Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-29
FLAMES QUICKLY
BEYOND CONTROL
Discovered in Library. Could Have
Been Easily Extinguished.
VALUABLE RECORDS BURNED
Some of Those Destroyed Dated Back
as Far as 1776-Library
and 100000 Volumes
Total Loss.

ALBANY. y. Y. March 2a-Fire swept
smoke strewn and water drenched, New
York states ma gniflcent S21U0o.ooO cap
ltol stands today a partial wreck by
flames that started in tho assembly IL
brary, burned away the entire west wins
and did damage estimated at between
So.OD"o and s7.G0.OOO before the flames
were declared under control by First As
sistant Chief Shattuck at 4 o'clock after
raging more than four hours. Itt is be
lieved that the fire was started by fused
electric push button becoming electrified.
The fire was discovered by an attache
Of the library and the alarm was sound
cd at 2:46 O'Clock. Before the firemen
reached the massive structure atop Cap
itol Hill priceless documents and records
stored i'm the assembly library had been
destroyed and other departments were
being threatened. The imitation oak cell
ing of the assembly chamber. composed
of papier mache. was partially destroyed.
as was also the famous millon-dolla
staircase in the west wing.
Starting afresh i'm the northwest angle,
the fire got away from the firemen short
ly before IL o'clock. After several fire.
men had been knocked unconscious by
falling debris they were cautious about
penetrating beneath the shattered arches
I'm the west wing. A huge chimney that
was considered unsafe also kept them
at bay, and this permitted the flames to
gain renewed Roadway.
Great pillars of dense smoke curled
from the peaks Of both the northwest
and southwest angles and spits OF
blush haze spouted from the windows
on the north side. opening from the
garret.
Fireman Bennett was overcome in the
southwest angle, and removed in IN
ambulance.
Dix Directs Salvage Efforts.
Gov. Dix was on hand before 10
o'clock and took personal direction of
the salvage efforts in the Offices still
untouched. 1t was decided to remove
all the precious books and records in
storage. the firemen being unable to
tell whether or not they could keep
the blaze under control. The assembly
chamber is a wreck.
Streams of water are coursing over
the rich administer carpets, while the
desks and chairs are piled in helpless
confusion, water dripping from the
ceiling and every article In the cham
ber In the center Of the forum lies
the large brass chandelier. hopelessly
smashed.
Wreck, ruin and confusion abound on
every hand in the north wing. The walls
and ceilings are stripped of their ornate
porcelain blocks, the arches rising gaunt
and bare with steel rafters stretched
across them. Doors have been smashed
in. brownstone arches have crufilpled and
the devastation lis enhanced by the drip
ping ceilings and rivulets coursing over
the floor and down the stairways.
At the Homeopathic Hospital three fire
men are under medical attention. OF
whom one, William Rogers. is reported to
be in bad condition from gas inhalation.
Other firemen were injured by falling
debris, but returned to work after having
their wounds attended to.
Militiamen were pressed into service To
remove the records, relies and flags from
the adjutant generals office and in polc-
ing the fire lines.
Loss on Building, $4,000, 900.
State Architect Ware issued a state
ment that the loss by rough estimate
would be about s5.OOo.O0o. exclusive OF
the valuable records in the state library.
which can never be replaced.
The firemen considered the senate and
assembly chamber practically intact, with
the exception of slight fire and water
Il
their use until they should be tested.
The building was placed under martial
law and the notes of bugles resounded
through the corridors SO lately blocked
by smoke and swept by flame
Electricians about the capital secuted
the idea that defective wiring had started
the blaze, and blamed it on a carelessly
thrown cigarette.
So far can be ascertained there
is no insurance on. the capitol or its
contents. There has been for year
or two an insurance of 100000 on the
executive mansion, in which fire re-
Gently occurred. II is said to be the
states policy not to insure Its prop
erty.
There have been several incipient
blazes in the capitol during the last
few years, the most serious one four
years ago, in the basement of the
southwest angle
West Wing Hopeless Wreck.
In every portion of the west wing
the rooms are hopeless wreck Desks
have been ripped open, drawers forced
and their contents strewn about the
floors. smashed to flinders by the bat
tering axes of the fire fighter. The
alter were handicapped by their ig-
norance of the many devious turns and
passages and blind corridors OF the
capitol.
Scores of legislators have visited the
chambers and committee rooms and re-
moved their personal effects. Both houses
met at the city hall during the forenoon
in response to call by Gov. Dix. IL is
expected that the Legislators will take
UP rigid probing of the report that an
electric push button was reported out or
bv a watchman yesterday
and not repaired during the day. This
button is held responsible for the con-
Migration.
L. NJ Howe. one of the legislative cor
who was i'm the capitol when
the fire started. gave this description of 1t:
"At about 2:15 o'clock this morning
another newspaper man and | were work
ns on the third floor Of the capitol when
the clerk of the assembly judiciary COM
nittee accompanied by one Of the night
Eatchman, ran through the corriuor.
shouting: There is fire in the assem-
bly, library.
No Water at Hand.
Rushing over to the room, which 10
Ia the rear OF the assembly. we looked