The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-01
THE FIRE AT THE CAPITOL.

In another column the reader will find the
particulars of the late fire at the Capitol, by
which a large portion of the Library was de.
stroyed The cause of the disaster which al
first appeared inexplicable is at last pretty
well ascertained The architect who has ex
amincd the building, reports;
"On examining the holes in the brick wall
which have been exposed by the removal of
the burnt timbers, found an opening of about
two inches by the thickness of brick. into one
of the hues, near where the fire was discovered.
The chimneys from the lower rooms were then
examined, and it was found that the hue from
the room of the Committee of the Senate ON
Indian Affairs had been recently burnt out.
A chlmney-sweep was sent up this fiue and
found the opening into the Library alluded to.
His voice was heard at the aperture in the
chimney, and he brought down with him a
portion of the burnt timber that bad protruded
into the f1ue.
Large wood fires are made in the committee
rooms very early every morning and the rooms
shut up until they are occupied by the COM
mittees This chimney must have taken fire
while the room was thus closed and burnt ont
without being observed, as might easily be the
case with any of the chimneys in the building.
After "A careful examination of the subject.
| am of opinion that the fate of the Library
depended on this chimney. If it had taken
fire years ago, the result would have been the
same. The timbers were too far above the
Fireplace to be set on fire in any other way
than by the burning Of the chimney, and such
an event could not have occurred at any time
without communicating fire to the Library.
1.-THE alcoves Of the Library were formed OF
timbers filled in with 'brck-nogging.' The
horizontal pieces were let into the walls for the
purpose of strengthening the structure, thus
afording the means of communicating the fire
to the vertical scantling, one of which was
placed against the wall in each partition.
"The evidences of the fire having occurred
in this way are too conclusive to admit OF q
doubt and are sufficient to remove all censurs
from those who have charge OF the building
no human forethought or vigilance could, under
the circumstances, have prevented the catas
trophe"
We trust that this calamity the consequence,
of which are irreparable may turn the atten
ton of Congress to the necessity Of better pro
vision against fire in our public buildings. WIZ
can doubt that they should be made fire proc
throughout! Especially should combustible
be excluded from rooms in which valuable
books, documents and charts are deposited
Is it certain that the watch kept in our pub
lie buildings is sufficient? II would seem tina
chimney was ON fire, and burnt out tina
the fire had been communicated to the Librar,
and had made considerable ravage, before j
was discovered, and that the discovery did no
take place till eight o'clock in the morning
This is matter that ought to be looked into
How many watchmen were on duty! Wher
were they! In such place rs the Library
ought there not to have been at least couple o
watchmcn, keeping alternate watches!
Mr. Jones, one of the guards says that wheI
he broke open the door, half dozen bucket
of water would have sufhced to extinguisl
the fire. He means that comparatively
small quantity would have been enough. But
the trdisr uds not Msre-nor were there any
appliances for bringing it speedily, They hac
TO 20 some distance for the water, and ther
bring it in buckets And this i'm building
worth, with its contents millions of dollars
this in building containing books, papers
documents, charts journals Of both Houses
which, if destroyed, could never be replaced
Is il not shameful, when the timely appropria
ton of few hundred thousand dollars would
bring the waters of the Potomac to our city in
such abundance, as to render any considerable
damage by FIRE in our public buildings impos
able.