The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-11-08
THE CAPITOL FIRE.
Damage Not So Great as First Re-
ports Indicated.
TIE REPAIRS WILL COST $4,000.
The Supreme Court Library Escaped
with Little Damage, Though In tho
Center of the Priceless

The Supreme Court Library Escaped
With Little Damage, Though In tho
Center of the Priceless
Historical Documents Consumed.
Washington, Nov. 8.-A report was
current yesterday that the west central
wall of the Capitol was cracked as a
result of Sundays explosion. Architect
Wood made a careful examination and
located the crack which had aroused
suspicion. It 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
over hundred years. and is still in
fairly good condition. When additions
were made veneer wall about ten
inches thick was added outside. The
explosion blew out heavy stone door
frame in the outer wall, and this In
turn loosened several stones of the
veneer wall. Mr.. Wood satisfied him.
self that the main wall had not been
disturbed. (
Mr.. Woods attention was called to
a crack in the main wall, but this he
recalled as a well known crack which
has existed for years. Mr.. Wood says
1t Is not surprising that wall which
has stood century should have some
old cracks, which do not, however.
impair its general security. 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 IL
brary, Is the most valuable collection
of books in Washington, escaped with
little damage, although it was in the
very center of the disturbance, the
wrecked elevator shaft and upheaved
stone floors being at the library en-
trance. 1t Is estimated that the loss
in the library will be covered by $780,
The books remained intact, the loss
being confined to snged woodwork
The floor of the electrical room, un-
der which the explosion occurred, was
as completely demolished as If it had
been directly over the center of an
earthquake. Fortunately no one was
in the room when the explosion oc-
cured.
Mr.. Woods at the close of the day ex-
pressed the opinion that the damage
to the Capitol building could be re-
paired for 100000. 1T is by no means
SO serious as I first fought it was"
said Mr.. Woods. II find that the foun-
dations of the building were not dam
aged in the least, but the only injury
done to the structure by the explosion
was done to the arched floors"
The only damage that cannot be made
- 4
supreme court. in the basement where
were stored all the official records and
the original copies Of opinions from
the foundation of the government. All
these opinions have been printed. but
the original manuscripts were highly
valued. The documents here were
stored away in an orderly manner in
wooden cases. and none of them had
any other protection, except the rec
Ords of the court from 1892 to 1882,
which were encased in tin boxes. The
flames appear to have completely en-
veloped this room, but they were only
sufficiently intense to badly charr all
the woodwork and many of the docu-
ments.
Comparatively few of the papers
which suffered this fate were among
the most valuable in the room. They
inclEded the original opinions of the
court in the early days Of the republic.
and among them were many manu-
sc:ipts prepared in the handwriting OF
,he jurists of the days Of Washington.
Jefferson land Adams. There were in
t.:p list many opinions in manuscript
written by. Marshall, Story, Samuel
Chase, BGshrod W Washingtea,a9d others
Of the justices Of the period between
1890 and 1880. and therefore priced as
relics of the early days of the court.
These papers were stored under the
arch Of the room, and seem to have
been completely consumed.
Contrary to first reports, the busts
of former chief justices which line the
walls Of the old chamber are unin-
jured.