Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-11-10
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rAE DAMAGED CAPITOL.
Loas viii Not Bo As Great as at Firs
''. Feared.

Loss VIII Not Bo as Great at Firp
't. Feared.
Washington, ID. c., Now THE
Supreme Court of the, United States
sat to-day In the room OF the senate
committee on the District Of Columbia.
There was no iar, and the court.
sitting behind long table. was on
physical level with attendants and N
tOrneys. The quarters were SO con-
tracted that it was necessary to eX-
clude visitors. These and other cir
cumstances rendered the scene some
what incOngruOus. but the court pro.
ceeded regularly with its work, mnni-
Testing no perturbation over the
change.
No written opinions We're rendered
but this was not due to the fire. There
would not have been any had the ex
plosion not occurred. The time Of thu
arguments. H'F
A report was current during the
morning that the west central wall of
the capitol was cracked us a result OF
the explosion. Architect Wood made
| careful examination anu located the
crack which had aroused suspicious.
1t proved, however, to be In the outer.
or veneer wall and: not In the. six-foot
foundation wall on the west side.
This main wall has stood more than
| 100 years, and il still In fairly good
condition. When additions We're made
II veneer wall. about ten inches thick,
was added. The explosion last night
blew out u heavy stone door frame In
the outer wall ana this In turn
loosened several stones OF the veneer
wall. Mr.. Wood ix satIatled that the
main wall had not been disturbed. His
attention was called, to crack In the
main wall, but this he recalled ns II
, well known old crack which had exist
cd for years.
Mr.. Wood says 1t Is not surprising
that wall which hns stood century
should have some cracks. which do
not. however. impair Its general Sc
curity. He thinks this crack may have
come from the expansion resulting
from the burning OF the capitol by the
British In 1914.
| The library OF the Supreme Court.
which, next TO the congressional u.
brnry. IL the most valuable collection
OF books In Washington. escaped with
little dRmnge. although II was In the
center OF disturbance, the wrecked ele.
vntor shaft and upheaved floor stones
being nt the library entrance. II IL es.
| timnted that the loss In the library
will be covered by $1,50O The books
escaped intnct. the loss being confined
to singcd woodwork.
The floor OF the electrical room.
under which the explosion occurred.
wns completely demolished. Fortu.
nntely no ono wns In the room when
the explosion occurred. Mr.. Wood NJ
the close OF the day expressed the
opinion TINT the damage to the capitol
building could be repaired for $2O.OOO.
1t Ia by no means no serious rs
first thought II wns." said Mr.. Wood.
Mr.. Wood believes the explosion was
caused by gas. Other architects who
have inspected the scene Of the cntns.
trophc also attribute II to nm explosion
OF gas. Some express the opinion that
n broken main and u burning Jet are
responsible for the occurrence.
The work of removing the rubbisl,
caused by the explosion has been pro.
l.ccedlng. rapidly all day. ~ TO 100 men
being employed for this purpose. AZ
soon as the refuse IL sufficiently
cleared out the work Of repairing the
damage will begin. Mr.. Wood thinks
that the Supreme Court room Will bf
rendy for occupancy within two weeks
The personal effects Of the Justices.
robes. etc. were. found TO be- uninjured
The main loss Of the court was I'm the
mnrshnl's, office nnd In the Storage
room, where valuable old records are
Kept.