The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-08
EXPLOSION IN CAPITOL
IMPORTANT PAPERS IN SUPREME COURT
FILE ROOM BURNED.
No Very Valuable Books in Law Library Injured.
Damage to Building not so Serious
as at First Thought.

DO al tuSt IHouSHt'
| Washington, Nov. 7.-Assistant Arc.li-
| tect of the Capitol Wood after an in
spection of the wrecked pare OF the,
| Capitol, EXPIRE ssed the opinion late this
afternoon that the damage TO the build
| ing could be repaired for $2n0DD.
ct is by no means serlous 2s
| first thought it was said Mr.. Wood.
| Il find that the foundations of the build
| ing were not damaged in the least, and
| that the only injury to the structure by
| the explosion was done to the arched
| floors. These were struck from be-
meath and afforded the least resistance,
| gave way so readily that the foundation
walls were not injured in any respect
Mr. Wood believes the explosion was
caused by gas, but says he has not yet
been able on account of the debris, to
make a sufficiently critical examination
to place the exact spot at which the
ignition occurred. Other architects who
have inspected the scene of the catas
trophe also attribute it to an explosion
of gas, but like Mr. Wood decline to
go into details in their theories. Some
express the opinion that a broken main
and Il burning jet are responsible for
the occurrence.
REMOVING THE RUBBISH.
The work of removing the rubbish
caused by the explosion proceeded rap
idly all day. Is or 100 men being EN-
ployed for this purpose. As soon as the
refuse is sufficiently cleared out the
work of repairing the damage will be-
rim Nh ;,l- hof hn CIR
preme Court room will be ready for
occupancy within two weeks. He says
the damage was less than was thought
and the opinion is expressed that moth
sing more than the repairing of the
walls, putting in new doors, new sky
lights and new upholstery viii be neces-
| sary to render the chamber fit for SER
vice. The ceiling of this part of the
building and some of the partitions are
of wood. and there is no doubt that very
serious damage would have resulted if
the fire had once gotten a Roadway
here. As it adioins the dome there has
been some speculation as to what effect
it would have had upon that struc-
| ture.
| None of the very valuable books in the
| law library was injured.
The only damage that canont be made
good was done in the file room of the
Supreme Court in the basement where
were stored all the official records and
original copies of opinions from the
| foundation of the Government. All
| these opinions have been printed, but
| the original manuscripts were highly
valued.
VALUABLE MANUSCRIPTS LOST.
| This room was almost over the scene
of the explosions, and it was one of the
| first compartments of the Capitol to be
attacked The documents here were
stored away in an orderly manner in
wooden cases, and none of them had
any other perfection, except the records
of the court from 1892 to 1882, which
were encased in tin boxes. The flames
appear to have completely enveloped this
room, but they We're only sufficiently in
tense to badly CHAIR all the wood work
and many of the documents. Compare
lively few of the papers were absolutely
destroyed, but those which suffered this
fate were among the most valuable ill
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 hand
writing of the iurists of the days of
Washington. Jefferson and Adams.
There were in the list many opinions i'll
manuscript written by Marshal Story,
Samuel Chase Bushrod Washington and
others of the justices of the period be-
tween 1890 and 1880 and therefore
priced as relics of the early days of the
court. These papers were stored under
the arch of the room and seem to have
been completely consumed. On the other
hand the official records of the courts
proceedings covering the same period ap-
pear to have been preserved and probably
in good condition. These were encascd
, in tin boxes and these in turn placed
within wooden cases.
MAIN WALL UNINJURED.
Many of the more modern documents.
including letters and opinions of recent
date were also so badly burned that it
will be impossible to restore them, but
none of these appears to have suffered
such complete demolition as befell 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 fee. Of
it.
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 Il care
full examination and located the crack
which had aroused suspicious. 1t proved,
however. to be in the outer, or veneer
wall and not in the six foot foundation
wall on the west side This main wall
has stood over 100 years, and is still i'll
| fairly good condition. When additions
were made, veneer wall, about ten
inches thick, was added outside The
explosion last night blew out heavy
stone door frame in the outer wall, and
| this in turn loosened several stones in
the veneer wall Mr. Wood satisfied
himself that the main wall had not been
disturbed.
The Supreme court sat to-day in the
| room of the Senate Committee for the
| District of Columbia.