New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-07


preme Court room and the rooms Immediately
adjoining It on the main floor OF the Capitol.
The damage is enormous The entire central
eastern part of the great marble pile, from the
main floor to the subterranean basement prac-
ticay is mass Of ruins. The force OF the
explosion was so heavy that the coping stones
On the outer walls just east ~ the point where
the explosion occurred we're buged out nearly
two inches; windows in all that part of the
building were blown out. and locked doors were
forced from their hinges hundred and fifty
feet from the scene OF il.
FIRE FOLLOWS THE EXPLOSION
Fire followed the explosion quickly as 70
seem practically simultaneous with II The eX-
plosiOn shook the immense structure 70 its foun-
dations and was heard several squares from the
Capitol. II occurred in small room tightly
incosed hv heavy stone walls IN the subter-
ranean basement Immediately below the main
entrance 70 the Old Capitol building In this
room was a five -hundred-light gas meter. which
fed by four-inch main Very little gas
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 explosion
darted up the shaft Of the elevator which had
been destroyed by the force Of the explosion. and
communicated with the record room Of the Su-
preme Court the office Of the marshal OF the
Court and the Supreme Court library Before
the flames could be subdued the priceless docu-
mems in the record room had been almost
totally destroyed and serious damage had been
done in the marshals room and some minor
rooms in the immediate neighborhood
THE LIBRARY BADLY DAMAGED.
The library OF the Supreme Court located i'm
mediately beneath the courtroom badly
damaged by fire. smoke and water. water prac-
t.cally destroying the great collection Of law
reference books The library contains about
twenty thousand volumes. and used not
only by the Justices Of the Supreme Court but
by members Of Congress and lawyers practising
| before the court.
Justice Harlan said tonight that the library
was very valuabl.. Many OF the works 1t con-
tained would he thought be difficult to replace
Mr. Clarke the librarian. after a cursory
animation. necessarily made by the light Of
lanterns. expressed the opinion that many Of
the books could be saved. athC ugh they had
been drenched by water from the streams
poured into the library for two hours more
after the explosion occurred.
VALUABLE RECORDS DESTROYED.
The mos. serious damage. in the opinion Of the
Justices Of the Supreme Court. is to the records
stored in the sub-basement These included all
OF the records OF the Supreme Court from 1892
to 1882 The contains records OF cases
and opinions rendered by the fathers of the
Judiciary OF the Government. Apparently the
documents in this 1oom are either totally de-
stroyed or so badly damaged by fire and water
as 70 be useless.
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. AS documents FOR reference
at this time and later Justice Harlan thought
these were Of far greater value than the records
destroyed Fortunately the clerks office was
not in the least damaged by fire. and the ex-
plosion did no damage in It except TO blow out
one window.
James McKenny. clerk OF the Supreme Court
expressed the hope. after making an examina-
ton Of the old record room. that some at least
Of the documents could be saved. Tonight.
however owing to the inadequate lighting IA
cilitles in the portion Of the building where the
explosion and fire occurred it impossible
for him to make an intelligent or thorough In
vestigation Of the damage.
The Supreme Court room damaged prin
cipally by water and smoke the fire not reach
ing that point Adjoining the courtroom. how
ever. both the marshars Office and the Senate
barber shop furnished food for the flames.
CAUSED BY ESCAPING GAS.
While many theories are offered as to the
cause Of the explosion. 1t seems beyond doubt
to have been due To escaping gas At 5.01
O'Clock Lieutenant Nelson Of the Capitol police,
detected odor Of gas In the corridors adjoln-
ing the Supreme Court room. Not being able
10 locate 1t. he proceeded TO Statuary Ha-the
old hall Of the House u Representatives-think
ing the gas might be escaping from a burner
there While he endeavoring locate the
escape ~ gas the explosion occurred
Only few persons principally officers ~ the
Capitol police, were in the building at the time.
but several Of them had narrow escapes. Be
fore the Fire Department which responded TO