The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-01-01
The National Library DESTROYED
by Fire,

The fires which occurred yesterday morning
in cur city will long be remembered with a dis
tinctness of recollection far beyond ordinary
confagrations. The first in point of time broke
out little past one o'clock, in the Franklin Ho-
| tel, at the northeast corner of D. and EIGHTH
streets, kept by Mr.. Thomas Baker It was
communicated, we learn, from the bedroom
of lodger in the upper story, and had got so
great hold of the building before the engines
could be brought to bear upon it. that bv no
efforts could the house be saved, though the
chief part of the furniture happily rescued
from the devouring element. The building was
owned by Mr.. Patrich Kavanaugh, and was in
sured.
The second fire, in point of time, but by far
the most considerable in magnitude and impor-
tance, took place at about q quarter to eight
o'clock, in the spacious and beautiful main Lii
brary Room of the Capitol, whereby about thir-
! ty-fve thousand volumes of the most choice and
valuable books were destroyed, together with
precious collections of manuscripts, paintings,
maps, charts, medals, statuary, and articles of
certu, the property of the government and peo-
pie of the United States. The origin of the fire
is enveloped in mystery, which we hardly think
will ever be cleared up. From the best infor-
nation we have been able to obtain, it appears
that smoke or flame, or both, were observed
through the windows from without. Immedi-
ately upon this, Mr.. John w. Jones' one of the
guards in charge of the Capitol, with another
person, Mr.. Hollohan, forced their way into
the Library by the principal entrance, and
found that the large table at the north end of
the room was fire, together with portion of
the Shelving and books in the alcoyes on the
right or northeast, and between the table and
the door at the north end of the room leading to
the law library
AT this time, Mr.. Jones says that half dozen
buckets Of water would have sufficed to extin-
guish the fire. His companion and himself per-
ceiving this, Immediately ran below, for the
purpose Of bringing the requisite fluid but the
draught which their entrance had necessarily
produced lent such vigor TO the flames, that by
the time they returned, the whole room was
irrecoverably won to the power of the destroy
ing element. The flames seemed to glide over
and above the gallery, as if its material were
of the most combustible character, for scarcely
any appreciable time was occupied in wrapping
the whole vaulted hall in mingled volumes of
smoke and fire.
AT the earliest possible moment the fire COM
panies of the city repaired to the scene, the
Columbia, we think being first but its hose
being in frozen condition from its use few
hours before, at The fire ON Eight street, with
the Thermometer at'zero, had to be taken to the
new gas factory, on the canal, to be thawed
Five minutes afterwards the Anacostia engine
arrived, and its apparatus being in good wor-
king condition, it was the frs ITO act with effect
In quick succession seven engines were on the
ground, gallantly vieing with each other to rem
der service.
Very soon, body of the United States Ma
rines from the Navy Yard were ordered up to
assist i'll carrying water, keeping order and pro-
tecting property and very useful, indeed, did
they prove throughout the day. A large en-
gine was drawn up the steps of the east portico,
and another run into the Rotundo, and from
thence supplied jet of water of great power
and efficiency. This was done, we believe, |
without any injury being sustained by the great
historical paintings around the Rotundo walls.
Notwithstanding the fortunate circumstance
that the walls of the library SO high as in a
measure, to separate that department of the
Capitol edifce from the rest, at least to the ex-
tent of giving it distinct roof, it was found
the fire had communicated to the main roof |
which was, however, stopped by the gallant
members Of Anacostia Company, who cut away
with their axes so much of the roof as seemed |
to be in harms way. In like manner portion
Of the stairway leading to the top Of the dome
having taken fire, it was extingushed by the
same devoted band.
The heat from the fire at the distance of the
pillars in front of the library for the fire itself
never reached them) was so great as to scale
them off in places Quarter of an inch thick, ta-
king, not merely the painting but the stone un-
der it.
We have stated above that about thirty five
thousand volumes of books were DESTROYED this
is estimated from the supposed number saved,
which is twenty thousand, the original contents
of the library being about fifty-fve thousand
volumes in all. The contents only of the prin-
cipal hall were consumed, the north room and
law library not having been visited by the fire,
owing to the thickness of the intervening walls |
Besides the books, number of superior pain
tings, hanging around the library walls and be-
tween the alcoVes, were included in the destruc-
ton. OF these, we can call to mind Stuart's
paintings of the first five Presidents: an origi-
nal portrait of Columbus q second portrait of
Fpl, -,