Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-08
THE GREAT FIRE OF 1877.

situation, the fight was kept up increasingly by
the fire department, the officials and clerks and
hundreds of volunteers. Lines Of hose were
run up the sides Of the building and over the
roof. Holes were cut and floods of water
poured into the upper stories. In the corridors
the work OF removing the files and records to a
place OF safety was carried on with unfagging
zeal.
SAVING VITAL RECORDS.
The draftsmeu's division, containing the vital
records Of the patent Office. from its situation
directly under a portion of the west wing of
the model room was in especial danger. Two
ventilators run from this room directly up to
the burning portion of the building. Down
these ventilators soon came q shower of live
Goals and molten metal. The clerks however,
were equal to the emergency and while one en-
pioye stopped one of the apertures with coal
scuttle another held a water cooler over the
other, while willing hands labored to remove
the priceless property.
AN EXCITING SCENE.
The scene when the fire was a. its height was
intensely exciting. The corridors we're
crowded with men working desperately to save
property. Books. papers, Office furniture and
models lined the halls of the lower floors The
smoke, the long black lines Of hose running up
the stairways and the streams of water that
came pouring back, all added to the excitement
OF the occasion within, while the Gordon of
smoking, throbbing engines, the armed guards,
the roped streets and patrols Of mounted po-
lice framed in by the background of dense
crowd Of excited people, all combined to form
picture which will not soon be forgotten.
THE CRISIS OF THE FIRE.
The crisis of the fire was reached about
o'clock, and for time it looked as if not only
would the building be destroyed, but that the
opposite houses on G street would soon be in
flames A brisk breeze from the south had
driven the flames around the west hall and in
one moment the fire seemed to spring through
the root from 9Th to 9th streets, whole block in
length. The opposite buildings were in great
danger and police were busy wetting the roofs
of the buildings on G and 9th streets and in
tearing down awnings and infammable mate
rial. The flames curled far over the ihouses
on G street and the heat and violence and the
noise created something OF panic in the crowd.
The breeze. however, soon moderated, the fam
ing roof fell in and danger to the opposite
houses was averted.
THE DESTRUCTION CHECKED.
Soon after this it became apparent that the
flames were being slowly but surely subdued
and that the eastern end of the north hall
would be the main sufferer. The clerks now
began to replace the property which had been
removed and all night long the faithful en-
ployes, aided by the detachments of regular
soldiers. marines and city militia, labored to
repair the damage and protect the exposed
property.
TIE SCENE AT NIGHT.
The scene during the night was an interest
ing one. The tired spectators had gone to
their homes, but employees we're still busily at
work. All night long the iremen remained on
guard, and sentries paced up and down before
the entrances. Streams of water were kept con-
tinually PLAYING on the still smoldering cinders
In the model room. Inside the building during
the night the corridors presented CHASTITY APP
pearance, long lines of tallow dips casting fit
full glare over the scene, while the clerks
splashed around in ankle deep water, which
poured in streams down the stairways
In the morning the building presented con-
fused and dreary picture. The corridors still
Hooded with water, while Office furniture, books
and papers were piled in dry places in the
utmost confusion. The work of putting to
right. however, was kept up with tre-
PartmeIt was transacted in q large measure as
usual.
THE DAMAGE TO THE PATENT OFFICE.
With returning order came time to sum up
the damage. 1t was found that aside from the
damage to the building the patent Office was
almost the only sufferer The roof the model
rooms and contents on the west and north
sides were completely destroyed. In these two
halls were ", 600 models, among them being
several thousand pending and issue cases, the
loss of which fell upon the inventors. The loss
OF the rejected models was not serious, as their
disposal had been question of some difficulty.
About 40 900 sets of photo-lithographic copies
OF drawings had been destroyed by fire and
water Thirty patented drawings were among
the losses. Many books were destroyed and
necessarily large amount Of incidental dam
age done by ire and water.
CONFIRMATION FOB EMPLOYEES
The officials, clerks and employees around the
building deserved and received the highest
praise for their conduct during the exciting
day and night. In a message of the President
to Congress he said:
''The GOODNESS and energy displayed by Mr..
Gardner. principal craftsman, in the manage
ment of his force and care of invaluable re-
cords in his charge merit special commenda-
tions to his division. where no one was allowed
to enter except employees of the Office. All the
drawings were removed in their portfolios as
well as all files Of rejected applications. and
we're subsequently restored to their places with
out loss.
I'm fact. the only losses hitherto discovered
OF books and papers, save by fire, appear to
have risen from the intrusion Of unauthorized
persons, who threw them from the windows or
otherwise removed them in apparent wanton-
ness.
Indeed, cannot speak too highly of the
conduct Of the officers, clerks and other en-
ployes of this bureau during this most trying
emergency. They have made the interests Of
the office their own, and by night and day,
through fire and flood, have been. with few
exceptions, faithful and untiring in their ef-
1orts to preserve public property and restore
order. From their persistent fidelity it has
resulted that through succession of unlocked
for disasters there has been no delay or dis
turbance of the business of the Office except
what was occasioned by the absolute want of
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