New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-27

OF TFif DEPARTMENIS-ONLY ONE Ilkt-fhoOi'
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-At the Cabinet
meeting to-day the Secretary OF War and Secretary Of the
1,r.asurv we're designated q Commission to ascertain
whether the several public buildings here aie hrcproO
7, VIII not take the Commission long 70 discover that
none OF them with the possible exception OF the Se
Department are fire proof The disaster at the Patent
Once is one 20 which nearly all the public buildings are
liable II fire should once become started IN them Ihe
exact condition OF the roofs OF the different pubic DUNG
ines according The EpeRng Star wich has gwen the
suhiect thorough investigation, is as follows
The roof OF the new state Department. granite stfuc
tnre IS OF iron covered with sheathugs Of "copper" be-
meath which instead 0i q sheatnug OF WOOD, Is layer
OF concrete patented substance presumed TO be IRE
proof.
The new wing OF the Treasury Department has an iron
roof iuad with the same concrete material the state
Departments II is said to be freproof The oth-r por-
tons OF the building. the older ones, while nav
ing what is deemed in architectural science a
safe roof, ia not hreproof. Ii has layer o.
sheathiug boards OF white pine covered win
conner For LAYER between the roof and the
building there are arches Of corrugated iron In inc
sace under the caves Of the entire building however
tons of Old records are stored. and fire broke out
among them, incalcuahe damage would be done before
its progress could be checked.
The roofs OF the and Navy Departments are OF pine
wood dry almost as finder, and fire which would gain
rds beforc IFS progress could be arrested Under the
caves both stored papers and records the @'c"hu
T9e roof OF the Post-oflco Department IS somewhat
similar 10 the portion OF the Patent Ohcc destroyed ny
between the roo and the lower Il ors These ARGUES
would check the progress OF nrei 3u' ds."cn rs
NJ old papers and records slowed away IN the space
between he roof and the arches, II Is believed naI
FIRE caught them the eXpanS'oA by neat Wo c DC
So great that tne arches would give way t 10 the moor
below and thus give the flames good chance 10 sweep
through and around The huiding -..... +. ,,o 300,
ffr i
Much of is construction is of ron but sheahng boards
covered with copper are used as ayi III an horizons oi
N except that portion occupied by me 1onSt8siolil
library which is deemed to De fire proof Under al lhe
wings however, ike the other buildings mentioned,
flames might produce heat sufficient to cause the dome
TIere is not q public building in this city, with one
.singc exception that can be called aDsoutey nre pIoo
aud with exception there - not one 't I uV'
filled With a magazine Of Under awaiting Only the "ppI
." cdUmtfe consisting Of W. D. Braiuard Amos Had
ley and WIN. b Reed, have been appointed 10 make
thorough INVESTIGATION into tle cause OF 'ue Late le
The commission met at 1890 p 10 lo-iaN. ,.
A large number of uuenpoyod lahorers were IN wait
Ing ont the buid NJ toiav 70 secure employ nent 10
removing tie d'brs Almost lhc enure lo'e' Ci eo ~
paItmcut Is ag in at work. ana tlose not engaged n
Clerical duty are assert NJ ih; records insurance oy
IN, fire TIE members OF the Copying DIVISION VI tile
P4tcut-uiico sent home today but wdi D. put on
duty Just soon rs ,h r 70 m are really Inc Dul-
ing sll closely guarded aud only those having passes
are Admitted.
A DETAILED STATEMENT or WHAT WAS BURNED.
The following is a carefully compiled einent Of the
great Patent OAce lire on the 9th inst, reported by
Ioui. Dagger q Coz Solicitors OF Patents, Washington
D. G.:
IN he North IraH-Thc models u tho following inven
lions wor entirely de. trore; Woodworking a classes
wood screws. wiIcworau- wUor wHee.-' water d'sI-
button. tuuing aud WIRE, stahiug sheet metal se' eis
aud planters, saws, railways Uolf ct~st'i' pumps Pi
Iafies. blows, ores. needles and pins, iai- HHi-
Notwithstanding iseurn cl1s3csh me.ailUf-y, n3i',-
sluCs, harYystcrs, hajrpWs, hardware iua"uil'-
turc, grinding aud polishing, &li"th hnu '',..'li
nlcs d4rv cast ue. brakes and GINS nuts and rvees,
bolts hrc-hyrs Dttls ami closets eatloh "iu n'"H5
AGGREGATE uumb ~ models destroy I'd IN lnS hal, o.
h, he West RW-M dels Of bridges. brushes and
Ing lrcsSe. paving. u,chauical powers ca clu'lu&s
masonry, cuurns, Journals ana De3-l-s eh-u- tIius
models at a Total yllrc of s511,0DO.
Ii ne Easf and SIXTH HGis-Bc. dcs the famous rec'
OF Tie Euiher of Cul country a.u OF ti p1u'9' M .t'
OF the following intentions ESCAPED drstrucuch : We
uc-macniues firearms, lOuus rGr1lug machines, trunks
famine sufgcrt sugar. stills. suals, preserving lo0
patng FAINT optics fats and glue, oils. measuring ~
ftruucnts, mimurcs, leather, zee, hose AAd De
ing horoiOgV. harness, 6unplWdoI, gas ltei
clasps aAd buckic. chcmi a. m.seelianeOds' cdoHt-
clouc, boots and shoes bIeIcuiug ana dy,
has. fine arts, fishing. furniture. games and TOYS,
governors iewolry, H,c.en utensils, kuUunt Hul net
ting lamps ans gasf,ung, Laundry, locks and lic-ics
music. ordnance, paper making, pap'r mtndftctulc7'
photography pr!niiu4, Ooc,!es, safes, shps two
tIs,csl sIlK SPINNING stationery, steam s-oVes ana I-
nace, Toilet umbrellas aud fans, valves, weaving cduca
toual divers and kns. cruOinc aud corsets colda-e
coth builders hardware hook binding Ooats Deds ana
apparel
Tho Gr.t patent was issued TO Samuel Hopkins on
July H. $780, for making not and pearl ashes" Up TO
ls3G-fotysix years-iO301 patents were issued, and
TO date, over 10000 The annual number o. patents
granted Is about 1900 Tue annual receipts are about
100000, and expenditures, 100000.