STATE CAPITOL BUILDING
Pennsylvania - Dauphin County
April 13, 1921: "The state capitol dome was today made a fire observatory by the department of forestry, and Thomas F. Burns stationed there to note appearance of any forest fires in the mountains about Harrisburg. The dome rises over 270 feet above the level of the Susquehanna, and mountains in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, York and Lebanon can be discerned with a strong glass. Two fires have already been spotted from the windows of the forestry department, and the foresters with a strong glass have been able to see far down the Cumberland valley." (The Pittsburg Post)
April 21, 1921: "The State Capitol dome in Harrisburg, has been made a fire observation tower by the Department of forestry and Thomas F. Burns was stationed there by Commissioner Pinchot to note appearance of forest fires in the mountains about Harrisburg. The dome rises more than 270 feet above the level of the Susquehanna river, and mountains in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, York and Lebanon counties may be discerned with strong glasses." (The Chronicle)
May 12, 1921: "Thomas Burns, the forest fire lookout, stationed in the dome of the Capitol at Harrisburg, has discovered six forest fires within a radius of twenty miles of Harrisburg since he took his post on April 11. He has located fires in the vicinity of Enola, Marsh Run, Wildwood Park, two at Indian Gap and one in the hills of York county." (The Chronicle)
February 16, 1922: "The State capital building may serve as a fire tower, it was stated this morning. Hope was held out that when the state forestry authorities post observers on the dome balcony, the state police project for the installation of a telephone service from there may be realized." (The Morning Herald)