of the capital here, Milwau-I
kee being in sufficiently close prox-I
unity to Madison to comply with theI