Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-09-24

lurOWn out OI danger.
SECRETARY sCHURz,
Assistant Secretary Bell, and other promi-
nent officials were inside and outside during
the fire directing the movements OF the fire.
men.
THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
The fre is now cat lis p. M burning In
the northeast upper corner of the building,
but is wholly under control. and Will not
probably extend further. AS IL is IL has
burned out the upper story on two sides-the
Slh streets wings.
THE Loss.
IL is OF course utterly impossible TO even
approximate the loss to the govern ment.
Thousands OF valuable public documents
have teen DESTROYED, and the most of the
model room Of the Patent Office destroyed
The model room contained about 800 900
models, and was the only nEgtution of the
Kind in tho world. The vaiis still stand
nrnl, and there is no danger OF their falling.
The loss 10 the building can be repaired by
congressional appropriations; but IL is the
loss which cannot be calculated, which
makes il a we're one. The aoiel room was
a vast stOrehOuse of illustrations of the in
VentiNe genius of the American people
scientist, philosopher, and artiZan. This
fire Will curtail good deal Of litigation for
inventors, ana gives blow TO inventive
genius from which it will require years to
recover.
THE WRIGHT BUILDING IN DANGER.
The Wright building, corner sth and &
streets, came very near being destroyed.
The awnings caught fire several times and
mad II not been for the vigilance OF Col. II. &.
Cox, Pension Agent, who occupies rooms on
Inc lower Huor OF the building, and MS en-
pIOyes, the entire building would have been
destroyed. As soon as he discovered the Ire
and saw the dense volume of smoke forcing
itself through the roof, Col. Cox concluded
that the fire would be a very destructive one.
aud immediately placed the valus able papers
OF his Office in hIs safe and sent his pension
books 10 safe place OF deposit up town. \
number of business men on CUB and u streets
aito sell thelL books away, fearing their de-
stTuciiOn by fire.
THE SCENES ON THE STREET.
At halfpast II O'Clock the fire was at its
height in The Patent office. The scene was
one OF awful grrndeur. The cold, classic
outline of the building was warmed up with
a background of seething flame, curling
Kissing, darling first hers and there. Ia king
no fixed course, but devOuring everything
within it's reach. From each of the heavy
windows on the 9td and street fronts there
were sheets of flame, curling upwards until
lost in volumes of smoke, swept away by
the wind, Thousands were upon the street,
rushing here and there. Policemen were
frantic in their efforts to stay the surging
Thong of Humanity encompassing The build
ing, and, despite their efforts TO keep the
crowd back, many people encToSched with
in he ropes, much TO their own discomfort,
and TO the annoyance of the hard-worklng
firtmeD.
Toward one O'Clock the outlook for a COM
municatiOn of the flames along 7th street
was quite OmiDOus. Taking time by the
forelock, and anticipating the worst, some
OF the clothing merchants begaL moving their
stock toward IL street, where there was COM
parative safety.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
Approaching the gravity OF the situation,
Col. Timothy Lubey, water registrar in
order to give the fire department an album
dant supply of water, caused the stops of the
3G-inch main on New Jersey and MaSsachu.
Cd
20 inch stop on Capitol Hill SO as TO give the
department the whole force OF uae large main
During The fire most OF the restaurants in
the vicinity OF The confisgration were closed.
a lew remained open, however, and did
rushing business.
I:f5 p. M.
The fire a. this writing has extended to the
center of HE eth street front, aud is now said
20 be under control. The wind has varied a
little to the southwest, which is in favor of
he hremen. Up to this time it has been
aga DFt them to such an extent that all they
could do was to chase the flames as they
made their devious circuit round the entire
building.
To prevent the crowd from encroachins to
such al extent as TO impede the operations
OF the firemcn, ropes were stretched across
he street at all points of approach TO tue
building.
AT 1:4I O'Clock battalion of United Slater
mar'n's were stationed in front OF the city
post Office entrance to make free ingress and
6SISSS lneTeiO- Wnlcn fid1 been ODStfucteI.
THE DAMAGE BY THEY'RE
will be almost wholly confined 10 the model
room and It's archives. Ali the papers per-
tanning TO the other bureaus of the depart
ment remain intact.
THE CALL OK BALTIMORE FOR HELP
When 1t became apparent that our fire de-
partment was insufficient TO cope with the
devourtng element, Secretary Schurz teie-
graphed TO the mayor of Baltimore for help
Later, Assistant Secretary Bell requested
the District commissioners 10 send TO BaIti-
more for aid, and Comm ssioner Bryan al
once sent dispatch To the fire department of
that city 10 send over all the iremen aud q D
Earatus they could spare.
FAST TIME.
TIE first fire apparatus from Baltimore ar
rived here soon after O'Clock, having made
The run from Baltimore, 1t is said, in the un-
prece denied time of 81 minutes.
On the Sth aud + street wings of the build
Ing The fire las been completely eXtia-
Other Baltimore engines left that city al
les, but haze not reached the fire a. 2:31.
Zee Hydrauiine steamer from Alexandria
came u on the boat, aud got in service at
about l O'Clock, her hose being carried To the
top of the soul end of the east front,
Inc g9yernment navy yard steamer, in
by Dan Johnson at the plug "A: the north west
corner OF the Post Office building, rendered
valuable service.
THE MARINES.
Shortly after O'Clock detachment of u
s. marines, 81 men, in command of Capt.
Nokes, arrived on the ground, and another
detachment of about 40 men, under Capt
Collier, came shortly after, and were placed
al various points in and about the building,
10 guard The government property.
A SEARCHING INVESTIGATION TO BE Or
DERED.
There is good deal OF speculation as to
how the fire should have gained such head
way In building presumably f1reproOf, and
supposed to be under the jealous vigil of
scores OF watchmen and attendants in the
model room. 1t does seem strange and
there can seemingly be no excuse for the
Charge of criminal carelessness with some
one. Secretary Schurz will make q most
searching investigation.
The Origin or the Fire.
A great many reports as to the origin OF
the fire were circulated. The one that was
most generally credited at first was that the
fire started in the green house by the rays of
the sun coming through the glass roo., which
made focus and ignited some cotton which
vvc avo1a