Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-04-05

sunied By FIRE yesterday morning. between Two o'clock
and sunrise. The fire was first discovered in The room adj
joining that OF the Chief Clerk Of the department, usual
" known among the Clerks aud other officers by the name
OF MIR +, lsub's Room. 1t is not known whether the
hre originated IN the floor or the ceilirg Of the room, the
whole being in a blaze before any one approached ii; but
: o doubt appeais to be entertained that he fire was acct
den 1.-The whole room was on fire before the alan was
given; and until the alarm was given, even the watch
walking the pavement in front of tie Branch Bank, near
the spot, perceived nothing of the fire, the building OF the
Safe Department %in,erposii Z. Every cxerion was made,
as the people gathered to The spot, iindi, z that 1, would be
in vain 10 attempt saving the building, orescue the books
ana pal ers oil the several offices. a great deal was saved
ny TIE clerks anu other citizens, considering lac cit cum
stances. 1t is hoped, indeed, that lew books OF papers OF
much conSe queice are DIES roSed.
al the books and papers on the ground floor are believ-
ed to have been saved, On great disorder OF course aud all
those IN the third story were DIES royal. OF the books and
papers IN the apartment OF the second story, much the
greater part were saved.
Tho offices on the GIst floor, the books of which are
saved, were those OF the Register OF the treasury. the
treasurer, and the FRS, Auditor. On the second floor,
neaIly all the book. OF the FIRST Compti oller, whose office
occupied the gtea'er number of the rooms, were saved,
and a part OF those belonging to he office of the Secreta-
' oi the Treasury, In whose immediate apartments the
fire was first discovered.
or The Offices connected with The Treasury Depart
hent, several oil the most extensive, are kept in o.her
buildings than that destroyed, AID are ot course entii ely
sale, viz those OF the Second Comptroller, Second, Third,
Fourth, and Filth Auditors, aud the Solicitor OF the TIea-
sury.
The papers dest Dyed were many Of them obsolete, and
almost all OF a date prior TO $50. The most important pa
Pefs destroyed were perhaps The correspondence Of the
Head Of the Treasury Department, which was kent i'm The
room wherein the tne originated.
When the Fire was first discovered, it was the dead
nour OF ,he night, and the whole population OF the city
was SO deeply buried in sleep, that a comparatiN ely small
number al rived early on the - ouud. Very soon after the
hrst cry OF Fire was scarcely uttered, at halt past two o.
CLOCK, NE Keeper OF the Orphan Asl lum bell caught and
repeated the alarm; whence il happened that the persons
hrst at the FIRE, next 10 the immediate neighbors, wore
'oused by that bell, aud had halt a mile to run before they
arrived att 10 save The building, however, when once
On IRE, would, under any eli circumstances. have hepn inn
possible, - iniamnable was its structure, as well as its
c ntens.
uon oil astonishment at the faulty and utter improvidence
wllh winch books and papers of such vast consequence
nave Oeen so long trusted 10 any other than Il fire proof
ohI'ullg' Inc lew scattering vaulted rooms in the build.
ing entirely escaped the flames; and had the whole build
ing been similarly constructed, the fire could not have
occurred; or if, through extreme carclessness, il had oc-
cured, would have been confined 10 the room in which
It originated.
Where was the Waterman of the building? is a natural
question. lie was, we hear, sick at home; and the youth
VINO substituted him was so sound asleep that he was per-
haps only saved from being burnt alive by those who
broke open the doors and reused him. Had he been ever
so WIDE awake, however, unless he had happened to in
spect the particular room where the fire began, the alarm
hom outside might have been his first notice.
We were glad 10 observe that creditable excrions were
made 10y the proper officers yesterday, TO collect and Sc
cure the scattered books and papers; so that 10y , o'clock
IN the day they were safely housed.-.Ndt. Int.
we regretto announce the TO al destruc ion, hy FIRE. OF
the treasury building; hut we are happy to add, that, as
lar as can no" he "scrithined, all he public accounts and
vouchers rela ing TO The receipt and disbursem, nj of the
public moneys have been saved.
III understood that the fire was discovered at about half
past 2 O'Clock on Sunday morning, by a person acciden.
tally passing. The Il me was first seen issuing from the
windows OF the room Oh the upper floor atjoiuihg the CEN
IRE projection, on The north front. The alarm was imme-
diaiely given; and by great eXertions on the mart of the
cluZens generally, who seemed TO take an equal inter est in
'he matter, the most important part OF the public records
and documents, being the chief objects OF soliciiude, the
principal and earliest efforts were made for their preser-
vation.
The manner in which the fire originated has not been
asceTtalhed. The necessary measures have, however,
been taken 10 obtain information on the subject, aud, as
our ie"Hers' ~itnPPears mat the messenger, whose turn
II was 10 watch was absent, from sickness; and that the
person who usually sleeps in the building, was not aware
II inc are until he was awakened from the outside.
lhe secretary has, with great promptness, engaged
several contiguous houses opposite to S~trother's Hotel. for
me use oil The Treasury the public books and papers
nave already been removed 10 them; and the business of
-WdShingtOn Globe.