The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-29

Albany, March 29.-New York
states beautiful capitol building
which cost s27OOO,OOO was threaten
ed with complete destruction by fire
today and the actual damage when
the fire was gotten under control is
estimated at from seven to nine mil
lions.
The west end of the building is a
mass Of ruins. The gigantic frauds
in the construction of the building
were never proved more clearly than
in the way it burned this morning.
Wood where there should have been
stone and supposed fire proof walls
made of material that burned like
paper showed the nature of the con-
struction.
The fire was discovered shortly af-
ter o'clock this morning and was
not under control until daylight and
even then 1t burned fiercely in the
west end of the building but had
been cut off from the rest of the
building. The fire was stopped about
on line with the assembly chamber
which Is a wreck but was not des-
troyed.
The flames broke out afresh about
10 o'clock this forenoon and for few
minutes the outlook was dubious but
by hard work the fire was again kept
from the eastern half of the build
| ing. No lives were lost but several
flremen were hurt by falling debris
Three men who were reported miss
ing this morning were found later
all right.
The flames, fed by infammable re-
cords and documents OF priceless val
ue, spread rapidly and the library was
a seething furnace when the firemen
arrived in response to an alarm from
box 324, Washington avenue and
Hawk street, at 2:46 o'clock.
The ornate hangings and rich
carved mahogany furnishings of the
library, which is also used as the
committee room of the assembly ju.
dietary committee, fed the flames and
the flremen at once realized that they
were in for hard battle if they
saved the massive building. Fire
lines were quickly drawn and the fire
fighting apparatus Of the capitol was
4 also impressed into service.
Dewitt Dewey clerk on the as
sembly, said that the wiring had been
reported out OF order last night.
No effort was made to repair it last
night Mr.. Dewey had Just left the
capitol few minutes before the fire
was discovered and returned at once
He aided the firemen In directing the
fight.
The flremen were badly hampered
in their early operations and at
o'clock II was found that the flames
had eaten out into the corridors and
along It to the entry room OF the as
sembly chamber 1t was within tel
feet OF that beautifully and luxuri
ously furnished room before the fire
men could drag q hose around from
State street, The flames were ther
burning fiercely.
Owing to the proximity of the STATE
library, the firemen broke through al
airshaft and flooded il. The flames
also threatened the million dollai
staircase at the west end of the cap
itol, considered one of the finest ex
amples of mural art in the world.
The 100000 ceiling of the west
ern staircase early fell a prey to thu
flames, which then continued thei.
sweep along the corridor toward tn
senate chamber. The firemen seem
ed powerless to cope with the blaze
The state library was flooded, as
contains the most valuable collection
OF books and other documents, includ
ing manuscripts of olden days, in tn
state.
At 1925 o'clock the flames leape
across the elevator shaft toward tn
, state library.
Fire Chiefs Bridgeford and Walls
I then had three lines OF hose traine
on IL from the corridor, but the flame
were powerful and continued thei
onward sweep.
, Falling stones from the ceilings an
4 flying chips from the marble pillar
4 and walls endangered the hreme
! and they were compelled to be war
!. OF serious injury
A The fire quickly Quilted the assen
y bly, library, destroying all bills, do
uments and papers. some OF thel
dating as far back as 1776. Thes
are irreplacable. The library ais
contained all the works, documents ,
. the codes and the judiciary commi
tee OF the present session, includir
the woman's suffrage bills. Thei
; were all destroyed.
n At $3.50 the FIRE entered the doc
9 ment room and Il was quickly know
y to be doomed. The flames ate up
y the roof and swept over, lighting u
y heavens and igniting other parts
II the capitol
q. Five minutes later, the fire leap'
u into the state library with a TO
e and It's infammable contents we
e licked up like oil in furnace. III
n great oaken door was partly burn
L. through and the fremon were unal
to penetrate to any point OF vanta
that would enable them to train tn,
hose on the flames to success.
Nv The rich mural paintln
OF the west staircase we're ruined, (
lc. lcherubs, angels and azure scene
OF heavenly beauty were blacken
Il. masses OF ruins.
IN, Every piece Of FIRE apparatus In
ny city, with all the available men, v
n. then on the scene aud they were be
on ing superhuman energies to overco
IL the flames. II was believed at /
ha hour that the capitol, II saved II