Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-08
FIRE IN U. S. CAPITOL.
EXPLOSION THAT WRECKS THE
suPREME-COURT ROOM.
DAMAGE TO The EXTENT OF $40,
Priceless Manuscripts, Embodying
Early Decisions, Destroyed-Court
Now sitting Outside It's own Cham
for First Time Since 1914.


An explosion and fire at 513 Sunday
afternoon wrecked the Supreme Court
rooms and the rooms Immediately adj
Joining II on the main floor of the United
States Capitol. in Washington: The
damage is extensive. The entire central
eastern part Of the great marble pile
from the main floor to the subterranean
basement 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 explO-
sion occurred were bulged out nearly
two inches; windows in all that part OF
the building were blown out and locked
doors were forced from their hinges at
least $50 feet from the scene. Fire fol-
lowed the explosion so quickly as to seem
practically simultaneous with II.
FOUNDATION SHAKEN.
The explosion shook the immense struc-
ture to it's foundations, and was heard
several squares from the Capitol. Ii DC
Cured in a small room tightly inclosed BY
heavy stone walls i'm the subterranean
basement Immediately below the main
entrance to the old Capitol building.
In this room was a 50O-light gas-meter,
which was fed by a 4-inch main. Little
gas is used in that part OF the DulldlnS'
but at the time OF the explosion the Saa
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 explo-
sion darted up the shaft OF the elevator,
which had been completely destroyed by
the force of the explosion, and communi-
Gated with the record-room Of the SUI
preme Court, the office of the marshal oil
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 ana
serious damage had been done in the
marshal's-room and some minor rooms.
LIBRARY DAMAGED.
The library Of the Supreme Court, i'm
mediately beneath the Supreme-Court-
room, was damaged badly by fire, smoke,
aud water. practically destroying the
great Collection of law-reference books.
The library contained about 3Ovo
volumes and was used not only by the
Justices of the Supreme Court, but by
members Of Congress and lawyers prac-
ticing before the Supreme Court.
Justice Harlan said that the library
was extremely valuable. Many of the
works it contained would, he thought, be
difficult 10 replace. Librarian Clarke, at
ter a cursory examination made by the
light Of lanterns, expressed the opinion
that many of the books could be saved.
although they had been drenched by
water from the stream poured into the
library for two hours or more after the
explosion.
RECORDS ARE LOST
The most serious damage,an the opin-
ion of the Justices of the Supreme Court,
is to the records stored in the sub
basement These included all of the re-
cords Of the Supreme Court from 1872 to
1882 The room contains records of cases
and opinions handed down by the ia
theirs of the judiciary Of the government
Apparently the documents I'm this room
are either totally destroyed or so badly
damaged by fire and water as 10 be use
less. Justice Harlan said that. while
the loss Of the records was irreparable,
it was fortunate that the later records
of the court, which were kept in the
Office Of the Clerk on the main floor,
were not injured.
James McKenny. Clerk of the Supreme
Court expressed the hope, after making
an examination of the old record-roOm
that some, at least. OF the documents
could be saved.
SMOKE AND WATER.
The Supreme Courtroom was damaged
principally by water and smoke. the fire
not reaching that point Adjoining the
courtroom, however. both the Marshal's
office and the Senate barber-shop furnish
ed food for the flames
While many theories are offered as 10
the cause of the explosion. it seems be-
yond doubt 20 have been due 10 escaping
gas At 500 Lieutenant Lelson, Of the
Capitol police, detected an odor of gas
in the corridors adjoining the Supreme
Courtroom. Not being able TO locate it,
he proceeded TO Statuary Hall-the old
hall of the House Of representatives,
thinking the gas might be escaping from
a burner there. While he was searching
the explosion occurred Only a few per-
sons. principally officers OF the Capitol
police. were in the building at the time,
but several of them had narrow escapes.
REGRETABLE LOSSES.
Among the losses which will be'regret-
ted most sincerely are those of busts OF
Chief-Justice Marshall and other distin-
suished members Of the Supreme Court.
which were arranged on small pedestals
about the Supreme-COurt chamber. In the
smoke and ruin which followed the eX-
ploSlOn tnese NaINdDlC wins VI a. "NiO
either badly damaged or wholly Destroy
ed. and with their destruction the coun-
try has suffered an irreparable loss
The Capitol Building has been damaged
a number Of times before by fire, but it
Is believed that Sunday nights fire viii
prove to be the most disastrous In the
history of tho building On two occasions
prior to this fires have been started by
explosions of gas.
Seventeen years ago large amount or
damage was done to the same part OF the
building by an explosion of this kind, and
in 1876 there was an explosion Of gas that
1.n1od nnn nan and came near killing an