The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-11-12
THE CAPITOL SCORCHED.
Escaping Gas Partly Wrecks an
Historic Building.
DAMAGE NOT SERIOUS.
Less Dignity Hedges About the
Learned Members of the SUI
preIne Court Bar.

Washington. y. c., Nov 1.-THE big
capitol building was the scene of wreck
and desolatiun today, following the eX-
pioSiun and fire which wrought such seri-
ous havoc last night. The engines and
hrcmeu had gone. and III their place
small army of WOrkmen was carrying OFT
the debris of brick and mortar, charred
woodwork. soaked and half-burned Off
cial papers and documents which had
been heapcd i'll confusion i'll the basement
and suh-baScmcnt under the quarters oc-
cUpicd by the United States Supreme
court.
An examination of the courtroom
showed that the damage was confined to
,iISculOICi walls and ceilings and Soa ked
carpets. No substantial damage had been
done. The bench occupied by the JUS
tees was uniujurcd and even the briefs
ana papers left by some Of the justices
under paper weights remained undls-
turbcd. But whilc, the fire had made no
Progress here. smoke and water had lett
this chamber, which has long been re-
eardcd il model Of classic beauty. III
sorry condition. The windows and sash
of the fine Old colonial windows thanking
the bench are III ruins.
The frcSc0ed ceilings. which recently
had been done over. are blurred and spot
tel. the carpets and draperies are soaked,
while the whole chamber has the damp.
smoked aspect usually following Il fire.
The personal effects of the justices robes,
etc, were found to be uniujurcd. The
main loss of the court was i'll the mar
sharS office and in the storage room.
whore valuable old records are kept Th"
extent of this last loss is not yet exactly
determined. but the court officials expect
to make critical examination during the
day.
Scrgrant-at-Arms Bright was busy this
morning making temporary provision for
= ~ t.trs JI.-
Millan's committee room. on the District
of Columbia floor, was hastily prepared
with 4 bench and seats for the justices.
and Il dozen rows of seats for attorneys
and spectators. The quarters are rather
cramped, however and the chief justice
auI five justices viii have to sit on one
side of long oak table.
Architect Clark of the capitol is ad-
vauccd in age and very feeble. 50 that the
active work of Investigating the cause of
the explosion and of clearing away the
wrrcka@e is in the hands of the assistant
architect of the capitol. Mr.. " ood.
Il have mad" Il preliminary cNamina-
ton, Mr.. Wood said today, and | am
not yet ready to say what caused the eX
plosiom, although the main attention is be
Ing giver to the gas supply. | find that
the general damage sustained hy the build
ing Is not aS serious rs ut first supposed.
The heavy foundations to the building do
not appear to be disturbed ana the walls
blown down are confined to the thin en-
cirr!ing walls built to cover steam pipes.
etc. None of the heavy sustaining arches
or pillars has given WAY - tar as | can
find. | will make 4 fuller examination
with better light. however, TO make GER
tain on these points. For the present il
does not seem that 4 rebuilding Of any
part of the capitol will be necessary. The
work will be that of repairing, and l hope
we can finish this by the time Congress
comes. We have small balance for this,
but in any event the work Will he done
An examination of the meter room,
whore the gas supplied to the capitol Is
measured. showed that the big meter had
been blown to pieces. This satisfied most
of the capitol officers that Il gas eNp0-
sion WAS responsible for the damage. but
they would not express this view openly
until IN official inquiry had been made.
Several Supreme court justices made a
visit 10 the scene of the catastrophe dur
in. the forenoon. Chief Justice Fuller
and Justice Harlan walked through the
various apartments guided by man with
4 lantern. While they looked at the
scenes of destruction with manifest inter
est they made no remarks.
They spent somewhat more time in the
courtroom than elsewhere. There they
found the upholstery and the courts new
5000 carpet greatly injured. but the two
court clocks We're ticking away as regular
ly and IL; dignitiediy as ever. The busts
of former chief justices which line the
walls of the old chamber were also unin-
jurcd. and this appeared to be 4 source of
much qualification to til" chief justice and
his t-pIuuauiouS.