The New York herald., 1851-12-29

Our Washington Correspondence.

Our Washington Correspondence.
WAsHisGroS, Dec ID, 1851.
The Library Of Csnsress-1ae Late Fire
The debris the late hre IN the beautiful room sppro
priated to the library of congress-ths OF black
snsd rubbish which lie under the vest front of the Capt.
tol-the ashes and cndsrs of some forty thousand
volumes destroyed piled up rom five to eight feet high
present "indeed a sorry sight and the leaves and
fragments of leaves Of the burned volumes Of all nations
and languages, and tongues strewn about the ter
race as
"Thick autumnsl leaves
In Nalambrosas vale"
The piles of rubbish are still smoulderng and occa-
sioDaly breaking out into flames Notwithstanding their
thorough saturaon with water by the last nights rain
aud in addition to the watering by the hremen It
seems strange that heap Of ashes cinder and
OF half burned book leaves wet pile Of printers
paper when working OF the frs side Of heavy edition,
should break out into fits Of spontaneous combus
ton But ii IL; and the csrtmen they shovel the
rubbish into their carts are ,nveloped in Q cloud Of
smoke steam; while those above who still cast
ing out the trash from the windows appear to be working
il the midst of a fire not yet subdued
guard Of policemen are stationed about the library
to prevent the curious among the outsiders from
fishing out the medals and coins which still
smoke like ccal pit on the stone floor good many
medals CT the several valuable cabinets which adorned
the library supposed will be found t for preservs
tion, as few have been alrt ady recovered.
As for the books destroyed, there some fifteen
thousand OF valuable works and OF good editions but
there also ten thousand volumes or less,
what might be called worthless trash also destroyed
book worth the house they occupied for pract
cal purposes but still necessary to complete library
The most valuable series lost the records Of the
British Parliament from the time of William the Con-
aueror, alias william the Great Norman Fillibuster
These understand cannot be replaced, by the
Epgsh government there being no series extant so
nearly complete We send you leaf from OF these
books picke up among the rubbish The Leaf enclosed
is s-om the Parliamentary proceedings OF 1883 folio in
the French language with the captions OF the chapters
in Latin Next the Library OF Mr. Jeiierson OF 1000
that great republican apostle in his own hand writing
In this respect and the nucleus OF the late library of
Congress the library OF Mr. Jefferson was inrinsicaly
by ali cds the most valuable list Of the books consumed
large portion OF this catalogue is, however, saved.
Congress paid Sz3 eco the catalogue The geographi-
cal alcoye embraced siderable numbf Of very
cient and valuable books including six folio volumes in
Latin praed in the sixteenth century, ami adorned
with numerous quaint engravings illustrative OF the
aboreiues from Virginia TO Brazil, and of the eas of
Columbus De Soto De Leon CoItez, Pzarro Sc. There
wefe in this acove several ancient italian and
Spanish voB. geography The large books OF about
three feet by two Of Illustrations OF Egypt published by
the FEentn govsrnaent under the order OF Napoleon
and prseed by the scientific corps attending his Esy
tau exp, p,diticD, Of great value but presume
they be, and will be- replaced by the government Of
france
We understand that the total OF appropriations for the
library books amounts to $4,000 out of the Treasury
but the books by foreign governments and pr
vate IND yiduals. WILL doubt make the total loss Of
books pictures maps, charts and medals S260000 max
ing due allowance Tor the % OCO volumes saved by being
another Iocn, separated By thick wall from the main
The library room occupied The front of the central
tory the neral ground level with the two
houses Ct Congress at The Rotunda 1t % feet long
"a wide and SO in height with arched ceiling, aud
three sky lights On each side was range of acovee
which supported an upper gallery, also slowed with
books. Altogether this library room was an excesdpgy
beautiful specm'n OF Corinthian architecture The
damage the building by the fire, apprehend,
not be repaired short Of the sum OF $50 0o0
IL has been discovered thai OF the hues fer heating
the the origin of the fire that frame OF
wood running into the wall communicated the fire to
the books TIE intensely cold weather the last week
has mad tls tp
tue 10 the below and but for the fact that the
building nearly all Of stone floors starways and ALL
lit could not exist day, under the Puonian system
OF firing up below. Nothing but couple Of west
steamboats, consuming each fosty cords Of wood
of WOOD ana coal required to heat cold open stone
building covering acre and half OF ground with the
1t is TO be hoped that in rebuilding the library IL will
be made fire proof as far as iron can be substituted for
wood.
The cause OF the destruction of the library has been
sscertaned to be the cutting into a chimney due and
inserting piece OF timber in 1t which formed the sill to
one of the seoves Had there been proper supervision
such calamity would not have occurred Mr.. y. L.
Ciuskey, architect who reported to the thtieih Con-
gress ON the public budipg. Gays In his report with
Two of these aues have also been cut into aud left
open exhibiting the greatest they might
be the destruction e the building should the adjoining
ones get en- IRE and portion OF the burning matter
from them pass down through these dues and the open
ings thus made in them TO the floor where there is s
cient in connection with the ceiling and roof of
the Senate chamber, to make the result more than
questionable. Public buildings have been destroyed
from causes less apparent. And here would remark
that, whilst my exauiir alton, and in company with
Captain Dunnipgop. Chief OF the Pece OF the Capitol
found OF the res OF the chimneys fire throwing
out large quantities OF burning scot sufficient to have
gpiteo the which the valleys and thence
TO have communicated with the wooden cupolas which
light the library and the veebule and passages in the
Senate and House sides which add greatly to the risk
1t was however, promptly attended to by Mr. Dunuing
ton. who ordered buckets Of water from below aud had
1 exiting ui,hed
Our Boston Correspondence.