Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-01-25
IGCAL NEWS.


"a co.'s enat the AIe WoulQ DC restricted to the
! upper portion OK the center Of the building,
/ proved to be correct and the first floor with
the exception OF the towers) ana Inc east and
| west wings escaped unscathed.
The fire. 1t Is now believed had been smoul-
derng for some days in the cockioft at the
| west end of the main building, over the picture
gallery; as, when it burst forth, q large portion
| Of the roof was Immediately enveloped in
stove put up in the picture gallery, the pipe OF
which was placed in fiue in tho south wei
now appears that there was q Iv.s. an
ming directly INTO this fiue.
| Inc Workmen had just completed the re-
hanging OF the pictures, and few minutes
| before the IRE was discovered Prof. Henry,
with several OF the officers, had been in the
| room.
There were but four or five pictures saved
from this gallery, as we stated Yesterday an
the valuable statue the Dying ct Iadiator. "a
| copy by John Gott.) belonging to J. O. Nc
CURE, ESQ.,, was found to be utterly ruined,
the roof and timbers, which fell on it, crushing
| 1t into pieces, and the heat converting it into
| limestone.
The books and records in the Regents room,
over the south door OF the building, including
the effects OF the founder of the Institution,
james Smithson, consisting Of silver plate,
&c;,) the library Of Bishop Johns, Of Virgins,
and the Beaufort, s. c., library, which were
FACED In the Institution BY the Government
for sare-keep1ng were totally destroyed. It Is
possible in the ruins the metal may yet be
found. The sarcophagus, brought from Be-
riut, in hyria, ~ Com. Elliot, for President
jackson, in 1899, which was on the east side Of
the south entrance, was damaged, some of the
rubbish and portions OF thu tower railing and
breaking it.
After the hre had burnt out the west room of
the building and the lecture room. the flames
spread to the apparatus room, east o. the lee
ture room, where there was among OF her ap-
paratus, the large collection presented to the
Institute by Dr. Robert Hare, Of PhiladeIph %,
most of which was destroyed. There were
strong efforts made to save this apparatus
which were only partially successful, some Of
1t being unwteldy. Some that was got out was
broken, and many of the pieces are missing
As yet it is impossible to tell how much Of
this apparatus is lost.
The Offices over the north front entrance
were subjected to very heavy heat Destroy
Ing, with but little exception, all the CORES.
pondence of the Institution, a large number Of
back reports, &c Some Of the KEYS and metals
were found this morning melted together and
the floor OF the room was filled with the
charred remains OF papers to the depth of a
foot.
The safe in the regents room annesrs IN
have been subjected to heavy heat but il is
not yet been touched, and OF course 1t is not
known whether the contents are intact There
Is large pile OF smouidering ruins yet cover
ing it.
The prompt measures taken to secure the
safety or the articles in the museum by placing
sentItes In different portions prevented any of
them being removed. Nothing, we believe, was
removed, and nothing in this part of the build
ing rs damaged, unless by water, which at one
inches. few specimens We're, however re.
moved from the taxidermist's room, some of
which cannot now be found while others are
mutilated. One man was seen coming from
the building with specimen OF a bird under
MS arm, but he seeing that chain OF sentries
were stationed round the building, very cooly
DroKe on the mead and pocketed it and threw
the body away
The express companies Of our city and sew.
eral private individuals sent their convey.
ances to the grounds, with the hope OF aiding
n ri 10 los n 1..,t,t
from the building, but unfortunately there was
but little for them to do
The chief OF the Ordnance Bureau sent his
force to endeayor to aid in extinguishing the
flames, and the Postmaster General sent his
clerks for the same purpose.
The police were quickly on the spot, headed
by superintendent Richards and Assistant Su-
perlntendent Read, and rendered efficient SER
vice IN removing goods, &c;
A force OF the Veteran Reserve Corps were
also on the ground, and yet remain about the
building
The firemen were quickly on the spot, but
worked under some disadvantages, owing to
the excessive cold weather, but to them, in q
great measure, is due the safety of the east
wing.
Besides the valuable apparatus presented by
DR.. Hare, Of Philadelphia, destroyed, there
was full set OF pneumatic instruments, OF
superior size and workmanship, constructed
expressly for the Institution, by MIR. Chamber
for illustrating wave motion; large electrical
machine; Page electro. magn etic instrument,
DC. There was also in this room large Fres.
mol lens, such as is used in light houses, and
various instruments for the illustration of
light, heat, sound, dia. magnetism, &C. Also
German steam electrical machine, imported
structed by o. Isenlohr expressly to order
The effects produced by this machine were
wonderful. 1t consisted principally Of a tu-
bular steam boiler resting upon glass columns,
two thirds filled with the purest water, which
being heated, produced pressure OF steam
high pressure, was allowed to escape through
very small openings The electricity was thus
produced by the friction OF the particles of
water against the inner surface OF the orifices
OF the jet pieces, through which the steam is.
sues. This machine charged battery OF six
teen large Jars in thirty seconds. Also, large
electrical machine on an elevated platform.
This machine was constructed by DR.. Robert
Hare, Of Philadelphia.
On entering the grounds this morning we
found the building closely guarded by soldiers,
but employees Of the Institution. The police |
Of the Seventh Ward were also on duty all |
night. Much of the furniture OF Professor |
Henry, which had been removed, had been |
brought back and was being put to rights, |
while persons were engaged in the ether rooms |
In the east wing in gathering up the scattered |
building was not in the least injured, although |
the staircase leading from the Professors |
apartments 20 the apparatus room was several. |
times in flames. On ascending to the apparatus |
room nothing is to be seen but the bare walls |
and pieces Of the instruments broken and de. |
streyed lying about the floor.
The lecture room is Quilted completely, and |
The fire here m ust have been fiercer than In any |
oIher portion OF the building, lined as it was !
with wood work. The picture gallery presents |
about the same appearance. The Offices north |
Of the lecture room and the Regents room |
south have not yet been entered, but it can be |
seen that everything they contained has been
destroyed.
The towers On the north front appear to be
cracked, and some Of the walls are warped. A |
large portion Of one Of the towers on the south
front fell yesterday afternoon. Some OF the
Instruments near the offices, and some that
were placed outside, were taken into the iani-
tors room, on the left OF the north door, where
they were destroyed by the falling OF the fioer.
ing from above. The library in the east end
was uninjured, and much OF the apparatus
having been stored below also saved.
There was no insurance on the building or
effects.
While the fire was ragil ", Detective Bigley
arrested in Professor HenFy's room a man who i
was ''pieking things up, and took him to po-
lice headquarters, where he gave his name Is
JOseDh Dodge. and Fas lacked nm for a hnsr~