Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-01-02
Destructive Confagrations.
The Fire at Washington.


We mentioned in part of our edition
last week that the Congressional Library
in the Capitol at Washington had been
partly destroyed by fire on Wednesday
morning, December Gath. 1t isnot known
how the fire originated. as neither fire nor
lights are permitted to be used in it, The
room is warmed by tiues, and it is supposed
1t caught from these. OF the loss sus-
tanned. the National Intelligencer speaks
as follows:
We have stated above that about thirty
five thousand volumes of books were de-
stroved; this is the estimate from the sup
posed number saved, which is twenty
thousand, the original contents of the Ii
brary being about tiily-tiye thousand vol
umes i'll au.-The contents of the prin
cipal hall were consumed, the north room
and Law Library not having been visited
bv the fire, owing to the thickness Of the
intervening walls. Besides the books,
number of superior paintings, hanging
around the Library walls and between the
alcoyes, were included IN the destruction.
Of these we can call to mind Stuarts
paintings of the first five Presidents; an
original portrait of Columbus; a second
portrait of Columbus; an original por-
trait of Pevton Randolph; a portrait of
Bolivar; portrait Of Baron Steuben by
Pvne. an English artist of merit; one Of
Baron De Kalb one of Cortez; and one
of Judge Hanson, of Maryland, presen-
ted to the Library by his family. Be-
tween eleven and twelve hundred bronze
medals of the Yatemare exchange, some
of them more than ten centuries old, and
exceedingly perfect, are amongst the valua-
bles destroyed. Of the statuary burnt
and rendered worthless, we recolect a
statue of Jefferson; an Apollo in bronze,
bv Mills; a very superior bronze likeness
OF Washington; bust of Gen. Taylor
by an Italian artist; and bust of Latay-
cite by David.
We have only heard of three books saved
from the Principal Library, namely, the
Librarians Register, an account book, and
an odd volume of Lord Klngsbury's mag
nificent work on the Antiquities of Mex
leo. We must say that we consider the
system adopted by the Government for the
protection of the public buildings and
property as essentially defective, as the
various confagrations that have taken
place-frst of the War Office building
next this very Library part of the Capitol
in 1926, then Of the Treasury building,
next of the General Post Office edihce,
and now the Congressional Library again
must prove.
The Washington Southern Press, spea-
king of the fire, says:
The extent of The loss inflicted by this
disastrous fire it Is impossible to even es-
innate. Since the act of Omar, no single
fire has wrought such destruction of
articles impossible to be replaced.-The
cost of the books is estimated at about a
quarter of a million Of dollars; the dam
ace TO the building must also be consider
able; but the great loss is in the destruc-
ton of the collection of rare and valuable
works, MINIS. and Others-WOrks which
no expenditure of money, no toll, nor en-
ergv, can possibly again restore. Such
loss may well be regarded in the light OF
= general calamity and the labOrs OF the
student. the researches Oh me "iitel' anu
the yerifcation of facts by the politician
will all be retarded and prevented hence
forth by this sweeping destruction Of the
authorizes which could alone be found IN
that collection.
The loss is not local but general one
and over this funeral pyre of so much
learning every educated man and the coun-
try will mourn. There are some things
which cannot be replaced, nor substitutes
found, and emphancalIy such were the
collections which had accumulated III thai
Library since its foundation