The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-16
CITY INTELLIGENCE,

DISASTROUS FIRE AT THE CUSTOM HoUsB.-Yesterday
morning about twenty minutes to four O'clock a fire
which resulted very disastrouy broke out in the Gus
tom House. at the corner of Gay street and Exchange
place In brief time after its discovery whole range
of offices the west side of the corridor hall the
building were envelope in flames, which burst forth in
so terrific manner that even those watch and those
first the ground unable either the books
papers contained in these rooms The fire attributed
to accident. At the time, watchmen John REYNOLDS
Emanuel Wyneman and James Gorthrop, were on duty
latter had ascended into the upper portion Of
the building to stop leak in the roof when their light
became eNtinguished and Gorthrop returned the
sengers room, where the fire broke out to relight it
Having done he went to the upper stories again eay
ing Reynolds alone on watch: 1t is supposed that in
lighting the candle Gorthrop had either dropped lighted
match or spark among some papers in the Messengers
which is also used storage for the papers
of the department Reynolds discovered the fire in few
minutes thereafter and called his companions down when
they made an attempt to extngush the flames by
of buckets but their efforts of avail, the heat
became intense that they compelled retire
from that portion of the Custom House. when they
the alarm, which became general from the ringing
of the town clock bell.
At about the same time VIM Waits, the watchman of
the post Office, smeit the fire. and proceeded to the Lum
bard street 'front.' where he found policeman Pinde and
to check the flames In short time the entire contents
of the Messengers destroyed, when the flames
swe through round hole about three feet in diameter
on Tn south side of the room, into the adjoining
OF theStati tcal Office, wherein large number of books
contaiing the records of the foreign and American
ports tgether with large number of valuable papers
runnngbaok to 1852, were placed. All these are de
sroyed, With the exception of five volumes of exports
which, np
placed In desk and closet the side of the wall
preserved finn destruction by the efforts of the pipe
man of the Liberty Fire Co, constant stream being kept
thereon.
From this tn flames communicated to the room occu-
pied by the Wahouse Clerks Here the books papers
all either desroyed or rendered useless except in
few asmatters of reference The next office
was occupied by th Deputy and Clerks of Mr.. Bowen
the Naval Officer Here the consequences were most
serious records 6 five years back DESTROYED OF
all the books and papers contained in the Naval Depart
ment none escaped either entire destruction being
l1iph
burned were so charred as to be rendered. for e
part, egble
The private office of the Naval Officer next adjoin,,p
also suffered considerably both by fire and water Al
the furniture in the first named entirely de-
sroyed, whilstn this latter it was seriously dam
aged.
The range of Offices from the Messengers to the
end of the building of frame work, the petition be
tween each only being about ten feet high and leaving
above under the ceiling through which the ame
had As soon as the fire bells communica
alarm, department hastened promptly to
spot for three hours with unceasing
eXertions extngush the flames which had gained such
headway that it threatened the safety of the entire
building. The flames spreading upwards caused the
platerng of the ceiling to fall by which the lath
wood work of the flooring above exposed The offices
the east side of the building not injured by the
fire. the necessarily thrown did little damage
to the books and Beyond this and the breaking
of the window panes other loss will be sustained
Owing the placing of zinc and mortar underneath
the flooring of the second story and the encasng of the
rafters with the metal is to be attributed the
ervaton of the upper stories from any considerable dam
age.
It is impossible the must ensue tt
the from this disaster The of replacing
the books, repairing the building and renishing the
eral rooms, will not fall far short of $4,000, while it will
be have the damaged books transcribed which
will be heavy item of expense As consequence natu
raj to the destruction of vast number of books and
ars considerable will be experienced in h
transaction the business of the Custom House. which
is not improbable that the loss of the records will result il
future expense from litigation, &c
Cllector Mason was summoned to the of destruc
ton as soon possible also number of the at
tachees of the Custom House but they could effect but LITTLE