The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-09-29
GREAT FIRE IN WASHINGTON.

A hire broke out on Monday morning, caused
by spontaneous combustion, in the attic over
the Patent Office Museum, in the Interior
Department building, Washington. The fire
spread throughout the north and west wings
ef the spacious building, destroying them
almost completely. The greater part Of the
models in the Patent Office Museum have
been destroyed, whilst the business Of the
Patent, Land and Indian Offices is seriously
embarrassed. The fire burned all day aud
caused heavy losses, several adjacent build.
ings being also damaged. The loss on the
Interior building is estimated from S30O, 900
to $500, 900, and on adjacent buildings at
$40, 800 additional. There is no means Of
estimating the loss on the Patent Office mod.
els, about 10000 of which are destroyed, but
this loss is very large.
The Baltimore Fire Department despatched
several of its engines to the assistance Of the
Washington firemen. The distance Of forty
miles was run in "a minutes. The Washing.
ton associated press despatch gives the follow.
ing account OF the disaster:
The disastrous fire resulted in the destrue.
ton of about one.half of the Interior Depart.
ment buildings, which occupy two SQUARES,
and extend from Seventh to Ninth and from
L to G streets. The buildings consist of four
wings, quadrangular in form, each wing being
about eighty by three hundred feet, with an
open court Of about one and one. half acres in
the centre. The basement and first or main
floor are occupied by the Secretary of the In.
terror, Land Office, Indian Bureau and Pat.
ent Office, the last named office occupying
about two'thirds Of the entire building. The
model room is located on the third floor and
consists Of four grand halls opening into each
other and atfording apromenade of about one.
fourth of mile around the four sides Of the
quadrangle.
The fire originated in a loft of the west
wing over the model room. This loft has
been used exclusively for storage of rejected
models, aud was not open to public inspec.
ton. The rejected models were packed in
the loft on staging and shelving. The eAtire
room was thanked with these wood supports,
and pine tables were crowded together along
the entire length and filled with models. In
addition to this inhammable mass the braces,
rafters and other supports for the roof were
composed Of pine wood.
As nearly as can be ascertained, the fire
originated in this grand collection of Combus.
tlbles, at about 1l.30 a. m. No access could
be obtained TO the loft save by narrow and
crooked stairway. A large tank of water
stood outside the south end of the attic but
this could not be reached because of the ra.
pidity with which the flames spread, and it
was necessary to travel at least five hundred
feet before water could be obtained to throw
upon the flames. The height of the attic
above the street being eighty feet, made it
impossible for the Potomac water to rise
within twenty feet of the floor upon which the
fire originated.
The loft was seldom visited, and never with
light, and no fire has been in that portion
OF the building for over two years. The the.
DRY is that the fire originated from spontane.
Gus combustion caused by rejected chemical
compounds, of which large quantities in the
shape Of specimens we're stored in the loft, or
from the accidental placing of some model
having burning glass or lens in such posi-.
ton that the sun shining through the skylight
covering that portion Of the building iguited
the punk which everywhere abounded.
About twenty minutes elapsed from the
time the fire was discovered until the first
stream of water was directed against it, and
by that time the entire upper floor Of the west
wing was enveloped in flames, which hurried
through the windows and roared through the
roof with a fierceness that threatened the de.
struction Of the entire buildings. The DELAY
in getting water to the flames was owing not
SO much to the lack of promptness on the
part of the fremen as to the difficulty ofreach.
ing the fire.
Hose had to be raised TO the third floor,
and secured through FIVE hundred feet Of cor.
ridors before water could be thrown upon the
fire. Large blocks of glass were placed in
the floor of the attic to permit light to pene.
trate the model room below, and this soon
melting, the fire dropped through and ignited
the large wood and glass cases which filed
the room, of which there were two hundred
each being eight by four feet, and each being
filled with models of patented inventions
From this time it was utterly impossible to
do anything to check the devouring element
in the west model room. In ten minutes after
the first engine began to throw water there
was an acre Of fire sweeping over the entire
west wing.
The hremen, seeing the hopelessRess Of
saving the west wing, directed their efforts to
the south wing, which is the original building
In this wing were placed the Washington re.
lies, valuable souvenirs presented to various
Presidents by rulers Of foreign countries, and
about forty thousand models of patented in =.
ventions. These were all removed under d.
rection Of Secretary Schurz, the relies and
souvenirs being taken to his own office. The
wind fayoring the fremen, they were enabled
to keep the flames from spreading to the south
wing.
In the meantime, however, the flames, as.
sisted by south breeze, communicated TO the
north wing and spread with great rapidity
east along G street, about one. half the entire
length Of the wing, before they were checked
The floors of the model rooms, composed of
solid masonry, prevented the flames from
penetrating to the lower floors, but they were
deluged with water, which soaked through and
did considerable damage to many Of the pub.
lie records
1t was two o'clock before the fire was
checked, and by that time two acres of models
and furniture had been destroyed.
The number Of patent models destroyed is
from sixty-five thousand to eighty thousand
These embraced all models in metal working,
wood working, agricultural implements of ali
kinds. Models in civil and mechanical en-.
cheering, mills, carriages, wagons, and mo.
dels pertaining to railroading, hydraulic,
pneumatic, and portions Of models belonging
to various other classes. Among the models
destroyed is that for the original cotton gin,
invented by Levi Whitney. The models OF
sewing machines and looms were much dam
aged, but mainly from water.
About one hundred thousand models are
iutact III tue ooutu anu west W1ngH. these
embrace all modelsin toys, fine arts, FIRE arms,
ships, stoves, lamps and gas fixtures, leather
working, printing and paper, furniture, philo.
sophical instruments and builders hardware.
1t is estimated that about two lifths of all the
models 10 the office we're destroyed.
The Patent Office library, of thirty thousand
volumes, is uninjured. A miscellaneous Ii.
brary, belonging to the Interior Department
consisting of seven thousand volumes, Il
somewhat damaged by water. The written
records Of the Patent Office are uniniured
The records Of the Land Office we're hurried
out in great confusion and are in worse condi
ton than those ofthe Patent Office, although
none Of them were touched by fire.
Secretary Schurz this evening summoned
the firemen to his room, and in a few appro.
pirate remarks thanked them for the efficient
service which they had rendered. He was
vociferonsly cheered.
Many Of the clerks Of the Interior Depart,
ment, Land, Patent, Indian and Pension off .
ces, have been ordered on duty tonight pre-.
paratory to asserting the papers and books
and drying all which have been damaged Inv
water. 1t is said that arrangements are al.
ready in progress for renting a portion Of the
Corcoran iireproof building at the corner Of
Pennsylvania avenue and Fifteenth street, in
which the work Of the department will be re-.
sumed and the records restored as far as nos.