The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-29
Interior of Beautiful Structure
a Mass of Ruins-Priceless
Historic Collections Des-
troyed
DEFECTIVE ELECTRIC
WIRE BELIEVED TO
HAVE STARTED FIRE
Firemen Wage Contest for
Preservation of Building
for Six Hours, Before
Destroying Demon
Succumbs

ALBANY, NJ. r.. Marsh "a
loss Of se,ooo.ooo and d. records
and documents almost psricsisss IL
value and 4 suspension Of Stats
business 10 the net result Of fire
which startsd In the Assembly Ii 1
brary Of the capitol building early
to-day and spread throuuh Inc
western portion Of the building, d.
stroytae everything In its path.
from the third floor upwards.
Ihe State Library, containlnu
10000 volumes was entirely d.
stroyed - we'll ~ Q number u
ofsiees surrounding Il. Ths othee
portions Of the building, including
the Senate and Assembly Cham.
Der, are water logged.
u 10 thought that one life hse
been lost. Samuel Abbott, ninht
Waterman, 10 missine and Il q
feared that he suceumbsd to The
hamss. The fire 1t 70 o'clock vas
still smelderina and ssvsrai
streams Of water were playing On
the ruins.
The disaster, however, win not
interfere with the voting for
United States Senator, Il bsina
planned to havs sessions il thS
city hall until the assembly and
ssnats chamber can BE- made pre. /.
ssrtabls.
The fire eompistsiy destroyed the
state library, the administrutiSM
ofhcss Of the 6tats Dspar<nsBt "
Education, the stats Court q
Clsims Chambsr. the Court cler.s's
r,itt.. 30. - nG
ch.;rr.r ~ 49, e,.s-~~ ~as"
-. -. 0E ~ 80 n"",,SNsn -
t.w e az 800. ~ nR v
h,. ;n ~ Nsss
,s.,. ~ M.s"s,.s rv Icy.
nfs;.e. i. -. . ~.
~. h,,,iJ,- ~ S"
and E 49,. - asnS 49, go ..n
IL. 80. ..,as 49, 1890.
- -" ...I .:AL Du1
80 ~ .s 49,
st.;.~s 80 ...fss
1870
Th~ An, ~r-n ,.s
-..,"y S VT "s. ~
~ ,.04,n y Massr ano ~
49, ~ "s ous
ss..r ~ .S...
Na,r- Wi, c+..a. .r-,ss -
po, 600 "a nito, hntit,n~ I" ~ a. 80 n.
prey of the Are ffend ana IT. beamftf,,
Interior II a mass OF ruina. q ~,
which started early this rnorninr n
the Assembly Library spread throurI
almost the entire building. destroyfni
priceless records. books and dncr1
menta. ) The entire fire denartmNn
worked to subdue the flames, which =
o'clock were under control.
The fiarnes. fed by infiammsh1a -
cords and documents spread rapi6fs
and the library was = seefhinr fs,rrs
nee when the ftrenen arrived n r.
Spouse to an alarm at z:4S o'ciock mi
The ornate hangings and. rich carve
room OF the Assembly m.
Committee. fed the farnea ~
the firemen at once realised thar the.
were in for q hard battle. il they vsr,
to save the massive building. Ffr,
lines were quickly drawn ana tfla NJ
also impressed into service.
The frenen were badly hauperet, n
their early operations and al 5 oscloe1
II was found that the flames had eatei
put into the corridors and alonr n U
the entry room OF the Assembly Chnr3
Der.
Flood State Library.
Owing to the proximity OF the Stat
Library. the firemen broke through n
airshaft and flooded II. The fame
also threatened the million dolln
at the west end Of the cap1
lol, considered enc Of the finest cxnm3
pies Of mural art In the world.
The 100000 ceiling OF the went
ern staircase early fell q prey ID M
names which then continued TIT