Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-01-06
OUR STATE CAPITOL BURNED.

/ west NirglniaS capitol building In
charleston was entirely DESTROYED last
Monday by fire said to have been of
mysterious origin. IL was one of the
most spectacular fires ever seen in
charleston and attracted great crowds
VINO were thrilled at the many exciting
incidents. The blaze was discovered
about 2.S0 o'clock in the afternoon and
In half hour was beyond control of
the fremen.
Two men were killed and a number
OF others were injured when one OF the
walls fell. Edward Spencer, an cleo
triclan, and Howard Pauley, who was
assisting the hremen, were on a ladder
which reached TO the State Tax Com
mlssoner's Office on the third floor,
when the wall fell, burying them be-
meath tons of brick. Fire Chief w. w
Graham, Oscar Thaxton, a fireman, and
Bill Lacy, policeman, were seriousN
injured, and a number of others were
hurt more or less badly. II is thought
that Charles Walker, the engineer, was
also killed, as he has been missing.
Efforts were made to save as many
OF the records as possible, but many
valuable papers and books we're de-
stroyed. The records of the State De-
partment of Schools were saved, as
were the Governors correspondence
fles and few cabinets from the Office
of the Secretary of State.
The fire seems to have started in the
small record room over the Office of the
Secretary of the Public Service Com
mission, though no one seems to know
how 1t originated. This room was on
the fourth floor of the building, and was
used only for the storing of records
and stationery. The members Of the
commission we're the first TO notice The
fames, and gave the alarm. BY the
time the fire department got water the
lire was beyond control. Z. E. Win
4 tcrs, chief railroad inspector of the
= commission, narrowly escaped being
burned alive. He played a s;ream OF
water on the blaze from a small hose
and remained at his post until his face
was scorched, He escaped by back
stairway, which was in flames.
Governor Cornwell in a statement is
sued Monday night said:
"Of course this fire is little short of
a calamity to the State because of the
records that have been DESTROYED in
the various depar ,ments, which will oc-
casion inconvenience to many per-
sons. If cannot be ascertained Just yet
OF the departments were saved or what
will be the state Of those in the va
rious vaults, after the fire is over.
The monetary loss will not be great.
We have insurance on all the State
buildings in blanket policy. The
10 al insurance carried is approximately
Sc, 100000.
II will call meeting of the State
officers Tuesday morning to make ar
rangements for the legislative session
My thought now is that the Senale can
be housed in the Young Mems Chris
tian Association building and audi
tor!um and the House of Delegates in
the armory. These buildings are close
together and will do in an emergency
such as this. The biggest trouble
will be to find room for the various
departments. The Chamber Of Com
: merce has offered its services in the
matter. There are no vacant builj-
ings or Offices in Charleston, but offers
are already coming to me from private
citizens fr m churcnt> an. elsewhere,
and | am quite sure that all the de-
partments will be functioning again In
, few days"
Aside from the loss of valuable rec
. ing temporary quarters. the destruction
, Of the capitol building will not be
regarded as an irretrievable calamity.
The building was a rather shabby
one OF brick, without architectural
!, beauty, and was utterly inadequate
for the uses Of the State government.
Some OF the departments were housed
in other buildings for lack OF room.
and those that had their quarters in
,, the capitol were at more or less in
, convenience. The original building
was erected In 1881 at a cost Of about
100000 II was one Of the very few
State capitols that was built Of brick.
II has been realized for years past
that new capitol building was BADLY
needed, but no legislature seemed will
ing to undertake the responsibility OF
providing for a new one and nothing
has ever been done in this respect
/. Nov that the old building is gone on.
k fragments OF walls reilain--the
present Legislature will be obliged ia
provide new State capitol. We
should have one in keeping with the
progressive spirit OF our growing Young
: STATE, and that both In beauty and
4 utility will be acceptable to our peo-
pie and source of pride to the citi-
zens Of the State.
r Late information Is to the effect that
: Governor Cornwen saved all Of his per-
: sonal effects and correspondence flles
! besides most Of the records Of import
ance in his Office. One OF re worst
losses was the burning Of all thc cor
poration records and those relating 10
workmen's compensation. Among the
, latter were the affidavits and claims
, Of widows and children Of the work men
OF the S'ate who are entitled 10 COM
pensation under the West Virginia law
All OF these records we're wircd out
The records OF the Sunreme Court nI