Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-04-11
MONDAY. APRIL 8. 1888.

From The National InteHigencer Of .4pril l..
We are sorry to have to announce that
The Public Building East Of the Presidents
Square, occupied as the Treasury Dis
PARTMENT, tcds consumed By Fire yester
day morning. between two O'Clock and
sunrise The fire was first discovered in
the room adjoining that Of thu Chief Clerk
oil the Department. usually knowp among
, the Clerks and other officers by the name
Of Mr. 4 Lambs Room Ii is not known
whether the FIRE originated in the floor or
the ceiling OF the room, the whole being
in blaze before any one approached IT;
but no doubt appears to be entertained
that the Fire was accidental The whole
room was on fire before the alarm
was given; and until the watch walk
ing the pavement in front of the Branch
Bank (near the spot) perceived nothing of
the fire, (he building oil the State Depart
ment interposing.) Every exertion was
made, as the people gathered 10 the spot,
finding that it would be 10 vain to attempt
saving the building. to rescue the books
and papers OF the several offices A great
deal was saved by the Clerks and other
citizens, considering the circumstances
1t is hoped, indeed. that few books OF pa
pers Of much consequence are destroyed
al the hooks and papers on the ground
floor are believed to have been saved lin
great disorder of course) and all those in
the third story were destroyed OF the
books and papers in the apartments Of the
second story, much the greater part were
saved.
The offices on Me first floor. the hooks
Of which are saved, were those of the Reg
lister of the Treasury. the Treasurer, and
FIRST Auditor. On the second floor. near
ly all the books of the First Comptroller,
whose office occupied the greater number
of the rooms, were saved and a part OF
those belonging to the Office Of the Score
tary of the Treasury, in whose immediate
apartment the fire was first discovered
OF the Offices connected with the rea
sury Department, several OF the most ex
tenslve, are kept in other buildings than
that destroyed. amt are OF course entirely
safe. VIZ those of the Second Comp
troller, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth
Auditors, and the Solicitor OF the Treasu
fy
The papers destroyed were many Of
them obsolete, and almost all OF date
prior TO 1870. The most important pa
pers destroyed were perhaps the CORES
pondence OF the Head OF the Treasury
g. Depa, tment, which was kept in the room
wherein the fire originated
When the Fire was first discovered, it
was the dead hour of the night, and the
whole population of the city was so deep
buried in sleep, that a comparatively small
number arrived early on the ground We
ry soon after the first cry of Fire was
scarcely uttered, at half past two O'Clock
the keeper of the Orphan Asylum bell
caught and repeated the alarm; whence it
happened that the persons first at the fire,
next TO the immediate neighbours, were
reused by that bell. bad half mile TO run
before they arrived at 1t. To save the
building, however. when once on fire,
would, under any circumstances. have
been impossible, SO inflamabie was its
structure, as well as its contents.
No one can look at the smoking ruins,
without the sensation Of establishment at
the faturity and utter improvidence with
which books and papers oil such vast con
sequence have been SO long trusted to a
nv other than fire proof building The
few scattering vaulted rooms 10 the build
ing entirely escaped the flames; and had
the whole building been similarly construct
ed. the fire could not have occurred; or II.
through extreme carelesness, il had oc
CURED. would have been confined to the
room in which it originated.
Where was the Waterman OF the build
ing? is a natural question. lie was, we
hear, sick at home; and the youth who
substituted him was so sound asleep that
he was perhaps only saved from being
burnt alive by those who broke open the
doors and reused him. Had he been
yer so wide awake, however, unless he had
happened TO inspect the particular room
where the fire begun, the alarm from out
side might have been his first notice
We we're glad to observed that creditahle
exertions were made by the proper officers
Yesterday TO collect and secure the scat
tered books and papers; so that by ? o.
clock In the day they were safely housed
The Charleston Mercury of the 2ls
ultimo, gives the following account o
the Convention at Columbia.
sOn the vote of thanks beu. :, given
Governor Hayne as President, he brief
and eloquently returned thanks, eDjoInin
upon the members TO GO home with Oh:
position TO conciiate-but with an inflea
ible resolution to maintain the prIDc p
the State, remembering that eterna VIZ
lance is the price of liherty-that We hay
recently gained an advantage, but not
victory-that the Bill of Blood proves tn;
the Moloch OF Federal usurpation is nj
appeased- that they ought to have il IL
delibly impressed upon their minds thi
a the great battle is just begun"
The Charleston Courier announce
the dissolution of the Convention in Il
following terms:
"The State Convention, after nulIifyir
the Enforcing Bill, and referring the ma
ter of the oath of allegiance 10 the Legi: