National Republican., 1877-10-05
ANOTHER scENE At THE PATENT
OFFICE.
AMER the FIre Comes the Flood.

hs III 10 throw doubt upon the report Of the
board Of survey, composed OF such eminent
engineers as Gen. Mcigs, Messrs. Clark and Cluss,
whose conclusions were printed in TnE REruBrI.
CAN oil yesterday, the heavy marble slabs forming
the pancling over the northern portlco Of the In
terror Department came down with crash about
O'Clock yesterday morning These slabs were
about six feet IN length two three feet wide and
from twelve to fifteen inches thick. The fall was
about thirty feet, and ns they struck the solid
frantic blocks forming the floor below they were
stones bounded OF on to the tagging below crush.
ing thc Thin stones like nie crust The crash was
terrinc. and led the watchmcn about the building
10 pciieNe the whole wing was falling
CAUSE OF THE FALL
An examination Of the broken fragments leads
" the belief that the heat from the fire produced
assures In the blocks, which when the rain came
h,lcd up, and caused the whole to fall. The action
Of the fire and water upon these slabs has led 10
the very natural inquiry whether the effects Of the
same cIementS upon the marble in other portions
OF The building has not been equally destructive,
be ordered
NO PRECAUTIONS TAKEN.
Notwithstanding the unprotected condition Of
the building no provision had been made for the
security oI nc books and papers In the rooms un.
the time the Department closed nt night and opcned
IN the morning, and when those engaged in the
wings, occupied by the Patent and Land offices,
reached the building Yesterday morninv tbev
found the water trcklIng through the ceiling and
running down the walls upon the books, papers
furniture, and in short time the trcklng became
streams, nni as the force Of the storm Increased
the streams made
ALMOST DELUGE.
1t was soon evident that the rooms were untena.
bic, and nm order for their evacuation was given.
Then followed scene Of confusion hntwHE hardly
second to the hurry and scurry on the day Of the
hrc Chairs tables, desks. SOFAS, bookcase books,
nNnpfS files models Is md a NJ
thing else conservnb'c were hurried out and piled
IN In the halls and rcceSscs Of the two remaining
wings from hnecment To model. ROOM The water
stood two inches deep on the stone floor and labor
er were busy sweeping water from the rooms into
the hail, and along the hall to some place where II
could run OF, and thus prevent II going through to
the basement
LAND OFFICE RECORDS DAMAGED.
The books and files Of the Land Office which es-
capped damage during the fire. were very consider
ably damaged by water yesterday, from the fact
going through the halls where ihe water was pour.
Ing down a. freely as II only the dripping clouds
were overhead
THE NORTH WING
was even worse than the west and the Patent
Office nennlc were compellcd 10 wndn The halls
with the shower pouring down from above until
they were wet through from crown to sole. OF
course, the papers removed under such circum-
stances were badly wet and soilcd.
THE SECRETARY CENsuRED.
StTtllTN SCnnrL WIS very generally cciiSnrrn by
officials and outsiders for having permitted ten
days Of favorable weather to pass without either
vnCating the premises MS urtcnAhlc or putting n
Temporary roof over the burnt portion, The long
delay, which, Il was alleged had hccn spent by
his engineers In determining whether the caves
should be ~" or "S',shapel was pronounced in.
cNCusablc. Could the distinguished head Of the
Department have heard all that was said about
him yesterday he certainly wonli have reached
the conclusion that, however eminent he may he
aS statesman, as n practical builder he is not a
JuCcoss
THE BUILDING UNSAFE.
The are indications nf insecurity IN the north.
western portion Of tho building that led N mn order
for that portion to he wholly vacated and notwith
standing the declaration OF the board Of survey
that the walls were safe danger line was cstab.
lishcd from the north centre to the west end and
embracing two rooms on the west wing and men
were stationed to warn people that It was unsafe 10
the ceiling indicating seams In the arches. and
cracks along the base Of the arches. showing an |
inclination Of the walls Of an inch In the frst ten
feet from the main floor The exterior wnlls show
like DETECTION, hut Il is probably due to the effect
of expansion by the heat and Is not really danger
ous at this time. The greater danger Is from the |
falling Of the plaster on the ceiling and possibly the
tumbling In Of some Of the arches cracked and |
weakened by the fire and watci. |
THE ROOMS UNTENABLE. =
II Is plain that the rooms evacuated Yesterday |
cannot he safely reoccupied for long time II per-
Getty stable, the p'astcrng will fll in many places
and the walls have become 80 saturated with water
that II will he dangerous tn the health Of the occ
pants to attempt to use the for business for
some time to come.