The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-02

probability, fell amongst some com
bustible matter between the roof alfe
ceiling, which took fire while tht
hands were at breakfast. Consider
ing the rapidity with which the fir'
progressed, it is an alternating cir,
cumstance that the public papcri
were all secured Besides the papers
of the clerks of the two Houses OF
the Legislature, and those OF the
Comptroller and of the clerk OF the
Supreme Court, tho fine copy OF stew
arts painting of the Father of our
Country. and some articles of furni'
ture of the Legislative Chambers
were preserved from the flames.
The Register of the 30th of the
month adds the following informa-
ton of the catastrophe:
The building was entirely con-
sumed in about two hours from the
period at which the alarm was given.
The walls were left standing, but q
part of them have since tumbled
down. Indeed such seems to have
been their original precarious con-
struction. that many believe, had not
the Capitol been burnt they would
at no distant day have given way,
from the pressure of their own
weight and perhaps have involved a
serious loss of life in their fall.
Nothing was saved from the
library, nor could any attempt for
that purpose be made. by reason of
The suffocating smoke which filed the
room" Among the most serious
losses was the collection of our old
legislative journals. brought down in
almost unbroken succession from the
year 1915 to the present day.
In this connection it may be noted
~ cinnn 4hnt tin0n thn1ISn do of dol
lars have been spent by the State in
the copying and collecting of these
Journals from other sources. 1t is
doubtful if the cost of making ade-
quatc provisions for their security in
the beginning would have been
greater than this expenditure; and it
is certain that it would have been far
wiser. One of the most serious losses
was that of the statue of Washington
costing as it did $4,000, its value was
far higher than can be expressed by
mere dollars. in spite of the sneers
certain wise men see fit to make at
the value of sentiment. The wisdom
of allowing such valuable property TO
remain unprotected is well set forth
in the following paragraph from the
old Cape Fear Record in its ac-
count of the destruction of the
capitol Lamenting the loss of the
statue of Washington, the Record
says;
alfred Moore, Esq. one of the
members from Brunswick county,
made motion in the first session
of the General Assembly, after the
statue was conveyed to Raleigh, that
ii should be placed on rollers. and that
the doors of the Capitol should be en-
larged so as to render 1t practicable
to move ii from the edifice in case OF
a fire. The expense was estimated at
$1,000. The motion of Mr.. Moore was
at the following session. and
was grounded on his observation Of
the carelessness and negligence of
the menialS and Workmen employed
about the Capitol-and on these facts
he predicted the event, which now
affects SO extensively and so deeply,
the inhabitants Of this State-and he
rung and rerung this prediction in the
ears of his collcagues-that the
Capitol would be burned! The warn
ing was UNDECIDED and we now nat
urally enquire-on what defensible
grounds was it. so?. Is it not to be
imputed to those narrow views OF
economy. which are not only opposed
to the counscis of liberal patriotism.
in instances such as this, but also too
often. shed a blighting influence on
the lasting interests and general pros
perity of the pubic
We are accustomed to admire the
wisdom, the patriotism and the char
acter of our forefathers and use q
great deal of good English and bad
English in culogizing them. The last
two sentences of the above paragraph
are well worthy of our serious con-
sideration.
1t may be noted in passing that
when subsequent legislatures under
took to build a new capitol. they
voted the princely sum of $4,000 for
the purpose. Is there living today
anywhere an intelligent man who
doubts the patriotism or the wisdom
of the commissioners who had the
courage to put this entire sum in the
foundation, leaving it to subsequent
legislatures to add q top at a cost oi
upwards of 100000? Let those who
know how TO do it. continue to use
good English in culogfzing such wis
DOM
This story Of the destruction of our
first Capitol of the destruction OF
the invaluable State Library. of the
destruction of those invaluable rec
orcs, of the destruction of that
magnificent work of art which re-
Elected no less credit on the patriotism
Of the men who secured if for the
State than upon their excellent taste
the great CanoVa Statue of Wash
ngton-this story is an instructive
one.
The prophecies Of Caccandra We're
not needed. But Troy fell!
r. d. w. CONNOR.