The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-10-04
THE FIRE IN THE U. q, PATRNT
OFFICE.
GfeA7 obstruction or Models, ana EHcavy
s-s>= 5y t50 Government.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

much of the work connected with the
department of Interior is performed.
covers two squares. 1t measures Asa
feet from east to wete, GSl feet from
north to south, and has an elevation of
75 feet. The building contains 191
sHome, and cost about s2.700,00o. TWAS
commenced in 1887. Four halls on the
second floor compass the whole extent of
the vast building, and have on exhibi-
ton every model OF every patent issued
since 1885, both foreign and American.
numbering about 10000 models. This
part of the building is what is called the
"Museum of Models"
PATENT OFFICE ABLAZE-AssIsTAN NCE
FROM BALTIMORE AND OTHER CITIES
| HOW 1T ORIGINATED-sCEEEs AND
INCIDENTS.
About IL o'clock this morning On un.
usual column of smoke q as noticed over
the west hall, arising from one of the
chimneys, whs': sooH thereafter the cry
of fire was heard ell over the neishbcr.
hood. The fire department did not re.
spond as promptly as 1t might have dor ).
something more than fifteen minutes hay-
ing elapsed before the fire engine arrived.
This was stationed ON 9th street, between
L and G streets, and about IL O'Clock
the first stream of water commenced ifs
play. The next engine was stationed on
corner Of 9th and F, and the hose hois-
TED up on the roof of the south hall.
The fire originated in the attic that runs
5dst under the roof along 9th street front,
which has been used as store room for
something near $4,000 rejected models
and some thirty tons of drawings and
specifications. The flames we're carried
with the greatest rapidity all s,ong the
whole side of the building, and at about
1915 the entire roof over the west hall
fell with most tremendous crash. At
this time the fire had its own way in the
model room, where !. spread with the
greatest rapidity. Columns of fire arose
and threatened all buildings in the
neighborhood with immediate destruc-
ton. The large and extensive Offices of
Louis Bagger & c.. one of the most
prominent patent agencies in the city of
Washington, located right opposite the
Patent Office, had their entire stock of
models removed for safe keeping, and
the heat was so intense in their Offices
that the workmen employed in removing
the books, files and articles of value be-
longing to inventcrs experienced the
greatest dinicnlty il doing their work.
Luckily, however, t.e wind changed to
the southeast, and the danger of The de-
structioH of the LIE Droit building was
removed, and the fire confined to the
Patent Office building, which, with this
change of wind, was entirely covered,
with the exception of the south hall. In
the meantime, however, several engines
were playing with marked effect upon
the roof Of the south hall. and succeeded
;l saving il ana the many valuable and
historic relics kept there-such as Wash
ington's war swords, presented to him by
various foreign potentates, his plates and
dishes, the cane willed to him by Ben
Franklin, his military uniform, Frank
Inns printing press, &C., &c. The origi.
nal declaration of independence was also
saved.
NARROW ESCAPES.
August Petersolm, Of the firm of G. 4.
Snow & Co, patent attorneys, was one OF
first in the scene of disaster, and while
attempting to enter the room where The
fire was first discovered, with one OF
hapcock's fire extinguishers, came near
being killed by the falling of the western
roof. James Morris, of No. engine,
was nearly dragged into the fire at the
same time as he fell down suffocated with
smoke.
BALTIMORE RENDERiNG AID.
| When it became apparent that our fire
department was insufficient to cope with
the devouring element, Secretary Schurz
telegraphed to the Mayor of Baltimore
for help. The fire department. responded
at once, aud the first engine arrived soon
after one o'clock, having made the run
from Baltimore to Washington in thirty.
two minutes.
SOLDIERS ON GUARD.
! Shortly after one o'clock detachment
of U. s. Marines, of about one hundred
men, were placed at various points in
and out of the building to guard the
government property. The model room
or the upper part of the building, con,
tained perhaps the finest collection OF
models in tho world, which It is impossi,
Bile to replace. as many of them date
hack to .4e es:i;' a=;s Js :: AZ. ...s Pa.5a a.51.
Office. There was also on this floor large
numbers of maps and valuable drawings
These all being in wooden cases, the fire
spread rapidly from one to the other
The floors of the building are on. brici
arches, aud consequently the lower par
of the building was not reached by Chi
i ers, but the water played sad havoc with
The books and papers below.
TIE on4.lrN np TIE FIRE
Many reports as to the origin of the
FIRE were circulated. The one that wal
generally credited at first was that Tia,
fire started in che Green House on tn.
top of the roof by the rays of the SUI
II cr,,,;,,r ts.,,,,c,L fha ,,i,.. ,o,s .,b;al