Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-12-21

hour OF az adjournment arrived.
In the House, the day was consumed
by a speech from MIR. Wise-in support Of
a resolution offered by him referring 50
much OF the Presidents Message as speaks
Of the ability and integrity with which the
various executive departments have been
conducted. TO a select committee, whose
duty il shall be to examine into the condi-
tion of these departments. probe them to
The bottom, with power 10 send for per.
sons and papers, and report accordingly
10 the House. The resolution was adopt
ed.
From the National latellgencer ofthe 18th inst.
GREAT FIRE AT WASHINGTON.
II is with no ordinary regret that we
perform the duty of ann o%uncing the des
truetion, by Fire, Of the Building in the
central part of this city, which has for ma
ny years been occupied by the General
Post. OiKce. and the Patent. Office, and the
City Post-Ofice with an important part Of
the contents Of those buildings, including
the entire coatents Of the two latter.
This calamity, great as it is, has long
been feared 10y those oai residents oil
w Washington who knew the combustible
nature OF the building, (the floors being
Of wood, aud some OF them not even COM
ter sealed. and the custom Of slowing fu.
el, not only coal but wood, in the vaults
underneath the FIRST floer. The calamity
has come at last, aud affords the second
demonstration, within four years, Of the
utter absurdity and improvidcnce of the
structures to which the pu5lic archives,
records, and Government accounts have
been hitherto for the most part confided.
The first alarm of Fire was given by
Mr.. Grown, a Messenger, who usually
sleeps in the room connected with the
City Post Office (the Postmaster's own
roon) The Clerks had been at work
asserting the Mails, until half past two o.
clock, when one of the persons belonging
TO The office (hlr Lansdale) passed out OF
the East door, and along the whole front
Of the building, without discovering any
thing TO give rise to a suspicion OF danger.
Not long after three O'Clock, MIR. Crown
was reused from a slight slumher by the
smell of smoke. Opening tae door of the
City, Post Office, he perceived a dense
SMOKE. without any visible appearance Of
FIRE. lie gave the alarm Instantly, first
rousing Mr.. Cox, one of the clerks, who
slept 10 a back room adjoining the Post
Office, and who, coming out Of the door
OF bis room. passed along the whole Of
the long room with disaeulty. through the
smoke, the fire cracking, but being able
to see nothing The Waterman in the
body OF the building, some distance from
the City Post. Office, had perceived moth
ing Of the smoke, until they, also, were al
armed by MIR. Crown.
The hour of the night when al! this
took place being one Of which the whole
world is buried 10. no deepest sleep, Il
was found almost Impossible to spread the
alarm Of Fire. One of the church bells
began to ring, but the ringer, not seeing
u flame, ceased ringing almost as soon
as he began, and it vas a full half hour
before the alarm bells were rung. and
more than that time before an engine or a
bucket OF water could be commanded.
AS it was, the fire had ITS own way, and
was at last SEEN in The vault orcellar Im
mediatetg under the delivery window o.
the City Post Office; followed shortly al
forwards by flames from the windows oI
the latter, and, within five Minutes alter
wards, by flames from The roof, the fire
having crept up along the stair cases OF
partitions TO the top Of the BUILDING before
il broke out below.
From The moment oftbe flames bursting
out from the lower windows. il was obvi-
GUS that all hope Of saving the building
was iD vain. In little more than an hour
the whole interior OF the building and its
contents were destroyed.
The BOOKS of the General Post Office
we've all, or nearly all, saved, exertions
having been made for their safety from
nearly the first moment of The alarm; but
a mass of papers, SC, belonging 10 the Of
flee were destroyed. Not any thing was
saved from the Patent Office or the City
Post Office, the volume of the smoke pre-
venting any body from penetrating The
latter, SO as to save any thing.
As TO the origin OF the fire, it is impos
sibie to say any thing, for nothing seems
TO be known Of 1t, except that il was In a
cellar or vault, in which pine wood and
coal were slowed, all which were proba.
bly in a state of ignition be fore the fire
disclosed itself TO the eve. We the more
willingly forbear any conjecture as to the
cause Of the fire, since both Houses oil
Congress have taken steps, through COM
mit,ees, TO investigate it. and in one
House with power to send for persons
and papers.
Most fortunately, The night was calm
and comparatively serene, or the destruc
ton of private property would have been
inevitable and great. Had it occurred
on the night previous, when the wind blew
almost a hurricane, several squares oil
valuable buildings must have been des-
troyed. The near, Of the city for extin
gushing fires are wholly inadequate to
the value Of the property at stake, and
the sources for the supply Of water for
the engines are limited in their extent, as
well as precarious. We trust that the
lesson we have just received will not be
lost on those who have it in their power
to apply the remedy.
Ofall the amount of loss of papers and
property sustained by this disaster, that
,yb,eh ;s most fa he rppratted (hpcausp