The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-10-02

The U. s. Government Patent
la Office Burned,
And Models and Records ofincaIcu.
liable Value are Burned or
Otherwise Ruined.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2i.-The Patent
Office building is on fire. The flames
broke out in the model-room, burned
through the roof, and arc now blazing
furiously. All Of the engines in the
District have gone TO the scene.
2;30 p. m.-The FIRE still RACES, par
ticularly in the Land Office, wing OF
the Interior Department building. The
heat is intense, making the approach
to the FIRE difficult Doubtless many
valuable papers and records will be de-
stroyed, many being stored in the at
tic.
The upper portion Of the west wing
! on Ninth street is in hamer. which are
creeping along between the ceiling and
the roof OF the north wing, and OF the
main building facing + street. An inn
mense number OF valuable models have
been destroyed.
Secretary Schurz and assistants are
superlntesding the removal Of tho files.
models and records The clerks are re-
moving the books and papers, and some
have been organized as guards.
A guard of District militia Is at the
main stairway Of the model room in the
center building, where an immense
number of models yet remain. Fire
men are in the room. endeavering TO
save il.
TIE FLAMES FIRsT APPEARED
in the conservatory near the roof.
There was an immense number OF re-
iected models packed in the attic above
the model-room, aud il is believed
spontaneous combustion there caused
the conAagration. The Land Office rec
ords are stored IN rooms two stories
beneath.
The most damage has been confined
to the upper stories. Several fire com.
panies from Baltimore arrived about
1890 The time from making applica-
tion for them until their arrival in the
city was less than an hour.
A government engine from the navy
yard and another from the arsenal are
at work with those belonging to the
city Of Baltimore and Alexandria, ma
king total OF ten engines.
Strong hopes are entertained that
the fire will not extend below the floor
of the model room. Most OF the valu-
able records OF the Patent, Land, Indi-
an, and Pension Offices ,.as well as those
OF the Interior Department proper, are
stored on the first floor Of the building
beneath the model room, and none OF
them have yet been reached by the
flames.
The heat was so intense at one time
that the window frames and awnings
on q street were ignighted, but the
fire was extinguished before making
much progress.
The number OF models are variously
estimated at from 90, 900 TO 5000. A
number of the more important ones
were on exhibition aud storage in the
West Hall, which, with the North Hall
is completely wrecked and the roof
burned.
The fre at this time-230-' con.
fined 10 the attic Of the East Hail, from
which nearly all the models have been
removed TO the lower floors. The loss
in rejected models will be very great to
the government.
Is THE PATENT OFFICE BUILDING
are the offices subordinate TO the In.
terror Department, except the Pension
Office. The Land Office, Patent Office |
and Indian Offices suffer by the mixing
Of documents in the effort to save them. |
Many rooms on the lower floors are
covered with water.
A Gordon Of police have been thrown
around the building, and detachment
placed inside, while detachment Of
marines are between the burning build
ing and the Post-oflice.
AZ o'clock the fire was confined 10
the northwest corner aud under con-
troll
Bl0p. m.-Wright's building on q
street, opposite the Patent Office, is
now on fire, and two or thr0e houses on
Seventh street, opposite the Indian
Bureau. have caught. The general
Postofice has been closed, and the
public work seems suspended through.
out the city.
WAsHIssroS, Sept. "a, Q p. m.-The |
fire originated. from spontaneous com
bustion among lot Of non-patented
matter stored in the attic on the Ninth
street front No FIRE was made in the
conservatory to-day, nor had any been
made in the building. The principal
loss falls upon the Patent Office.
THE ORIGINAL COPY oF THE DECLARATION
or ISDEPESDAScE
and relics Of General Washington were
saved. as was also the Franklin print
ing press. Nearly all the specifications /.
and original drawings OF the Patent
Office are safe, and from these models
can be reproduced il necessary. Many
clerks Of the Interior Department, Land
Patent, Indian, and Pension Offices
have been ordered on duty tonight as.
sorting papers and books, and drying
all which have been damaged water
The military are on guard duty al the
building, where they will remain uptil
all the records and public property
shall be secured. None OF the Land
Office records have been DESTROYED by
the IRE, but MANY were seriously dam.
aged by water. The records Of the ap-
phcation division, the Office which frst
receives applications from patentees,
and of which papers no copies were
made; were saved.
rHE MOST vALUAmR MODELS SAVED
we're those relating TO sewing machines,
firearms, printing presses, locks safes,
etc, Models OF reapers, mowers, and
various Agricultural implements were
destroyed. A temporary room will be
erected at once. The damage 10 the
building is variously estimated at from
1900, 900 10 $500, 900, while that growing
out Of the destruction OF models and
other valuables belonging 30 the Pat
ent Office is almost incalculable. The
arches which formed the ceiling Of the
second story, and upon which the floor
OF the third story rested, are so badly
damaged by heat and water that many
Of them must be torn down. The mar
BILE Of the outer walls is considerably
discolored by the flames and cracked
in many places. IL is supposed that
the ere had been smothered beneath
the roof, which is not fre-prooi, for
some hours before il was discovered.
Two or three fires occurred in the
neighborhood Of the Patent Office.
caused by sparks from that building
Loss small.
THE SrcfBKR OF MODELS DESTROYED.
The total number Of models destroy
ed exceeds 90, 900.
TIVE PATENT orFrcr BruDrxo