The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-04-06
CAPITOL DAMAGED BY FLAMES.
The Loss is About $5,OOO,OOO with
No Insurance.

Albany, n. Y, March 29.-F1Ve
million dollars probably could repair
the damage done by fire on the State
capitol to-day, but money can not re-
store the historical records which
were the pride of it's State library
After examining the exterior walls
with a transit, Mr.. Ware, State ar
chitect, declared tonight that the
massive pile of granite was as plump
and true as ever. The flames 1ckeo
up the State library, the court OF
claims. the assembly library and doc
ument rooms, most of the offices OF
the excise department and the quar-
ters of the senate finance committee.
Water and smoke took up the Worh
that the flames had laid down AMI
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, cloudpainted ceiling OF the
State library reading room and the
water kept pouring in from seven
lines of hose.
From Corner to Corner.
Although the fire started in the
northwest corner of the building, 1t
caused the greatest havoc in the
southwest corner. : Here the red
tinted cupola collapsed, carrying
down part of the carved granite
work that supported it and two
ring stone chimney. Conservative
estimates place the damage to the
exterior stone work at 100000.
The interior masonry was damaged
to the extent of s1,500,0O0 and the
same sum will represent the loss on
the State library.
No trace has yet been found to-
night of Samuel j. Abbott, the aged
ynightwatchman in the State library.
Start Repairs at Once.
Water still dripped through the
ceiling in nearly all parts of the west
wing and around the stone stair
cases, but the fire was subdued and
the work of repair had already be-
gun.
A hundred National Guardsmen
stood guard in the deserted corridors
tonight and SO policemen patrolled
the streets outside to protect the dis
mantled end of the building.
Next to the financial loss the effect
,of the fire will be inevitable delay In
the machinery of State government.
Although the senate chamber stands
practically untouched and a few
thousand dollars can restore the
meeting place of the lower house to
its former beauty, a week or so long
er may intervene before legislative
work can proceed in it's accustomed
channels.
Talk of q Recess.
There was talk tonight of a recess,
and only the constitutional require
ment of taking daily ballot until a
United States senator is chosen keeps
{ the legislators here. Such a recess
was expected If the senatorship tan
gle could be unraveled tomorrow.
@ To-day both houses met in the city
hall across a short stretch of park
from the capitol building, the senate
in common council chamber and the
assembly in the county court room.
The same arrangement will be fol-
lowed tomorrow. The burned-out
department forces found temporary
quarters where they could. ,.
Discussing the fire loss, the State
architect said tonight:
Tangible Loss $5,OOO,OOO.
BASED upon the original cost of
the capitol, the extent of the damage
would be about $6,000,000, but in
view of more economical methods of
construction which can be employed
in the restoration, this amount can
Z be materially reduced"
The architect will recommend that
when the burned-out portion is re
) stored the interior be remodeled to
suit the other departments which
will occupy it. The State architects
official description of the damage fol-
! lows:
State Library Gone.
It would appear that the entire
State library located on the third and
fourth floors, including the northwest
and southwest pavilions is complete
~ destroyed. This includes also the
court of claims and some OF the COM
mittee rooms of the senate and as
sembly. The ceiling OF the senate
appears to be intact and apparently
not damaged, except slight water