Evening star., 1877-09-25
THE EXTENT OF THE FIRE.

Inc nre was c1rcumScrlDed WlIl1n the
walls of the north and west fronts. Begin
ming about the center of the west front il
burned both north and south until it came
In contact with the north wing, the contents
OF The upper part OF which IL consumed.
though several of the cases were considera-
bly, scorched. The damage by water, how
ever, throughout the building is considera-
Die. The rooms Of the north front were well
deluged with water and nearly all the car
pets have been ruined. The water has per
oolated through the marble sides and col
umns in the east wing and required con-
slant moppiDg of the floors to-day to make
them passable.
THE CoMBUSTIBLE ROoY-wORK.
There has been a good deal of criticism
concerning The roof of the west and north
wings. and it seems to be well merited. To
look upon The debris collected within them,
without contradictory evidence, IL is plain
lhat II was eiher firepToof possessed
even the clements of first class wooden
building. The model room ce ling was suo-
ported by heavy iron girders, but above. the
entire work was of the lightest white pine.
The combustion of the pine rafters, braces,
and sheathing boards, produced so much
hest that when the copper roof fell into the
Debris upon them, the grder' gave way, pre-
cipltating the whole mass upon the teSa-
lated floor below. TIE roof was slanting in
shape. Upon the flimsy pine rafters was
lald th1n pine sheathIrg boards, covered with
thin copper. The raiteTs were supported Dy
pine braces extending from the iron girders
below In fact the waole space of the a tic
was but tinder- box in itself, and made
duuhIy so by the SjOrage in il OF the most in
Ham6bie material For several weeks there
has been il tho west attic a strong smell of
gas, The source OF which could not he or was
not discovered. This escape of gas doubt
les added 70 the rap!dlty with which the
flames made headway.
The south and east wings of the building
are differently Constructed, strong brics
arches supported by heavy pillars forming
the roof of the model room. The roof To the
building Is supported by the same light pine
al Es
Tie roof OF these wings burned, the arches
would have protected the model room and
prevented the fire from falling in upon them.
10 save these wings II was therefore only ne
cessary to prevent the fire entering frOm the
Vest and norjh wings through the archways,
which afforded means OF communication.
TheSe archways were but about fifteen feet
wide aud twenty feet high, and at these
points shielded by the side walls. the fire.
men were enabled to fight close, carrying
their hose almost directly in contact with the
fire.
THE WALLS.
AD examination of the walls of the west
and south wings develops the fact that they
ale so badly sprung by the heat that they will
have 20 be taken down, at least as far as the
window sllls OF the main story, possibly TO
The floor. This is the opinion of several who
nave made an examination. There are other
expel l., hc wever, who think, tn, V al Intact
and the only repairs that VIII be necessary
Will be 10 the inner walls OF brick.
NOT YET DECIDED.
Later In the afternoon reporter of THE
STAR saw Secretary schurz, who said ne
had not yet decided whether to move the
Land Office to Wrights building or not.
Com missioner Williamson says the building
is too small, and ii may be deemed best to
move the Indian Bureau into Wrght's build
ing and give the Land ONCE the vacated
rooms.
INCIDENTS OF THE PATENT OFFICE FIRE.
AT p IN. large force of labOrerS was en-
gagged in mopping up the water which was
pouring down in floods into the lower rooms
of the north and west wings.
IN the midst of the excitement when clerks
anu other employees were engaged ia remov-
tbg mOfelS, books, papers, &c, Secretary
ScHuTZ, " ith the GOODNESS Characteristic OF
him, walked out of the building, and dis
coz cred thar the greatest danger to the main
story vas tue possibility of iire being COM
muulcated through the windows by the avn
ings, and he al once gave orders to have them
cut Gown. They were at once torn down,
~ q this pTecauIlOu undoubtedly saved the
entire building from destruction.
Secretary SchurZ saws that when A Asslst
ant Secretary Bell told him there was fire
IN the building. he at once repaired TO the
Srot, where be found number of the lady
employees quietly chatting as TO what there
was in that portion of the building to burn.
He had been of the opinion that the roof was
supported by iron girders, and that there
was nothing combustible about il. Looking
in the dire ction of the skylight he saw what
appeared 10 be stream of black or muddy
water sweeping over the skylight, but as
nothing dropped through, it instantly oc
CURED to him 1t was smoke, and that the
ceiling was on fire, and what he had SUD-
box.
AT the direction of Secretary Schurz re-
past for the hremen and others who had been
engaged IN subduing the fire in the Interior
department building, was prepared and
served In the basement rooms OF the build
ing at about p. m.
The library rooms of the department were
hooded, and the frescoing was destroyed TO a
great extent, but none OF the books were in
jured.
One of the models rescued was the original
Elias Howe sewing machine.
During the afternoon our hard working
nTemen and police were refreshed at SchWiDg
ClaI ke's on the invitation of Mr.. Gatchel,
of the Metropolitan Police Commissioners;
and the Baltimore fremen At Mrs. Stolps,
corner of 9Th and q streets, while many pri-
vate houses furnished an abundant supply
of coffee. &c, for the workers. The firemen
and police managed 10 accept these hospi-
taliticS by the relay system.
The house of Mrs. Gushing, on 4th street.
between and Il streets southeast, was en-
tered and many valuables carried of during
The excitement OF the are.
During the afternoon Mr.. W. w. Co-coran
called upon the Secretary with reference TO
renting 10 the government his building cor
ner 18th and + streets.
Ex Governor A. X Shepherd did good ser
vice at the Patent ONCE fire, directing and
assisting the action of the workmen. His
form was conspicuous on the roof.
Fire Comm issi toner's Reed, Bacon, Hume
ard Stewart rendered good service In assist
ing the firemen.
What Chief Engineer CrOnin Says
Chief Engineer Cronin arrived about 70 III
minutes after the alarm was struck. He
says: companies 2, l and 4 arrived almost i'm
mediately in the order named, and no time
was lost in placing them in the most advan-
tageOus positions. The hook and ladder
truck had been broken and rendered useless
while going 10 the fire Sunday morning.
The other truck, which was the one brought
into service, was an old one and had not
been used for six months. It's ladders had
been discarded because OF their dilapidated
condition. The endeavor to raise the lad
deIs to the third story windows at the corner
OF 9th and + streets, resulted in their break
ing while raising them. The roof to this
building. which was supposed to be fire.
proof. was made of q thin layer of pine
boards and covered with q light cooper
sheathing. Under this roof, whicn was laid
on wooden joists, there was a space Of per-
haps nine feet down TO the brick arches which
rest upon iron girjers. This space was in
most Dlaces filled in with uapars ani nnata-