Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-09-27

out III TIE tiipuel ROOM, ouFhS through tile
roof aud is blazing furiously. All the en-
gines In the District have gone to the
scene.
THE FIRE GAINING HEApwAY.
o'clock.-Au immense crowd Il on the
streets I'm the vicinity OF the Patent Office
building. The iiremen are working vigor-
ously. having succeeded in getting their
hose through the windows Of the upper
story of the main building. bus In spite OF
their efforts the flames seem tn be making
Roadway, and while the whole OF the up
per portion OF the west wing on 9Th street
Is being burned, the flames are also creep
ing along between the ceiling and roof OF
the north wing and TO the main hnilding
facing on r street. An inmcuse number
OF valuable models have been destroyed
At this time 1t IL impossible TO estimate
the loss. Schurz and assistants are super
the removal of flies. models and
records to places Of safety.
REMOVING AND GUARDING PROPERTY.
A guard of District militia Is at the en-
trance to the main stairway leading TO the
model room In tue centre OF the building
In which an immense number of models
yet remain. Firemen are in the room d.
recting efforts for protection, but the posi-
ton is one OF great danger Relays of
clerks formed in the east wing leading
from the upper to the lower stories, are
books and papers. The clerks
are also acting As guards for the protection
OF property. There is no definite idea as
10 how the fire originated. The flames
first appeared In the conservatory near
the roof, where an immense number OF re-
jected models were packed, and il IL be-
lieved spontaneous combustion took place.
The Land Office records are all stored In
the rooms two stories beneath the FIRE.
THE INTENSE HEAT.
2P. M.-Portions OF the wing on 9TH
street aud the East wing will probably be
saved. and strong hopes are entertained
that the hre will not extend below the
floor of the model room. The most valua-
bic records OF the Patent, Land, Indian
and Pension Offices a. well a. those OF the
Interior Department proper. are stored on
the first two floors of the building and none
have yet been reached BY the flames. The
heat was So intense a. one time that the
window frames OF buildings on q street
opposite. ignted but were extinguished
The Government engines from the Navy
\ ard and another from the Arsenal are at
work, with those belonging to this city.
Baltimore and Alexandra, making a total
of ten engines.
MODELS AND RECORDS LOST.
An important feature Of the fire is the
destruction OF works Of invention In the
character OF iunumerable models DESTROYED
together with the records belonging TO
them. There is no opportunity TO form
any iiea OF what is los, except In q eener-
al way. The number OF models l. yari.
ously estimated AT from so OoJ TO 5000,
comprising contrissnces of every charac-
ter. The greater number OF more import
ant models were on exhibition aud storage
in the west hall OF the building, which As
well a. the north hall Is completely wreck
ed. Proofs are burned, cases with models
arc gone. and that part OF their beau
iiful aud spacious building is one scene
OF ruin and demolition. The fire is
now confined to the attic Ia the upper
rooms OF east hall from> which nearly all
models have been removed To the lower
floors. The loss In rejected models will be-
very great 10 the Government.
ALL THE OFFICES HAVE sCrHArp
to some extent by the confused coma lion
In which various documents belonging 10
save them. Many rooms on the lower
floors also are covered with water. 4
large police force surrounds and occupy
the building.
EFFFCTs or TIE FIRE.
WASHINGTON. sept. 2i-6 L. M.-The
fire is exclusively confined 10 the north
west corner OF the building aud Is under
control. IL Will be long time before the
different officers and divisions OF the De-
partment Will be able TO resume work In
regular routine order. There is coniu sed
mass OF papers and documents upon the
III ain porch OF the building fronting on +
street These are all under guard aud but
few will De lost, bat u 4ii DC The work oil
months before the important papers eau
be extricated from IN. debris. The public
business will be greatly retarded as will
also many public individuals who have
important business before the Land and
Patent office. The marble walls OF the
building stand intact all around the i'm
nense building, but on two sides Of il the
entire contents are entirely destroyed.
There are various theories as TO the origin
OF the hre. IL Is generally believed that Il
originated III the green house, located At
the southwestern corner OF the building
beneath the roof and above the model
room, a fire having been kinded In the
stove 10 this conservatory this morning,
the first time this season, and there being
some defect In the iue the woody ork near
II ignlted. Others say the cotton stored
in the conservatory was fired By the heat
Of the sun through the glass. The wind
being from the southwest carried the
flames rapidly along the 9Th street front
aud thence along the q street wing.
ANOTHER STORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE
FIRE.
Evening-ChIef Clerk Lock God OF the
Interior Department states that the fire
originated from spontaneous combustion
among a lot of patented chemical material
stored Ia the attic on the 9th street front
He declares that no lire was made In the
Conservatory to-day, nor in the building.
THE PRINCIPAL LOSS
from the fire falls on the Patent Otlce.-
In the west hall where the models are all
destroyed, were many PERTAINING tn presses
OF various kinds. hoisting machines. land
conveyances, games, toys, railroad and car
inventions. Among the models la other
portions OF the building saved were those
relating 10 electrical apparatus. chronome-
tiers, cutting machines, heating contrivan-
ces and an original model of the Howe
Sewing Machine.
FURTHER EXAMINATION FOR LOSSES.
An original copy OF the Declaration OF
independence and the relics OF Gen. Wash
ington on exhibition in Che hall of the main
building were saved. as was also the
Franklin printing press. Since the flames
were subdued late this evening and the
officials have had an opportunity to make
hasty examination 1t was found that
nearly all the specifications and drawings
of the Patent Office are safe, and from
these can be reproduced If necessary.
INJURY TO THE LAND OFFICE RECORDS.
None of the Land Office records We're
destroyed by fire. but many were seriously
damaged by water and il will take some
time to restore them. The room wherein
the original drawings Of patents were kept
had Q very narrow escape. The records OF
the application division W ere saved.
AODKLs SAVED.
The most valuable models saved were
those relating to sewing machines, fire.