Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-04-05
was out Of order, and this is supposed
To hava atarfEd t]loI fra 80 49,. 81

to have started the fire. .
Running out Of the corridor the clerk
summoned q night Waterman and, with
the assistance of two newspaper men,
efforts were made to put out tho fire,
which probably could have been done
had fire extinguisher or bucket OF
water been available. Lacking these
the flames spread until the room with
its fnfiammable furnishings and paper
was all ablaze. 1t was some time he.
fore the firemen arrived, and before
they could get streams playing the
flames were racing toward tho state
library.
Most Costly Public Building.
More money was spent on the con-
structfon Of the state capitol at Albany
than on any other public building in
America. It was estimated when it's
construction was authorized by the leg
islature in 1863 that the building as
planned would cost $4,000,000. AS the
state record for the fiscal year ended
Sept. 30, last, the total amount expend-
ed had been nearly $27, 100000, and the
original plans had not been carried
out.
100000 Volumes In Library.
State Commissioner of Education An.
drew S. Draper stated today the state
library contained 100000 volumes, AGO.
900 pamphlets and 100000 historical
manuscripts. Two years ago Com
missioner Draper transferred from the
state library proper to the safe in his
Office on the first floor the original
emancipation proclamation, the origi-
nal of Washington's farewell address,
the original manuscript of the state
constitution and fifteen or twenty of
the other priceless manuscripts, as
well as all the Washington relics.
These all have been removed from the
building to a place of safety since the
fire started.
Commissioner Draper said that most
Of the manuscripts that have been lost
were original documents and cannot
be replaced. The early Dutch records
were lost. OF the books on the state
library shelves which can be dupli-
Gated in the open market today, such
duplication would cost, according to
Commissioner Draper, $1,500,000, but
he says the value Of the other books
and manuscripts. because Of their be-
ing rarities, is priceless. Commission
er Draper estimated that the loss of
documents and equipment of the state
library which could be replaced was in
the neighborhood of 100000. He
has arranged to carry on the work of
his department in the state normal
school.
Next to the financial loss the chief
effect Of the fire will be inevitable de-
lay in the machinery of state govern
ment. Although the senate chamber
stands practically untouched and a
few thousand dollars can restore the
meeting place of the lower house,
week, or longer may intervene before
legislative business can proceed in it's
accustomed channels.
Both houses met in the city hall
across a short stretch of park from the
capitol building, the senate in the
council chamber and the assembly in
the county court room, where the Joint
session also was held. The burned
out department forces found temper
airy quarters where the could.
No Insurance Carried. ...
The state carried no insurance, as
the capitol building had been regarded
as fireproof. It was, in fact, not the
building that burned, but it's contents.
The fourth floor space in the west end
did nearly four times the service it
was originally intended for.
Most precious, from the historians
standpoint, of the fuel the flames
found in their path were the % manu-
script folios Of the famous official rec
ords of the governors of the City Of
New Amsterdam, covering period
from 1880 to 1874. These were in
course Of translation. The transla-
tons were burned with the original
Dutch documents. "
In addition to these the state lost
the correspondence of Governor Geo.
Clinton, 5000 pieces in all, and the
original letters of Sir William Johnson
and Governor Daniel D. Tompkins.