The Marshall republican. [volume] (Marshall, Saline County, Mo.) 1899-1914, 1911-02-10
Fire Destroys Y
State Capitol
Missouri Will Now Get New
Capitol Building.


City, only the smouldering ruins
and blackened walls OF the his
toric State Capitol will remain as
reminder of the spectacular fire
which gutted 1t tonight The in
terror, including all OF the rooms,
except two occupied by the secre-
tary, is burning fiercely, and the
strenuous efforts OF the volunteer
firemen of jefferson City and p
band of convict fire fighters from
Missouri Penitentiary can not ftay
them. A bolt OF lightning ait 7 p.
m, which struck the Capitoi dome,
was the cause Of the conflagrci-
ton.
Invaluable records, which money
cannot replace, have been Destroy
ed. Other data more valuable, in
Guiding the land records in the
office of the secretary OF stste,
were saved. The destruction Of
these would have jeopardized the
title to thousands Of acres of land
in Missouri. They were the orig
inal government grants and could
not be replaced.
Probably $4,000 In money and
script is locked up in the vauit IN
the. state trcasurer's office. At
taches OF the office said tonight
there was about $4,000 in money
and about $4,000 OF Legislative
scrip for which the state is liable
This vault is supposed to be fire
proof.
1t was impossible to remove the
records from this office for the
vault has n time lock and could
not be opened. A heroic tight
was put up to save the old build
ing, but nothing could be- done.
Tho dome burned Like tinder. In
short time flames were licking
out every aperture and window,
and the fircmen were driven down
into the building.
Gov. Hadley wns one OF the
earliest on the scene, and Corne-
lius Roach, State Superintendent
Evans, State Auditor Gordon and
other officers of the State Govern
ment arrived soon.
with the flames creeping down
the dome into the building proper,
the tight was begun to save the
states records. Gov. Hadley and
the state officers superintendent
the work. Hundreds OF men from
the city and the members OF the
Legislature assisted In the work.
Warden Henry Andrae, under the
direction OF Gov. Hadley hurried
the fire fighters from Missouri
Penitentiary to the scene. The
convicts are drilled regularly in
the fighting OF flames and render
ed az good service as the trained
firemen of the large cities could
have given. They were ably back
ed up by the little handful OF local
fire fighters, business and profes-
soonal men, who give their SER
vices voluntarily to the city.
Gov. Hadley called out the local
Company of National Guard OF
Missouri, and these young men and
boys fought the flames as valiant-
ly as any. They We're under the
command OF Maj. Paul c. Hunt OF
the adjutant generals office.
The maze OF electric wires in the
Capitol grounds early in the even
ing became a menace and the lights
were switched off, but the grounds
were brilliantly Illuminated by the
burning dome OF the old building
From the height of more than II
feet In the dome, a large el,c.roiei
fell to the rotunda of the Capitol
narrowly missing a large crowd ol
people who were watching the OF
erations of the flremen on the
/ dome. This was in the early prog
ress OF the fire.
Notwithstanding that the loca
firemen, the members OF the ma
tional guard and the convict squad
OF fighters, were constantly In
danger when the flames got into
the interior OF the building nobody
was seriously hurt. Joseph Franh
one OF the volunteer firemen, wal
overcome by heat while trying ts
save some records and was car
ried from the building ON . stretch
Ier. Lstar, Il wsas stated he had
| partially recovered
4 A vivid flash OF tightening,
sharp rumble Of thunder, and a
linatank after Z flannA which sesm
Cd no larCar than burrInl
makch, erspt osk a. the tip q tn
cupp1a II burned Tor Gevera