The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-09-27

A Fire Breaks Out in the Patent Of.
fee at Washington.
Spreading to the Interior Depart
ment and Destroying Many
Valuable Models

The Loss to the Government Thous-
snds of Dollars, Which is
IrrspsrabIe.
| WASHINGTON, September 24.-12 MA
fire has broken out in the model room of
the patent Office and has burnt through the
roof and is now burning furiousiy. All the
engines in the District have gone tothe
| scene.
IN THE INTERIOR OFFICE.
WAsHINGToN, September 1880 p. NJ
The fire still RACES, particularly in the land
Office wing OF the Interior department
building. The heat is intense, making ap-
proach to the fire difficult Doubtless val
liable papers, and records will be destroyed,
many being slowed in the attic The up
per portion Of the west wing on Nineth
street is in flames, which are creeping along
between the ceiling and roof of the north
wing, and Of the main building facing F
street. An immense number of valuable
models
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.
Secretary Schurz and his associates are su-
perintending the removal of files, models
and records. Clerks are removing books
and papers, and organized as guards. The
guard of the District militia is at the main
stairway of the middle room in the centre
of the building, where an immense number
Of models yet remain.
THE FLAMES
first appeared in the conserv atory, near the
roof. There were an immense number Of
rejected models packed in the attac above
the model loom, and it is believed that
spontaneous combustion there caused the
confagration. The land office records are
slowed in the rooms and stories beneath.
UNDER CONTROL.
1:3O A. NAT this writing the fire is I'M
der control, and most of the damage has
been confined to the upper stories. Several
fire companies from Baltimore arrived
about 12:3O. The time from making appli-
ton for them until their arrival in the city,
was less than an hour.
HARD AT WORK.
A government engine from the navy yard
and another from the arsenal are at work |
with those belonging to the city, the Bal !
timore and Alexandria, making total of
ten engines. Strong hopes are entertained |
that the fire will not oxIend below the floor |
of the model room.
THE VALUABLE RECORDS
of the Patent, Land, Indian and Pension |
Offices, as we'll as those of the Interior de- |
partment papers are stored on the first floors 1
OF the building, beneath the model room, and |
mona Oft hau, h taor roaobo1 hy tho l
flames. The heat was SO intense at one |
time that the window frames and awnings
on G street, were ignited, but the fire was
extinguished before making much progress.
THE NUMBER OF MODELS
is variously estimated at from $4,000 to
5000. A number of more important ones
were on exhibition and stored in the west
hall, which, with the north hall, is COM
pletely wrecked and the roofs burned. The
fire, at this time, 80 is confined to the at
tic 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.
THE DAMAGE DONE.
In the Patent Office building are all the
offices OF the subordinate departments ex-
cept the Pension Office. The Land office,
Patent office and Indian office suffer by the
mixing of documents in the effort to save
them. The rooms on the lower floor are
with water. 4 Gordon OF police
has been thrown around the building and
detachment placed inside, while detach-
ment of marines are between the burning
building and the post Office. At 3 o'clock
the fire was confined to the northwest cor
ner and under control |
THE FIRE SPREADING.
$40 p. M.-Wright's building on G
street opposite the Patent Office i. on fire
and two or three houses on Seventh street,
opposite the Indian Bureau, have caught.
The general postoffice has been closed and
public work seems suspended throughout
he city.
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.
The fire originated from spontaneous !
combustion among 4 lot of non-patented
hemical material stored in the attic, in the !,
ninth street front. No fire was made in
he conservatory to-day, nor had any been !.
made in the building. The principal loss
alls upon the Patent Office. The original
Declaration of Independence, and the relics
# General Washington, were saved, as was =,
IlsO Franklins printing press. Nearly all !
he specifications and original drawings of s
he Patent Office
nd from these models can be reproduced, q
necessary. Many clerks Of the Interior
Department, Land, Patent, Indian and
'ension offices have been on duty tonight, t
ssorting papers and books and changing d
IL which have been damaged by water 3
he military are on guard duty at the
uilding, where they will remain until all
he records and public property shall be Il
ecured. None Of the Land Office records
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED Il
y the fire, but many are seriously dam a
ged by water. The records Of the applica- 81
on division of the office which first receives NJ
publications. from patentees, and Of which d
apers no copies were made, were saved. II
he most III
VALUABLE MODELS SAVED 81
ere those relating to sewing machines, II
re-arms, printing presses, locks, o.
lfes &C., models OF reapers, mowers and IL
arious agricultural implements were des-
Dyed. A temporary building is to be
,ected at once. Z,
Il
the building is variously estimated at +
ON $500, 900 to $500, 1000, while that grow 70
q out OF the destruction OF the models Ia
I'd other valuables belonging to the ST
ice is almost incalculable. The Patent m
'ches which formed the ceiling of Al
e second story, and upon which
e floor of the third story rested,
e so badly damaged by heat and water -
mt many Of them must be torn down. r
he marble and outer walls are consider ae
,ly discolored by the flames, and cracked to
many places. 1t is supposed that the or
HAD BEEN sM0ULDERING er
meath the roof, which is not fire proof, for p
me hours before it was discovered. Two y;
three fires occurred in the neighborhood III
the Patent office, caused by sparks from
at building. Loses small.
THE MODELS DESTROYED.
The total number of models DESTROYED
II not exceed 10000.