Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-08

suited TX the fire had once gottch hea"
way here. As 1t adjolns the dome there
has been some speculation as 10 What
effect 1t would have had upon that s'ruc-
ture.
NO VALUABLE BOOKS INJURED.
None of the very valuable books In the
law library were injured. The only dam
age that cannot be made good was zone
In the file-room of the Supreme Court,
In the basement. where were stored an
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. rms
room was almost over the scene OF the
explosion, ana IL was one OF the hrst
compartments of the Capitol 10 De AZ
tackled. The documents here were stored
away in an orderly manner in wooden
cases. and none Of them had any other
protection except the records OF the court
from 1872 to 1882, which were encased IN
tin boxes.
The flames appear to have completely
enveloped this room, but they were only
sufficiently intense to badly char all the
woodwork and many Of the documents.
EARLY MSS. DESTROYED.
Comparatively few Of the papers were
absolutely destroyed. but those which
suffered this fate were among the most
valuable in the room. They included the
original opinions OF the court in the
early days Of the republic, and among
them were many manuscripts prepared
in the handwriting Of the jurists of the
days Of Washington. Jefferson, and
Adams. There were in the list many
opinions in manuscript written by Mar
shall, Story, Samuel Chase Bushrod
Washington. and others OF the justices
Of the period between 1870 and 1880, and,
therefore, priced as relics Of the early
days - the court. They were also oc-
casionally referred to 10 settle disputed
points concerning words or punctuation
marks. These papers were stored under
the arch Of the room, and seem to have
been completely consumed.
RECORDS IN GOOD CONDITION.
On the other hand. the official records
OF the courts proceedings, covering the
same period, appear to have been pre-
served. and probably I'm good condition.
These were encased i'm tin boxes. and
these I'm turn placed within wooden cases.
Many Of the more modern documents. in.
GLIDING letters and opinions of recent
date were also 20 badly burned that it
will be impossible 20 restore them, but
none Of these appear to have suffered such
complete demolition as befel the early
opinions. No documents affecting the
present docket of the court were in
jured. The fire at one time threatened
to invade the Senate document-room,
reaching to within four or five feet of IT,
MAIN WALL INTACT.
A report was current during the morn
ing that the west central wall of the
Capitol was cracked as result Of the
explosion. Architect Wood made n care
ful examination. and located the crack
which had aroused suspicion. 1t proved,
however. TO be in the outer, or veneer
wall and not I'm the 6-foot foundation
wall on the west side This main wall
has stood over one hundred years, and
is still in fairly good condition. When adj
ditions were made, a veneer wall. about
I'D inches thick, was added outside. The
explosion last night blew out a heavy
stone door-frame in the outer wall, and
this In turn loOsened several stones in
the veneer wall. Mr.. Wood satisfied him
self that the main wall had not been
disturbed.
COURT SITS IN COMMITTEE-ROOM
The Supreme Court sat to-day in the
room of the Senate Committee on the
District of Columbia. The room is quite
commodious ofiice-room, well furnished
with tables, chairS, desks, ana Otner ONCE
furniture. so that little difficulty was en-
countered in Transforming it into a suit
able place for the court The long centre
table used by the committee when in ses-
sion was pushed to she rear of the room,
leaving only such space behind IL as is
necessary for the accommodation of the
judges. The Clerk and the Marshal occu-
pied improvised desks at either end Of
the table, and the chairs for the attor-
neys were placed in front of the court.
There was no bar, and the court was on
Level with attendants and attorneys,
the dais which the court usually occupies
being, of course. missing. No one would
have inferred from the faces of the JUS
tices. or their manner of proceeding with
the business, that the court was sitting
outside it's own chamber for the first time
since 1914, but such was the case.
THE COURT ONE-SIDED.
Justices Gray and McKenna, who usual
ly occupy seats 10 the left Of the Chief
il stice. were absent, thus giving the
court a somewhat one-sided appearance.
No written opinions were rendered, but
this was not due 10 the fire. Arguments
before the court occupied most OF the day.