The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-09-24
T1E:.,LEGRAPHETIC. r E
Photographed to the Rockzssand Argu..l
PATENT OFFICE Ar WASHINGTON ON
FIRE
Valuable Records are Stored in the Attic

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24.-Patent Office
building is on fire. The flames broke out
in the model room, and has burned through
the root aid Is blazing fnriously. All the
engines IN the district have gone to the
scene.
1890 P. M.-The fire is still raging, par
ticularly in the land Office wing. To the
interior department building the heat is
intense, making the approach to fire
difficult. Doubtless valuable papers aud
records will be destroyed, many being
stored in the attic.
The upper portion Of the west wing IN
North street, is in flames, which are creep
ing along between the ceiling and roof of
the north wing and OF the main building
facing K street. Immense numbers of
valuable models have been destroyed.
Sec'y. Schurz and assistants are superin-
tending the removal of files, models and
records. Clerks are removing books anG
papers and organized as guards. A guard of
district militia is at the main stairway.
The fire 10 the patent Office originated in
the MODEL room which is situated in the
centre of the building where an immense
| number of models yet remain. The fire.
men are in the room trying to save them.
The fire first appeared in the conservatory
near the roof. There were an immense
number of rejected models packed away in
the attic above-the model room which are
probably all destroyed.
1.30 P, NJ. The fire is now under con-
troll. The damage is chiefly confined to
upper stories. The Baltimore fire compa-
ny arrived here 10 an:hour from the time of
| making applications for them. The gov
| ernment engine from the navy yard and
| another from the arsenal, are at work with
| those belonging to the Baltimore and
Alexandria, making total number of 10
engines. Strong hopes are entertained
that the fire will not extend below the
| floor Of the model ROOM The most valu
able records of the Patent, Land. Indian
and Pension officers, as we'll as those OF the
Interior department proper are stored
on the first two floors of The build
ing 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 avn.
ings on q street we're ignited, but the fire
was extinguished before making much
progress.
| WASHINGTON. 2:30 P. NJ. Sept "a
| Patent office models, estimated number
i $4,000 to $4,000, some OF more important
were on exhibition and storage In West
Hall, which, with North Hall, is complete
lv wrecked, and the roofs are burned
The FIRE is now confined to the attic OF
East Hail, from which nearly all model,
have been removed to the lower floors
The loss of rejected models will De very
great to the government
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-ln the Paten
office building are the offices subordinate
to the Interior department, except tht
Pension Office, Land Office, Patent otice
, Indian Office which suffers by the pixiDl
Of documents in effort to save them
: Many rooms on the lower flnor are covered
With water 4 Gordon ut police has GeeI
J thrown around the building and a detach
ment placed inside, while detachment o
: marines are between the burning building
and the post Office.
: AT 0'clocG the fire was coufued to th
northwest corner, and under control.
At $40 P NJ. Wright's building on {
: street, opposite Patent Office is now on fir
. and two or three houses on 1th street
s opposite the Indian bureau have caught
s The general post Office has been closed an
public work seems suspended through ou
the city.