The times., 1899-07-18
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.
The Cause of the PostofFice Fire Of
fcinlIy Determined.

The committee appointed Saturday by
Secretary Gage to investigate the cause of
the fire in the postoffice Friday night has
made report on the matter. The commit
tee which consisted of Chief Clerk Swayze,
of the Treasury Department; Executive
Clerk Kemper, of the Supervising Archi-
tect's Office; Superintendent of Construc-
tion Forshy and Foreman Jamison, of the
cabinet shops, made a thorough investiga
tion Of the matter yesterday. giving the
facts as they found them. The question
as to whether the United States or the
contractor for the building will be held re-
sponsible for the repairs will be. settled
later. The report of the committee is as
follows:
In compliance with department letter of this
date, We have the honor to report that We have
examined the room on the second floor OF the
postoftce building in which the fire occurred
last evening. The fire took place IN the second
story in the northeast end Of the building facing
Pennsylvania Avenue. Ii burned almost entirely
three file cases IN the end of this room and part
q the woodwork 10 extent that will require
replacing it. Several Of the windows in this and
the adjoining room have the glass broken out.
The paint on the woodwork is burned OFF, and
the wood in places charred TO a considerable eX-
! tent
The three men employed by Otto Duker & Co.
| in placing and finishing furniture and file cases
were examined as to their time OF leaving the
| building. which was between 80 and 5 clock.
| They each stated that quitting work they en-
| tered the where tine fire occurred, was
| their custom, and removed their overalls and
| laid them in the Ale cases. +. X. Cromwell, one
| Of these men. stated that before removing his
| oveTalls, he picked up piece OF waste that the
| painters had thrown away, and, after pouring
| some turpentine his hands, to remove the oil
| and dirt, he wiped them ON this waste and put
il in his oyeralls. He then took the overalls off
| and rolled them up with his dust brush, and put
them in q small vaIise. with his shoes and shut
the yalise up, and put it in one OF the file cases.
IL Is the unanimous opinion OF the committee that
| the fire caused by spontaneous combustion Of
| this waste, which saturated with turpentne
and oil and closed up in this valise.
| The extent of the damage could not fully
| determine, we believe il cannot be until
| the repairs are made. The walls all around the
| second floor affected by the water, and the
| plasterins OF the ceiling will have 10 be, a
| very great deal OF il, removed, owing to the
| action of the heat and water.
The superintendent OF construction, in his re-
| port TO the Supervising Architect, states that
| the fire originated in the stacks of large file
| cases at the east end Of the large room on the
| second floor, facing Pennsylvania Avenue under
| the balcony The immediate cause OF the fire,
| the superintendent states, is not positively
| known; it may have been spontaneous eombus.
tion. The superintendent SAYS in his report
that the total damage may reach 5000 or more.
| port, states that he cannot give any causes for
this 1.-THE firel other than it being caused by
some waste with oil 1t.
| Accompanying this report is n copy of the
| report OF the Waterman, under date OF the I4th
instant, TO the superintendent OF construction;
| also copy OF the report OF the superintendent OF
construction to the Supervising Architect,