The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-06
Bolt Of Lightning
Destroys The Capitol

the tip Of the cupola. 1t burned for
several minutes unnoticed save by a
couple Of boys who were playing on
the capitol sward. Assuming circu-
lar motion, the flames wound down
the dome and doubled back on the op-
posite side of the citadel, and famed
by stiff gale, rapidly grew in vol
ume.
The boys, who had watched the
blaze from its inception, finally rush
ed to the Madison Hotel and notified
q coterie of politicians who had re-
turned from ST.. Louis on afternoon
trains. The alarm was sounded by de-
grees and finally 1t reached the men,
bers of the volunteer department, the
majority Of whom were scattered
over all parts of the city partaking Of
their evening meal. Fully twenty min
utes were consumed before the horses
had been hitched to the truck and
the miniature fire department was
started on it's way.
Two-thirds of the entire population
of the city arrived at the capitol with
the fire department. Hundreds swarm
ed inside the old structure to offer as
sistance of robbing the flames OF valu-
able records, which filled nearly every
Office in the great building.
On the outside, f,anking the capitol
on all sides. stood a bulwark of hu-
manity. Children played games, while
dogs ,romped around the yard, baying
at the flames and the firebrands that
came tumbling 10 the ground
After the fire had been raging an
hour the flames became billows
when carried by gusts of wind sub
| merged the dome and then swept
down against the roof of the north
/ wing.
Never before has jefferson City
Il witnessed such a fire and it probably
never will be repeated. For miles on
all sides of the city tho great blaze
was plainly noticeable and the ex-
A treme parts OF the town were illumi-
1 mated almost as If by the sun. The
flames from distance seemed to
meet against the sky and the heav-
ems took on golden hue
4 Piece by piece the dome dropped
parts of 1t falling through the sky
lights and plunged into the corridor
4 The crash was deatening and the
mob, working like bees TO save valu
able papers, fled from the building in
cohorts. The flames increased in
NJ RI
4 fought desperately but all for naught
q The water power was not sufficient
a to carry the streams to the roof OF
the building and the fire burned un
molested.
Flames Creep Along Roof.
When the last bit of woodwork hac
fallen from the dome leaving the
barren steel framework blood-red with
heat, the blaze scurried along the
great roof The flame divided, one
fork worked to the north, while the
other ignited the top C, the south
wing, the debris dropping into the
senate chamber.
Within two hours the entire build
ing became one solid mass of flame
Great volumes shot out like so man,
tongues from every window in thu
, historic old structure. Curying sky
ward. they climbed until they joinet
these encircling the building from tn,
opposite side.
All the while the Fire Department
showered the bottom of the mountain
: - eiox,,o, ,,,{ ~ h,,rpod with O fiorcn
ness which could. hardly have beeI
surpassed had it been left untouche,
by the spray of the hose.
1t was not until after the Who'll,
!, building had been engulfed did thu
: firemen who were stationed insid
: desert their posts. Joseph Frank wa
taken unconscious from BLAZING
chamber by his comrades, but he sool
! revived when he had been carried GU
: into fresh air
Company l. of the National Guar
9 of Missouri stationed in jefferson
!. City, was ordered to the scene b.
J. Governor Hadley as soon as the Ar
3 was discovered. It was the last t
3 give up the battle. Under command Q
Maj Paul C. Hunt, this band of so
diers fought desperately, but los
8 against the overwhelming odds. Ma
Hunt, when he learned it was futil
. to waste time merely squirting waite
r on the flames, Joined the multitude i
|, saving records and papers.
cAn rNnrKIr