The Paducah sun., 1906-04-04
Destruction Attributed to
Work of an Incendiary.
When Blaze Was Discovered Was I'm
Roof and Checking II Beyond
Question.
ABOUT ALL RECORDS LOST


burned, there, and only last week,
the block of houses on the west side
OF the square, and now the county
court house. The destruction of the
latter building may have more sig
nificance than attaches to the usual
work of fire bug, but 1t is only an
idea. Certainly the several fires JUS
tify the suspicion of the work of
some designing person, ii not sew
eral.
The fire which burned the court
house was discovered about 1880
O'Clock last night by personspassng
the building. The blaze seemed to
have originated under the roof or on
upper floor. Smoke was pouring out
OF the crevices in the roof in great
volumes and the bucket brigade was
powerless to prevent the fire spread
ing and consuming the building. The
roof broke out in mass of flames
and the spectators could but stand
and look, the matter of saving rec
ords being out of the question with
the burning brands from the roof
falling inside the building in danger
Gus sizes, and the roof itself ready at
any moment to crush down. The
general opinion in Murray is that the
fire was incendiary, as there were
no fires in the building yesterday,
Practically all the records of the
county were destroyed with the
building. This fact will result in
much annoyance especially because
Of the loss of many deeds and SINH
lar papers of importance.
A small one-story brick stood on
the square just to the east OF the
court house which was used as sher-
lffs Office and also as a law Office.
This did not burn but was saved with
no little trouble.
The county jail was not located on
the square but in another part of the
place.
The building burned was erected
in 1850 when the county seat was
removed from Wadesboro, the early
county seat for most all of the Pur-
chase counties. 1t was a two-story
brick, with shingle roof. The roof
was cone-shaped and capped by
small tower or cupola. The architec-
ture of the building was very plain
and so was its finish. Though origi-
nally a substantial building 1t had
creened some and there were those
who oft predicted that in some storm
| it would fall. On the lower floor was
the court room and two Offices and
on the second floor the several main
Offices other than the sheriff's Office.
The county school superintendents
office was in the block burned only
last Saturday night on the west side
of the square. Only stoves were used
to heat the building. these being
largely IL not entirely for wood.
The county has long needed new
courthouse but was delaying build
ing till other debts, particularly the
railroad debt, was paid OF.
Some. noted cases have been tried
in the burned building. and many
sensational incidents happened there
in, as result of law suits, such as
shootings, suicides. etc.
Some of the oldest furniture per-
haps to be found in the state was de-
stroyed with this building. In the
Office of the circuit court clerk was
a locker for blanks, ETC., eubbard-
like case, which was used in the old
courthouse when the county seal
was in Wadesboro. This was a hand
made piece OF furniture and first
class piece of work in spite Of its
weight, it being very substantial
though not overly large. This ease
was highly priced by the court Off
cials, especially because of its age
and somewhat also because OF the
writing or marks within which rath-
er bore proof of its age and its use
in the old courthouse.
| AS a whole there was perhaps nc
building in this end of the state
which was in all respects more sig
nficant landmark than the Galloway
county courthouse and the people oi
the Purchase counties. many Of
whom knew the old building well
and had oft been within its walls
will share with the people OF Caiio
way in its loss even though ii had
well served its usefulness.
/ The Sun had q phone talk will