Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-11-07
Gas Explosion in the National
Capital Wrecks Supreme
Court Apa .tments.
RARE MANUSCRIPTS GONE.
Scene Of Wreck and DesoIation
Damage $ooo,ooo or
More.
Walls SADLY SHATTERED.

WASHINGTON, Nov, 7.---Ap explosion
and fire last evening wrecked the U. s.
supreme court room and the rooms I'm
mediately adjoining on the main floor
Of the national capitol. The damage
to the building amounts to $500 GOO
The entire central eastern portion of
the great marble pile from the main
floor to- the subterranean basement Is
practically mass of ruins. The
FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION
was SO heavy that the coping stones on
the outer walls just east of the point
where the explosion occurred were
bulged out nearly two inches: windows
in all that part of the building were
blown out, and locked doors l50 feet
away were forced from their hinges
The explosion occurred In small room
tightly inclosed by stone walls in the
subterrenean basement Immediately be-
low the main entrance to the cid capi-
tol building. In this room was 500
light gas meter, fed by q four-inch gas
main. Flames originating from the
explosion darted up the shaft of the
elevator and communicated with the
record room of
THE SUPREME COURT,
the office of the marshal Of the court
and the supreme court library. Before
the flames could be subdued the price,
less documents in the record room were
almost totally destroyed.
The library of the supreme court was
badly damaged by fire, smoke and
water practically destroying the great
collection of law reference books. JUS
tice Harlan said that. while the loss of
the records is lrreparable. it was fortu-
nate that the later records of the court
which are kept in the Office of the clerk
on the main floor were not injured.
Among the losses which will be most
sincerely regretted are those of the -
BUsTs OF CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL
and other distinguished members of
the supreme court which were arranged
on small peJestais about the supreme
court chamber.
A GUARDED STATEMENT.
Mr.. Wood, assistant architect of the
capitol, after a preliminary examina-
tion said: II find the general damage
sustained by the building not so serious
as at first supposed. The heavy foun-
dations do not appear to be disturbed.
The walls blown down are confined to
the thin encircling walls covering the
steam pipes. etc. No heavy sustaining
arches or pillars have given away as
far as can find. hope we can finish
the repairs by the time congress con-
venes." q sse -
The big capitol building presents a
scene of wreck and desolatien. A small
army of w0rkmen was carrying off the
debris and half burned official doeu-
ments. Examination Of the court room
shows that no damage was doae there
The man loss was in the court mar
shal's Office and the storage room where
the valuable old records were kept.
The full extent of the loss is not yet
exactly determined. Senator McMil-
lans committee room was hastily pre-.
pared for the justices.
An examination Of the meter room
where the gas supplied to the capitol
is measured showed the big meter to be
blown to pieces. Several of the an
preme court justices made visit to the
scene of the catastrophe during the
forenoon. They found the busts Of
former chief justices which line the
walls Of the old chamber were uninjured.
Marshal Wright's office was completely
gutted !. = l<.k
=. -..... A AfREGRETABLE LOSS.
The only damage that cannot be made
good was done In the file rooms OF the
supreme court, where were stored all