Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-03-30
Priceless Archives, Destroyed
in Blaze Which Sweeps Beau
tifuI New York State House,
Cannot Be Replaced,
100 GUARDSMEN AND so
POLICE PATROL RUINS
WaShington'S Farewell Address
and Emancipation PrOClama-
ton Escape Fate of Other
Precious Historical Records


IBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wirei
Albany, n. Y, March 29.-FWe
million dollars probably could repair
the damage done by fire in the state
canitol today, but money cannot re-
store the historical records that were
the pride of it's state library. After
examining the exterior walls with
transit. state Architect Ware said the
building was plumb and true as ever
Although the fire started In the
northwest corner of the building II
caused the greatest havoc in the
southwest corner Here the red tiled
pointed cupola fell, carrying down
part Of the carved granite work which
supported NNnd a. towering stone
chimney,
The entire west wall above the Sec
ond floor was blackened and many
of the stone window frames were
ruined. Conservative estimates place
the damage to the exterior stone
work at $2,000,000.
The interior masonry was damaged
to the extent of $1,500,00O, and the
same sum will represent the loss on
the contents of the state library.
No trace had been found tonight o.
Samuel ]. Abbott the aged night
watchman of the state library.
The flames licked UP the state H.
brary, the court Of claims, the assem-
bly, library and q document room,
most of the offices of the excise de-
partment and the quarters of the SEN
ate finance committee, and water and
smoke took up the work that the
flames had laid down. The damage
from this cause extends to every part
of the building.
The fire was still burning tonight
in the ruins beneath what was once
the beautiful painted ceiling OF the
state library reading room and the
water kept pouring in from seven
lines of hose Water still dripped
through the ceilings in nearly all parts
of the west wing and cascaded down
the stone stairs; but the fire was sub
dued and the work of repairs had al
ready begun.
A hundred National guardsmen
stood guard in the deserted corridors
tonight and fifty policemen patrolled
the streets outside to protect the dis
manted end Of the building.
Next to the financial loss. the chlef
effect Of the fire will be delay in the
machinery of state government. Al
though the senate chamber stands
practically untouched and few thou
sand dollars can restore the meeting
place of the lower house, week or
longer. may intervene before legisla-
tive business can proceed in its ac-
customed channels.
Both houses met today in the city
hall across a park from the capitol
building, the senate in the common
council chamber and the assembly IN
the county court room, where the
joiih session also was held, and the
same arrangement will be followed
tomorrow The burned out depart
ment forces found temporary quarters
where they could.
The state carried no insurance, as
the capitol building had been regard
ed as fire proof 1t was. in fact, not
the building that burned, but its con
tents. The fourth floor space in the
west wing did nearly four times the
service for which it was originally in
tended. When the fire. started
among the papers in the assembly H.
brary. reached this portion of the
building, il swept ahead with fury
nil fa and r.
BILE
Most precious, from the historians
standpoint of the fuel the flames
found in their path. were the twenty.
three manuscript folio volumes of tho
famous official records of the gov
ernors Of the city of New Amsterdam
covering a period from 1880 to 1879
These were In the course of transla'
tion by j. f. Vanlaer. His tiansla'
tions were burned with the origina
Dutch documents.
In addition to these, the state los
the correspondence of Governor
George clinton, 5000 pieces in all
and the original letters Of Sir William
johnson and Governor Daniel ID
Tompkins
The priceless colonial and Washing
ton and Lincoln relics in the custody
of the educational department were II
the big safe on the ground floor an'
We're uninjured.
These include the original manu-
script Of Washington's farewell ad
dress. the original of Lincoln's eman
cipation proclamation. all the origina
-.
the Major Andre papers. Among th
documents lost We're records denllnl
with the history of South Carolini
during the revolution. AT the reques
OF that state bin was pending II