The Prescott daily news., 1911-03-30
LOSS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN $6,ooo,coo AND ss,eoo, o,ooo-DE-
 FECTIVE WIRE BLAMED.
VALUABLE RECORDS GONE
Costliest in the United States One Life Lost in Big
 Conflagraton.

Albany, N. r., Mar 3O.-A loss of s6000, 600 and records and documents almost priceless in value, and a sus- pension of state business, is the net result of a fire which started in the assembly library of the capitol build, ing and spread through the western portion of the building, destroying everything in it's path, from the third floor upward.
 The state library, containing 10000 volumes, was destroyed, as well as number of offices surrounding it. The other portions of the building, includ- iHg the senate and the assembly chamber, are waterlogged It is thought that one life has been lost. Samuel Abbott a night watchman, is missing, and it is feared he was in cinerated
 The disaster. however, will not in- terfere with the voting for United States senator, it being planned to have sessions in the city hall until the assembly and senate chambers can be made presentable.
 The ornate hangings and .hly carved mahogany furnishings of the library, which is also used as the com mlttee room of the assembly judiciary committee, fed the flames. Fire lines were quickly drawn and the fire fight ing apparatus of the capitol was also pressed into service.
 MiIIion-DolIar Staircase Threatened.
 Owing to the proximity of the state library, the firemen broke through an airshaft and flooded it. The flames also threatened the million-dollar staircase at the west end of the cap itol, considered one of the finest ex- amples of mural art in the world The $10o0000 ceiling of the western staircasa early fell a prey to the flames which then continued their sweep along the hall toward the sen ate chamber.
 Falling stones from the ceilings and flying chips from, the marble pillars and walls greatly endangered the fire men and interfered with their work.
 The fire quickly burned the interior of the assembly library, destroying all bills, documents and papers, some of thon dating as far back as 1776. These can not be replaced. The li- brary also contained all the documents of the code and judiciary committee of the present session, including the woman's suffrage bills. They were all destroyed. The flames then ate up to the roof
 A few minutes later the fire leaped into the state library with roar, and It's inflammable contents were de stroyed A great oaken door was part ly burned through, and the firemen were unable to reach any points of vantage that would enable them to train their hose on the flames.
 Loss About $6,oo0, GOO.
 The loss upon that portion of the capitol building destroyed is doubtless in the neighborhood of $6,000000. This amount does not include the furnish ings, which were of the most costly description, nor the contents of the state library.
 There was a terrific crash when the roof of the west, southwest and north. west wings fell. Governor Dix was at the scene. He placed the loss then at about $7000,O00, but the blaze was still burning fiercely
 The fire was the most spectacular Albany has ever known. The flames could be seen for miles from Capitol hill, The records burned reached back to colonial days The fire swept around the famous $1,000,000 red stone staircase, which was adorned with paintings of men famous in the history of the state, causing the great part of the stairway to crack and crumble
 There was no insurance whatever as it has not been the policy of the state to insure it's buildings, save in the case of certain hospitals and asy lum plants. A defective electric wire is said to have caused the fire.