Evening star., 1898-11-07

The documents mere were stored away Ill
orderly manner in wooden cases, ami
none of them had any other protection, ex-
cept the records of the court from 1872 10
1892 which were incaSed 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. Comparatively lew
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 III
the handwriting of the jurists of the day;
of Washington, Jefferson and Adams.
There were in the list many opinions i'll
manuscript written by Marshal Story, Sam
uel Chase, Bushrod Washington and others
of the justices of the period between 1t9u
and 1880, and therefore priced as relics OF
the early days of the court.
They were also occasionally referred to
to 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
On the other hard, the official records of
the courts proceedings covering the same
period appear to have been preserved and
probably in good condition. These were
encased in tin boxes, and these in turn
placed within wooden cases.
Many of the more modern documents, IN
cluding letters and opinions of recent date
were ALSO SO badly burned that 1t Will be
impossible to restore them. but none of
plete demolition as befell the early opin-
ions No documents affecting the present
docket of the court were injured.
The conference room and its ante-cham-
bers the judges room and the barber shop
on the same side of the corridor were un-
harmed except for broken windows and
scattered contents through the conclusion
from the explosion.
Removing the Debris.
Assistant Architect Woods of the Capitol
was at work il this corridor superintenii-
ina; q number OF his assistants and laoorers,
who were removing the debris and placing
d temporary floor of timbers across the
hole in the trickwork arch. Architect
Clark of the Capitol is advanced in age and
very feeble, 50 that the active work OF IN
vestigatinE the cause Of the explosion and
OF clearing away the wreck is in the hands
OF Mr.. Wood.
Il have made preliminary examination"
Mr.. Wood said, ''and am rot yet ready TO
ssy what CT. Used the explosion, although 1t
is believed t, have been caused by gas. l
find that The general damage sustained by
the building is rot as serious as a first sup
posed. The heavy foundations do rot ap
pear to oe disturbed. and the walls blown
down are cCrfined to the thin encircling
walls built to cover steam pipes, etc. None
OF the heavy sustaining arches pillars
has given ay. so far as | can. find. | VIII
make a fuller examination with better light
later, and to make certain on these points.
For the present it does not seem that a re-
building of any part of the Capitol Will be
necessary. The work will be that of repair
ing. and | hope we can finish this by the
time Congress comes. We have a small
balance for this. but in any event .he work
will be done. 1 should think s201OO will
cover all the damage to the real estate or
that part with which the architects office
Is concerned.
Whenever leaking gas has been discover
ed in the building office finds and re-
pairs the leak, or, failing to be able to do
1t. sends for the gas company. which has
always been prompt in replying and at
tending to the work.
Rut Slightly Damaged.
An examination of the Supreme Court
room showed that the damage was con-
fined to discolOred walls and ceilings and
soaked carpets. No substantial damage
had been done. The bench occupied by the
justices was uninjured and even the briefs
and papers left by some of the justices un-
der paper weights remained undisturbed.
But while the fire had no progress here,
smoke and water had left this chamber,
which has long been regarded as a model
Of classic beauty, in sorry condition. The
windows and sash of the fine old colonial
windows thanking the bench are in ruins
The frcSCOcd ceilings, which recently had
been Gone over, are blurred and spotted
the carpets and draperies are soaked while
the whole chamber has the damp. smoked
aspect usually following a fire. The per-
sonal effects of the justices, robes, etc.
were found to be uninjured. The main loss
of the court was in the marshaIs office,
and in the room where valuable old records
are kept.
Several Supreme Court justices made a
visit to the scene of the catastrophe during
the forenoon Chief Justice Fuller and JUS
tice Harlan walked through the various
apartments guided by Electrician Taia-
ZERO, with Il lantern. While they looked
at the scenes of destruction with manifest
interest they made no remarks. They spent
somewhat more time in the court room
than elsewhere. There they found the up
holstery and the courts S new 200 CARPET
greatly injured. but the two court clocks
were ticking away as regularly and as dig
nifiedly as ever. The busts of former chief
justices, which line the walls of the old
chamber, were also uninjured and this an
peared to be source Of much qualification
to the chief justice and his companion
They found nothing but ruin and desola-
tion in Marshal Wright's office This room
was completely gutted. No furniture es-
capped, and the walls Of the room are as
black as night, the effect of smoke and fire
and water combined While this damage
was regretted, it was not considered ire
par able.
Attorney Generals Room Scorched.
The Attorney Generals room between the
court room and the marshars office, over
looking the east 'front.' was scorched but
not completely swept by the flames that
dashed into the outer air through the
broken window.
Sergeant -at-ArEs Bright of the Senate
and Clerk McKenney of the Supreme Court
were busy during the morning making tenn
porary provision for the sessions of the
court in the room of the Senate committee
on the District of Columbia.
The fire at one time threatened to invade
the Senate document room, reaching to
within four or five feet of it. Mr. Amzi
Smith, the superintendent of the room, was
on hand prepared to contest its progress
with the aid of the fire department, but
the chances are that if il had gained any
headway in this department the damage
would have been far more serious, as the
apartment is extensive and contains much
exposed paper.
Col. Bright COngratuIates Himself.
Col Bright was congratuIa ting himself