Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-27

bank OF Boston.
COMBINATIONS By THE SENATE.
Tne ronowing nominations were confirmed In the
senate yesterday, in addition to that OF Minister
sargent. mentioned elsewhere: VIM. NJ Bum, of
Philadelphia, Pa to be governor OF Idaho territory
sumner Howard, OF Michigan. be chief justice Of
the supreme court OF the territory OF Arizona: Wm
A. Taylor, of Texas. to be collector OF customs for
and the territory Of New Mexico: Elliott s y Nor
gan, or Cheyenne Wyoming. to be secretary OF
Wyoming; VIM. II. Daniels, of New York, To be
in the state OF New York; Lieut.. Col. Thomas IL
Casey. to be colonel corps OF engineers; Lieut. Col
John g. Parke: to be colonel corps OF engineers;
Second Lieut. Robert d. Reed, jr., 10th regiment
cavalry. to be first lieutenant; also number OF
postmasterS
MINOR NOTES.
committee OF the employees under the door
keeper OF the House, composed OF MesSrs. Ryan,
MOler and COakley. had hearing before the COM
mlttee on accounts to-day in behalf OF their pet-
spokesman, and presented the facts in the case.
1t Is understood that the committee will take
prompt action in the matter.
The BOynton-keifer committee expect to be able
TO make their report this week.
The bill providing for the allotment Of lands In
Severaty to Indians in the various reservations
passed by the Senate yesterday.
Mr Miller, OF California, reported In the Senate
from the committee on foreign relations yesterday
Of opium
A number of witnesses in the Danvtlle investiga-
tlon arrived at the Capitol this afternoon
Fire in the New Department RuDdinx.
BURNING OF THE NEW ELEVATOR OF THE WAR DE-
PARTMENT
Fire was discovered In the upper floor OF the War
department building about half-past O'Clock last
night. and general alarm was turned In, which
brought the whole fire department to the building
and also great crowd OF people The fire was dis
covered to be In the elevator car The upper part
OF the building was soon filled with dense smoke
which Increased the difficulty OF getting at the fire
The car and the shalt were badly damaged before
the lire was extinguished.
The loss from the fire is estimated at $1,000 The
elevator car, valued at $4,000, was entirely con-
su1ned, while the shaft and walls damaged to
the extent OF about $780,
CAUSE OF THE FIRE
There Will be an investigation as to the cause Of
the fire, although the officials are satisfied on that
point from the representations made by the two
elevator conductors. The car was standing level
with the attic floor, having Just been repaired II
was TO commence running again to-day, and yes
snd o Se Ses IN
USED TO rub with was placed In a box under the
seat. The waste was ignited by spontaneous COM
cushion, and the nre soon attacked the woodwork
OF the car Nobody will be held responsible.
THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED
Dy MI. Samuel Hodgkins, chief OF the record di.
vision, War department, and Mr.. NJ r. Thorp, chief
OF miscellaneous supplies. They both reached the
department shortly after O'Clock to DO some extra
burning. The watchmen had noticed the smoke
but were unable to locate it. The smoke was thick
est In the neighborhood OF Gen. Sherdans of1ice on
the hrSt hoor, but there were signs OF fire After
searching In the basement and other floors the fire
was located in the elevator shaft at the top OF the
building. MesSrs Hodgkins and Thorp. in the
dark. succeeded In attaching the hose on the top
floor and as they were about to put the fire out
was found that there was no water, and it then
became necessary to turn In an alarm Before the
fire department responded the steam pump I'm the
basement had been started. and a stream was play
Ing from the department hose Nothing could burn
but the elevator car the entire building is fire
proof The heat was intense, and the plasterng was
Cracked by 1t. The room next to the elevator shaft
Is full OF valuable records. and II the walls had not
been fire proof very disastrous conflagraton would
have followed.
1t is noteworthy that no damage was caused by
water.
THR PREPARATIONS
which had been made for just such emergencies as
this proved to be OF no avail at all 1t seems that
there are stand pipes inside the building. one on
each wing, with an outlet on each story, with hose
and coupling near each outlet, but yesterday men
were at work making repairs On the boiler and
engine. Therefore the fire under the boiler was out
and the engine was not in working order, and the
hose could not be use.'. The watchmen attached
the hose to the coupling and attempted to turn on
the water but no water was there This was the
condition OF affairs when Chief Cronin arrived He
had to go to work and get his to carry his own
hose from his carriages the fifth story before lie
could get water to the fire, which he used with such
moderation as to do actually no damage TO the
building or the records by water. He soon had the
fire under subsection and eXtinguShed IL. Had
this building been constructed with stand pipe
coupled with ladder placed In the court yard one
for each wing OF the building. with couplings TO
match the hose couplings Of the city engines, and
an opening each f0or inside as at the Navy
department. there would have been no trouble at
all The apparatus constructed In the War depart
f1remen among the government clerks, amounts to
very little indeed In case OF real hrSt-clasS fire.