The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-11-10
LOSS is Y Err GREAT.
Explosion Of Gas and Fire Creates
Havoc In the Capitol.

Explosion OF Gas and Fire Creates
Havoc In the Capitol.
Rooms Of the United states supreme
/. Court Are Wrecked-Famous Law
Library and Priceless Records
Practically Destroyed.
Washington, Nov. IAN explosion
end fire at 5:15 Sunday afternoon
wrecked the supreme courtroom and
the rooms Immediately adjoining it on
the main floor of the capitol.
The damage is enormous. The en-
tire central eastern part of the great
marble pile from the main floor to the
subterranean basement practically is
mass of ruins. The force Of the ex-
plosion was so heavy that the coping
stones on the outer walls. just east of
the point where the explosion oc-
CURED, 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
quite $50 feet from the scene of it.. Fire
followed the explosion SO quickly as
to seem practically simultaneous with
it.
Priceless" Books and Records Burned.
| Before the flames could be subdued
the priceless documents in the record
room had been almost totally destroyed
and serious damage had been done in
the marshal's Office and some minor
rooms in the immediate vicinity. The
library of the supreme court, located
Immediately beneath the supreme
court room, was badly damaged by fire.
smoke and water, practically destroy
ing the great collection of law reference
books. The library contains about 2G.
oOO volumes and. was used not only by
the justices of the supreme court, but
by members of congress and lawyers
practicing before the supreme court:
Mr.: Justice Harlan said that the library
was very valuable. Many of the works
it contained would, he thought, be dit
ticult to replace. Librarian Clark. after
cursory examination necessarily
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 streams
poured into the library for two hours
or more after the explosion occurred.
The most serious damage, in, the opin.
ion OF the justices OF the supreme
court, is to the records 'stbresd in The
subbasement. These included all of the
records of the supreme court from 1892
to 1882. The room contains records of
cash. and" opinions rendered by the
fathers of the judiciary of the govern
ment. Apparently the documents in
this room are either totally destroyed
or so badly damaged by fire and water
as to be useless.
Caused by Gas Explosion.
While many theories are offered as
to the cause of the explosion. it seems
beyond doubt to have been due to es-
Gaping gas. At seven minutes after five
Lieut.. Nelson, of the capitol police. de-
tected an odor of gas in the corridor
adjoining the supreme courtroom.
Not being able to locate it he proceeded
to Statuary hall-the old hall of the
house of MISUNDERSTANDING the
gas might be escaping from burner in
thatvicinity. While he was endeavoring
to locate the escape of the gas the ex-
plosion occurred. Only few persons,
principally officerszof the capito]police.
were in the building at the time. but
several Of them had narrow escapes.
Before the fire department, which re-
sponded to an alarm sent in by police
man three squares from the capitol.
had arrived, C. P. GLEN. chief elec-
trician of the capitol. and H. w. Tay-
lor, chief engineer of the house side,
had stream playing into the supreme
court record-room, which by that time
was roaring furnace. Within a few
minutes after the arrival of the fire de-
Lartment the flames were under con-
troll.
Valuable Works of Art Destroyed.
Among the losses which will be most
sincerely regretted are those of busts
| of Chief Justice Marshall and other dis
tinguished members Of the supreme
court. which were arranged on small
pedestals about the supreme court
chamber. In the smoke and ruin which
followed the explosion these valuable
works of art were either badly damaged
or wholly destroyed and with their de-
struction the country has suffered an
irreparable loss. Many OF them have
been treasured al exhibits in the ST.
preme court chamber for half a cen
fury.
Estimate of Loss.
No intelligent estimate of the money
less by the explosion and fire can be
made. In the opinion of capitol officials
and mechanics who examined the
structure the loss will reach probably
100000 to the buildings The loss on the
library and records as stated above, can
scarcely be estimated in dollars and
| cents. million dollars could not re-
place them because of many Of them no
duplicates are in existence.
The capitol building has been dam
aged number of times before by fire,
but it is believed that this fire WEI
prove to be the most disastrous in the
history of the building. On two occa-
sions prior to this fires have been
started by explosions OF gas. Seven
teen years ago large amount Of dam
age was done to the same part of the
building by an explosion of this kind,
and in 1876 therr4wast an explosion a Of
gas that killed one: MON and came near e:
killing anothers>'.- -
' A Generous Gift.
Washington, Nov. THE Catholic
University of America, through its
rector, Rt. Rev. Thomas j. Conaty, D. IT,,
was the rec;n;ent m ca t,,rdac, of i. ,.;f.