The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-09-25
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
The Patent Office Burned.
10000 Models De-
strOyed
EntaiIing an Incalculable Amount
of Loss.
The Fire the Result Of Spontaneous
Combustion.

the upper story of the main building, but in
spite of their efforts the flames seem to be
making headway, and while the whole of the
upper portion of the west wing on Ninth street
is being burned, the flames are also creeping
along between the ceiling and roof of the north
wing, and that of the main building, facing on
+ street. An immense number of valuable
models are destroyed AT this time it is ina
possible to estimate the loss. Schurz and his
assistants are experimenting the removal of
the files, models and records to places of safety.
A guard Of the district militia is at the entrance
of the main stairway leading to the model room
in the centre of the building, in which an i'm
mense number of models yet remain. The
fremen are in the room directing their efforts
to protection, but the position is one of great
danger. Relays of clerks are formed in the
east wing, leading from the upper to the lower
stories, removing books and papers, The
of the property. There is no defaite idea as to
how the fire originated The flames first ap-
peared in the conservatory near the roof, where
an immense number Of rejected models are
packed. and it is believed that spontan eous
combustion took place. The Land Office rec
Ords are all stored in rooms two stories be-
meath the fire.
2.3O p m.-Stroug hopes are entertained
that that the fire will not extend below the
floor of the model room, The most valuable
records of the Patent, Law, Indian and Pension
offices are destroyed.
One important feature of the fire is the de-
struction of works OF invention. Innumerable
models have been destroyed, together with the
records belonging to them. The number of
models burned is variously estimated from 50,-
600 to 70 000
There are ten engines at work playing upon
the flames The greater number of more i'm
poitant models were On exhibition aud storage
in the west hall Of the building, which, as well
as the north hall, is completely wrecked. The
roofs are burned, cases with models are gone,
and that part of the beautiful aud spacious
building is one scene of ruiD and demolition.
The fire Is now confined to the attic in the
upper room of the east hall, from which nearly
all the models have been removed to the lower
floors The loss in rejected models will be
very great to the government. Everything is
Low in confusion, and it is impossible to form
a complete idea as TO the sun total OF destruc
ton. In The Patent Office all offices subordi-
nate to the Interior Department of the govern
ment, excepting the pension offices, are located
the land office, patent office, Indian otfice,
with the multitude of important books and re
cords occupying great space in the vast mar
BILE enclosure. All the offices have suffered to
some extent by the confused condition in
which the various documents belonging to
them have been brought 10 the effort to save
them. Many rooms on the lower floors also
are covered with wat r A large police force
surtound and occupy the building
3p. m.-rhe fire is exclusively confined to
the northwest corner of the building and il un-
der control. 1t will be a long time before the
different offices and divisions Of the depart
ment will be able to resume work in regular
routine order. There is a confused mass of
papers and documents upon the main porch of
the building fronting on street. These are
all under guard and but few will be lost, but it
will be the work of months before the impor
taut napers caa be- extricated from the debris.
The public business will be greatly retarded as
will also many Individuals who have impor-
taut business before the land and patent
offices. The marble walls of the building
stand intact all arouad the immense building,
but on both sides OF it the entire contents are
entirely destroyed. There are variousssi enries
as to the origin of the fire. 1t is generally be
Iieved it originated in the green house located
at the southwestern corner of the building i'm
mediately beneath the roof and above the mo-
del room, a fire having been kindled in the
stove in this conservatory for the first time this
season, and there being some defect in the fiue
the wood work near it Ignted. Others say thai
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 G street wing.
Wrigbt's building on G street opposite the pa
tent office is on fire and two or three houses on
Seventh street opposite the Indian bureau have
caught. The general post office department
has been closed and public work seems to be
suspended everywhere throughout the city.
Evening Chief clerk Lock wood of interior de-
tan GUS combustion among a lot of new patent
ed chemical materials stored in the attic of the
building on the Ninth street 'front.' He de-
blares no fire was made in the conservatory to-
day nor in the building. The principal loss
from the fire falls upon the patent office. In
the west hall where the models were all de-
stroyed were many pertaining to presses of va
rloas kinds, hosting machines, land convey
abces. games, toys, railroad and car Inventions
Among the models in other portions of the
hnIl linn UnH rn1at oil
apparatus, chronometers, cutting machines,
heating cootrivances and also an original model
OF the howe sewing machine. An original
copy of the declaration of Independence and
the relics of Gen. Washington on exhibition in
the ball of the main building were saved, as
was also the franklin printing press in the
same hall.
Since the flames were subdued late this eve
ming. and the officials had opportunity 10
make hasty examination, it was found that
nearly all the specifications az original draw
ings OF the patent office are safe. and from
these models can be reproduced if necessary
Many clerks of the lpterior Department
Land, Patent, Indian and Pension offices are on
duty tonight preparatory to asserting papers
aud books and drying all that are damaged by
water. 1t is said that arrangements are al.
ready in progress for renting portion of the
Corcoran fire-proof building at the corner of
Pennsylvania avenue aud Fifteenth street. in
which the work of the department will be
resumed and the records restored as far as
possible. Soldiers are on guard tonight at the
Patent Office building aud will remain till all
the records and p1bc property are secured.
Secretary Schurz aud a lumber of prominent
oft Gals remain at the building tonight super
intending the moving of the debris aud replace
ing of the records. None of the Land Office
records we're destroyed by fire, but many were
seriously damaged by water, and 1t will take
some time to restore them.
The room wherein the original drawings of
patents we're kept had very narrow escape
The records of the application division were
saved. The most valuable models saved were
those relating to sewing machines, firearms,
models We're seriously injured while being re-
moved, but can be repaired.
This evening Secretary Schulz had con-
ference with Architect Clarke OF the Capitol,
and Supervising Architect Hill Of the Treasury
in regard to the construction OF a temporary
roof for the building. Plans will be prepared
i'm mediately. L. is said that an immense
amount of litigation will grow out of the dis
aster, as the law in regard to Specifications and
models was not complied with until few years
past, and many models cannot be replaced
accurately. In the matter of reissue of patents
destroyed the model is necessary, and this will
result In litigation, especially in cases relating
to reapers, mowers, and various agricultural
implements. all of which were destroyed
Sixty workmen Tonight commenced to re-
move the debris from the Ninth street and G
street wings. The damage 10 the building is
variably estimated at $500, 900 to $780, 600, while
that growing out of the destruction of models
and other valuables is almost incacuabe. The
arches which formed the ceiling of the second
story, and upon which the floor of the third
story rested were so badly damaged by heat
and water that they must be torn down and
new ones built The marble of the outer walls
is considerably discolored by the flames and is
cracked in many places by the heat The roof
OF the building was not fre-proof, and was
by wooden rafters, upon which rested
q sheathing of white pine boards, the whole
being covered with "copper" There were no fire
walls IN tie roof to arrest the progress of the
flames.
Chief Engineer Cronin of the fire dena,t-
nent expresses the opinion that the fire had |
been smoudering beneath the Roof some hours
before it was discovered. |
The reports that several other fires broke out |
~ the CITY simultaneously with that at the |
Patent Office, and that they were the work of |
an lDcendlary, is untrue. Two or three minor |
hres occurred in the ueighborhood, caused by |
sparks from the Patent Office fire, but the loss
s small.
The Superintendent of the Patent Ofaca
building tonight estimates the number of |
models destroyed at $4,000. Prominent build |
RS, who have made hasty examination of the |
inter walls of the structural denlara that tba1