Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-10-01
THE PATENT OFFICE FIRE.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE MONITOR. I

he coun try, over the world. The Unit
d States Patent Office in which is. or
vas, preserved the models of nearly two
hundred thousand inventions, patented |
n this country mainly during the last
fifty years, is passing away before the
nexorable flames.
Your correspondent, who was an eye
witness to the fire from the moment of
its discovery, will try to give you a
graphic description thereof, as complete
as the confusion at the present moment
will admit of.
At 11:3O a. m. slight commotion
was observed on the corner of F. and
9Th Street and almost simultaneously,
the cry of "Fire" "Fire" was heard.
A small cloud of white smoke was heav-
ing over the western wing of the Patent
Office, so small as to attract scarcely
any attention, until Officials of the
Patent Office were seen rushing out up
on the roof. The top story or the loft
of the building, directly under the roof,
was occupied as store-room for print
ed copies of specifications and drawings
of patents, and under that was the we'll
known model room occupying the en-
tire upper main floor of the four wings
forming the Patent-Ofice. Under the
roof of the west wing was arranged
conservatory, in which flowers, INTENDED
to adorn our public parks and squans
were reared. 1t was IN this hot house
that the fire originated, perhaps many
hours before being discovered and, fine
ing plenty of combustible material
among the old papers and rejected mod
els on the loft, it soon spread and was
finally discovered. An alarm was in
mediately turned in and an engine
promptly arrived. Nobody however,
seemed to now where tho fire was or
how to find means of access to the bum
ing portion of the building. An at
tempt was first made to bring the hose
up the stairs but this proving impracti-
cable it was hoisted up upon the roof.
| But whether owing to misfortune or to
bad management the hose twisted
and before the mistake could be cor
rected the flames shot through the roof
to the CONSERVATION of everybody as up
to this moment no real danger had been
anticipated. Three minutes later the
masonry articles which supported the
roof gave way, burying in their fall al
least six unfortunate people (amone
whom two ladies,) who unconscious Of
danger had ventured into the work hall
of the model room. At this momen
the destruction commenced. The win
dows gave way in an instant. and tn
wind blowing from the southwest swep
the flames through the whole length 0
the hall-275 feet-and into the Mort
Hall in which they were soon beyon
control From the north-the fire.,
spread to the east hall In which 1T
finally at this moment being checke
by the united efforts of all the Washing
ton engines, four from Baltimore an
one from Philadelphia, the assistance {
which was called for Immediately upo
the fall of the roof.
Of the buildings surrounding tn
Patent-Office the ale Droit Building,
located directly opposite, was at OF
time thought in danger, and Lou
Dagger & Go. Patent Agents, who's
Offices are in the upper part of the built
ing made preparations for removing IL
models and valuable papers in the
hands belonging to Inventors, to a pla'
of safety. That such precautions we
not wholly in vain was testified by IL
fact, that not less than three building
in the vicinity took fire and were almo
totally consumed.
The loss in the Patent Office can
yet be only roughly guessed at, bu
!. besides fifty thousand rejected mode
!. and over sixty thousand of printed spe
; ifcations aud drawings stored on t
, loft, it is safe to say that not less tn;
seventy-fve thousand models of patcr
ed inventions are wholly destroye
mainly embracing the classes of agl
cultural machinery. Metal Workin
Saving machines, Weaving and Spi
ming and Land Conveyances Fortu
ately the Records and original DRAWN
are saved though in somewhat damag
condition.
q q 80 this moment return from
; survey of the burnt portion of the bull
f ing, in which the flames are sufficient
e under control to premit of approach,
). is sight never to be forgotten: I
n vast national which has been for yes
It the pride of the nation is reduced to |
Il tie more than shapeless heap of G
}. ders. But it is by fate or Providenc
It The south wing in which was preserv
II the relics of George Washington a
,e Benjamin Franklin is the only one
\. touched In the other, garlands
N molten iron balusters from fune
as wreaths over the genius of hundI
a thousand inventors.
c. 1t is impossible to say more in t