In the early morning hours of March 29; 1911; a fire broke out in the New York State Capitol at Albany. By sunset; the entire western portion of the building had sustained extensive structural damage. Within lay the entire collection of the New York State Library; almost completely reduced to ashes. Founded in 1818; this had been one of the finest research libraries in the country and home to innumerable manuscript and printed rarities. In a particularly bitter irony; the fire struck as the overcrowded library was four months away from moving into new; spacious quarters under construction across the street. Miraculously there was only one fatality; an elderly watchman; Samuel Abbott; whose body was not recovered until several days later. Images of America: The New York State Capitol and the Great Fire of 1911 includes recently discovered photographs documenting the construction of the building; beginning in 1867; as well as eyewitness accounts of its destruction.
#2387174 in eBooks 2009-05-11 2009-05-11File Name: B0099JLP7U
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Nice read.By CustomerRead the book because a friend grew up in Vandergrift. I was a nice read and gave more insight into small town life.
