, 1898-11-07
TEE ARCHIVES BURN
EXPLOSION AND FIRE CAUSE
ENORMOUS DAMAGE IN THE
CAPITOL.
Great Structure Is Shaken to Its FOun-
dations, Stones in the Outer Wall
Being Observation-Disclosures of Su-
preme Court Destroyed. Together
With Large Law Library.

Washington. d. c., Nov. G.-An "x-
plOsion and fire at 5:13 this afternoon
wrecked the supreme court room and
the room Immediately adjoining it on
the main floor of the capitol. The dam
age is enormous.
The entire central eastern portion of
the great marble pile from the main
floor to the subterranean basement
practically is a mass Of ruins. The force
of the explosion was SO heavy that the
Gaping INT on the outer walls. Just
east of the point where the explosion
occurred, were bulged IL nearly two
inches; windows in all parts of the
building were blown out. and locked
doors. $50 feet away, were forced from
their hinges.
Fire followed the explosion so quick
ly as TO seem practically simultaneous
with it. The explosion shook the i'm
men structure to its foundations and
was heard several squares from he
capitol. 1t occurred in a small room
tightly inclosed by stone walls il the
subterranean basement, Immediately
below the main entrance to the old
capitol building.
In this room was a 500-light gas
meter, which was fed by a iour-inch
main. Very little gas is used in
that part Of the building, but at the
time of the explosion the gas had not
turned off at the meter. The meter
itself was wrecked and the gas pour
ing from the main caught fire.
The flames originating from the ex-
plosion darted up the shaft of the ele-
vator, which had been completely de-
stroyed by the force of the explosion.
and communicated with the record
of the supreme court, the office of
the marshal of the court and the su-
preme court library.
Before the flames could be subdued
the priceless documents OF the record
Don 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. To-
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 20, 1000 vol
and was used not only by the
Justices of the supreme court. but by
of congress and lawyers prac-
ticing before the supreme court. Mr..
Harlan said tonight thai the Ii
brary was extremely valuable. Many
of the works it contained, would. he
thought. be difficult to replace.
Librarian Clarke, after a cursory ex-
animation necessarily made by the
light OF lanterns, expressed the opinion
that many Of the books could be saved.
although they had been drenched by
from the streams poured into the
library for two hours Or more after the
The most serious damage. in the
opinion of the justices Of the supreme
court, is to the records in the s~ub-base-
ment. These include all the records
of the supreme court from 1892 to 1892.
The room contains records of cases and
opinions redered by the fathers of the
judiciary Of the government. Appar-
emily the documents in this room are
either totally destroyed or so badly
damaged by fire and water as to be use
Justice Harlan said that while the
of the records was %irreparable. it
was fortunate that the later records
of the court, which are kept in the Of
flee 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
destroyed. Fortunately the
Office was not in the least dam
aged by fire and the explosion did no
damage in it except to blow out one
window.
James Mckinney, clerk Of the SUI
preme court. expressed the hope, after
making an examination Of the old
room, that at least some Of the docrl-
ments, priceless from the point Of view
of the historian, could be saved.
Tonight, however. owing to the in
adequate lighting facilities in that por-
ton Of the building where the explo-
sion and fire occurred. 1t was impossible
for him to make an intelligent or
thorough investigation of the damage.
The supreme court room was damaged
principally by water and smoke. the
fire not reaching that point.
Adjoining the court room, however,
both the marshal's Office and the senate
barber shop furnished food for the
flames.
uybiIa many theOrias are offered as to