The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1877-10-17
GREAT FIRE In WASHINGTON
Partial Destruction of the Patent Office
Damage to the Buildings, 100000
TO 100000.

Washington, September 24.-The Patent Office is
on fire. The flames broke out in the Model Room,
burnt through the roof, and are blazing furiousy.
All tie engines in the district have gone 10 the scene.
An immense number of valuable models have been
DESTROYED. Secretary Schurz and assistants
experimenting the removal of the files and records
and are removing the books AMI papers, and have
organized guard at the main stairway of the Model
Room. in the centre of the building. where an i'm
mense number Of models yet remain. The hremen
are in the room endeavoring to save it, The flames
first appeared in the conservatory, near the roof
There immense number of rejected models
packed in the attic above the Model Room and 1t is
believed that spontaneous combustion there caused
the conhagration. The Land Office records
stored in the rooms two stories beneath.
p m.-The FIRE has extended to the north wing,
one-haf of which is fire. The whole west
wing is of flames The Model Department
with the models is partially destroyed.
Several fire companies arrived from Baltimore at
1890. The time from making the application for
them until their arrival in the city was less than
hour.
extend below the floor of the Model Room. The
most valuable records of the Patent, Land, Indian
and Pension Offices, we'll those Of the Interior
Department proper, stored the two first floors
of the building, beneath the Model Room, and none
of them have yet been reached by the flames.
The number Of models is variously estimated at
from so 600 to $4,000. number of the more i'm
portant were on exhibition and stored in the west
hall, which. with the north hall, is completely
wrecked and the roof burned.
IT, the Patent Office building are the Offices sub
ordinate the Interior Department except the Land
and Pension Offices. The Indian Office suffers by the
mixing of documents in the effort to save them.
Many rooms the lower hoOr are covered with
water A Gordon of police have heen thrown around
the building. and detachment; placed on the inside.
while detachment of marines are between the burn
| ing building and the Post Office.
At 8 o'clock the fire confined to the northwest
| corner and was under control.
ORIGIN OF TIE FIRE.
The FIRE originated from spontaneous combustion
among lot of non-patened chemical matter stored
in attic the Ninth street front. The principal
loss falls upon the Patent Office The original copy
of the Declaration of Independence and relics of
| General Washington were saved: also, Franklin s
| printing press. Nearly all the specifications and
| original drawings of the Patent oflce were saved.
and from these models be reproduced, if neces-
sary. None of the LAM office records were des.
| troyed but many were seriously damaged by water
The records of the Application Division. the office
which first receives applications for patents and Of
| which papers copies made were saved. The
most valuable models saved were those relating to
sewing machines, FIRE arms, printing presses locks,
safes etc Models Of reapers, mowers. and various
| agricultural implements were destroyed. temper
airy room will be erected at once.
THU DAMAGE
To the building is varously estimated at from $500
600 $500 900. while that from the destruction
models and other valuabes belonging to the Paten
office is almost incalculable. The arches which
formed the ceiling of the second story, and upor
which the floor OF the third story rested, bad
ly damaged by the heat and water that many mus
be torn down. The marble the walls il
considerably discolored and cracked. 1t is supposed
that the FIRE had been smouldering beneath the
which not fre-proof, for some hours before il
was discovered.
Two or three fres occurred in the neighborhood
! caused by sparks, bat the loss was small
The total number of models destroyed will not CT
coed so, Gee.