Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-10
Large Portion of the National
Capitol Is in Ruins.
SupREMEGOURT ROOM WIpEDOUT
Valuable Records of Half a
Century Destroyed.


erroneous. Tho entire central eaSIerh
part of the great marble pile from the
main floor to the subterranean base
ment practically is a mass Of ruins.
The force of the explosion was SO
heavy that the coping stones on the
outer walls Just east OF the point
where the explosion occurred were
buleed out nearly two inches; windows
in all that part of the building were
blown out, and locked doors were
forced from their hinges quite l50
feet from the scene OF it.
Fire followed tho explosion SO quickly
as to seem practically simultaneous
with it. The explosion shook the i'm
mense structure to its foundation, and
was heard several squares from the
CAPITOL 1t occurred in small room
tightly enclosed by heavy stone walls
in the subterranean basement inn
mediately below the main entrance to
the old Capitol Building. In this room
was a 500 light gas meter, which was
fed by a 4-inch main. Very little gas
is used in that part of the building,
but at the time Of the explosion the
gas had not been turned off at the
meter. The meter itself was wrecked, and
the gas pouring from the main caught
fire.
The flames originating from the ex-
plosion darted up the shaft OF the
elevator which had been, completely
DESTROYED by the force of the explosion
and communicated with the record
room Of the Supreme Court, the office
of the marshal Of the court and the
Supreme Court Library. Before the
flames could be subdued the priceless
documents in the record room had been
almost totally destroyed and serious
damage had been done in the mar
shaI's office and some minor rooms in
the immediate vicinity.
The library of the Supreme Court,
located Immediately beneath the Su-
preme Court room, was badly damaged
by fire, smoke and water, water practi-
cilly destroying the great collection OF
law reference books. The library con-
tains about 10000 volumes and was
used not only by the Justices OF the
Supreme Court, but by members Of
Congress and lawyers practicing before
the Supreme Court.
The most serious damage in the
opinion of the Justices of the Supreme
Court is to the records stored in the
sub basement. These included all oi
the records of the Supreme Court from
1892 to 1882. The room contains records
of c&ses and opinions rendered by the
fathers of the Judiciary Of the govern
ment. Apparently the documents IL
this room are either totally destroyed
or SO badly damaged by fire and waite,
as to be useless.
The Supreme Court room was dam
aged principally, by water and smoke
the fire not reaching that point AID
Joining the court room, however, botf
the marshal's office and the Senate
barber. shop furnished food for thu
flames.
While many theories are offered a
to the cause of the explosion it seem
beyond doubt to have been due t.
escaping gas. -l.
Washington, Nov 1.-THE Capito
was the scene of wreck and desolatiol
today, following the explosion and fir
which wrought havoc yesterday. I
small army of workmen was carryin
off the debris of brick and mortar
charred woodwork, soaked and hall
burned official papers and document
which had been heaped in confusion i
the basement, and sub basement, unde
tho quarters occupied by the Unite
States Supreme Court. An examine
ton of the court room showed that tn
damage there was confined to disco
ored walls and ceilings and soake
carpets. No substantial damage ha
been done. The bench occupied by th
justices was uninjured, and even tn
briefs and papers left under papel
weights remained undisturbed. BIZ
while the fire had made no progres
there, smoke and water had left I'll
chamber. which has long been regarde
as amodel of classic beauty, in sorI
condition. The fine old Colonial viii
-dows, flanking the bench, are in ruin
The frescoed ceilings, which recent
had been done over, are blurred an
spotted. The carpets and draperies a.
soaked, and the whole chamber has IL
damp, smoked aspect usually followir
IA fire. The personal effects of Il
justices, robes, &C., were found to
uninjured. The main loss of the cou
is in the marshal's Office, in the storat
room, where valuable old records a
kept. Tho extent of this loss is NJ
yet determined.
pt Sergeant alarms Bright of the Sena
was busy during the morning, makir
temporary provision for the sessions
the court. Senator McMillan's cor
mittee room was hastily prepared wi
bench and seats for the justices ar
dozen rows of seats for attorneys az
spectators. The quarters are rath
+ cramped, however, and the Chief Ju
tice and five Justices will have to s
on one side of long oak table.
Architect Clark of the Capitol
advanced in ago and very feeble,
that the active work of investigate
the cause of the explosion AID clearii
the wreck is in the hands of the {
sistant architect of the Capitol, N
Wood. 81 have made p,eliminu
examination" said Mr.. Wood toda
''and am not yet ready to say VIII
caused the explosion, although 7
main attention is being given to +
gas supply. / find that the genel
damage sustained by the. building
not as serious as was at first suppose
The heavy foundations to the buildi
do not appear to be disturbed, and
walls blown down are confined to I
. thin encircling walls built to COZ
4 steam pipes, &c. None of the hea
sustaining arches or pillars has Civ
"A way, so far as l find. ] will max,
fuller examination with better liz
later, to make certain on these poin
For the present, il does not seem Il
d rebuilding Of any part Of the CAPT
will be necessary. The work will
that of repairing, and | hope we c
finish this by the time Congress com
We have small balance for this,
in any event tho work will be DONE
An examination of the meter roo
where the gas supplied to the CAPT
measured, showed that the big me
mad been blown to pieces This sal
fled most of the Capitol officials II
q gas explosion was responsible for