, 1873-07-16
FIRES.
Destructive Connagrations in Louisyillc--'
lid Asked from Cincinnati and
indianapolis.
Fire in the Navy Department Build
ing at Washington.

CINCINNATI, O., July 16-Iho Tire Enginoor,
Mogruo, Of this city, ut 10 minutes past 13
O'Clock received o dispatch from Louisville
stating that great fires had brolaen out in fvo
places in that city, and high winds
were prevailing, and appealed for mid. At noar-
" l O'Clock two enginos aro starting
down from here by tho Short Line Rai1road. 4
Slender adviceB from Louisville ropreuont flros
noar tho Public Library and Louisville 1Iotol.
Loulsvf1LE, Ky, July 1G-2 q. m.-Thsre were
fonr ilrcs tonight. The losscs aggregate over
Special D'*patch to Tne Chicago 7rt6unc.
WAslI1NaToN, D. g.. July 16.-Tho only thing
that has occurred here for several months to
arouse the people from their apathy WAS the
briof sensation creatod by the 1re iii tho Navy
Department building cnrly this morning. As
soon rs it boca1no known, howoyor, that the coll
lagration was tho result OF q spontaneous COM
buHtion and not OF incendiarisni, that tho actual
losB would probably not o1eoed $t5, 900 or $780,
600, aud that comparatively few documents and
been destroyed, tho interest diod out, and tho
affair il already noarly forgotten. The damage
to the building il slight, although tho flooring,
ceilings, walls, and doora OF tho third and fourth
stories in tho southwest corner aro burned, and
the roof ut that place fs rendered worthloss
Most Of the damage waa caused by flooding tho
southwest portion with water. Only O. low
weolss will bo consumed in entirely repairing the
Htluctuse. NoHb VI tuo 1ocoIua VI tue HhE u
1872, aud only few of tho lato war, were dam
agod. This fro demonBtratos tho faao economy
Of Congress in failing to provide suitable
and Are-proof buildings for ut least
the more important departments Of tho Govern
ulent Something like lalf-a-milion dollars arc
expended yearly to provide quartorH in this city
alone for the Federal Departments, among which
III the State Department building, for which
$15, 900 per year rent is paid. This odifco is
considered porfoct tinder-ho1, and III the eyout
Of fire it would, owing to its peculiar construc-
tlon, be entirely destroyed, md with
it the original papers Of WASH
ingto,t. Jefferson, Jay, Madison, mud
Al0nroo, togethcr with copies Of tho Constita-
tion of tLe United States and all tho originals
Of the lnwB paBBud Bnco tho formation Of the
Government. In addition to tho above, nll tho
material comprising our diplomatic history
would be lost forever. Tho nrchivea of tito Pom
sion Office arc i'll u structure moro nnsafo, il
possible, thal the State Department building.
NASHVILLE. July l5.-I'he residence Of NJ.
morning ut o'clock, hi1neof aud family barely
escaping with their lyes. Loss, s3,00o; cover
cd by insurance.
SpIt1NuFIELp, N1aBg July 15.-Tho house md
barn Of L. s. h1onaon, ut Wlately, including
forty toua Of tobacco md twenty-five tons Of
hay, 1yo COWS, Lwo hogs. and Turning 1nateriaB,
wcro burned carly OH Tuesday morning. Loss,
fro was aet by tramp.
MEn1pEN, Conn., July ia fire ut West
Merlden, this Afternoon, destroyed tile stoan,
p!aruts:mill, etc., Of Lyon, Billiard j. Co., valued
at $4,000, insured for 3l7,O00, and many small
shops and tenemeuts. Total loss, S50, 900.
PlrEsBunoH, July ia lamp exploded about
u o'clock last night in tho foundry Of McNisl, 4
building. The loss III estimated at 3l,5o0; no
| INSURANCE,