Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-17
Government the Sufferer by a
Fire Last Evening.
VAL LIABLE PAPERS BURNED
Waterman Discovers Flames il
Geological Survey Building.
UNABLE TO REPLACE PROPERTY
Blaze Attracts Large Throng of
Spectators From the Shopping
Distributors Blocked.

Fire. believed to have originated in a
telephone booth on the fifth floor of the
geological survey building. r street near
18th street. destroyed between $:3.oS and
$50. 600 worth of valuable government
property on the fifth and sixth floors of
that structure last evening.
Prompt and efficient work by the fire
department, under the direction of Acting
Chief Wagner, prevented greater dana ge
and also the spread of the flames. The
governments loss included valuable pa
pers maps. records and instruments be-
longing to the survey. Many Of the pa
pers and other property cannot be re-
placed.
Waterman Detects Smoke.
O. F. Dennis Waterman, on making
his rounds about 8 o'clock, detected
smoke while ascending in the elevator
On reaching the fourth floor he saw
flames entering the elevator shaft on the
floor above. He descended to sound the
alarm
George Otis Smith. director of the sur
tey. was in his office on lower floor.
and he also hurried to the ground floor
to turn in an alarm. Dr. Joseph a.
Holmes, chief of the chronological divi-
sion of the survey, was also in his office
with his chief clerk, j. f. Talbot. When
the fire had been located DR.. Holmes tele-
phoned fire alarm headquarters an addi-
tional alarm.
Four engine companies. Nos. ., 10, I
and IA: two truck companies. Is and c.,
and the water tower responded and were
soon at work. The flames passed through
the elevator shaft to other floors. The
flremen confined the flames to the rear
part of the building
The Typographical division and the
chemical laboratory We're damaged more
than any other departments of the sur
Vey. Everything in the five rooms of the
office of Mr.. Marshall was destroyed, and
the four rooms of Prof. Clark were Quilted
Save Valuable Records.
1t was regarded as a fortunate cIrcum-
stance that Director Smith, DR.. Holmes
and several clerks were in the building,
for by their efforts alone were saved the
records and inventory of the resources of
the country. the preparation of which for
the use of the national conservation con-
ference has just been completed after
many months OF labor. The papers were
all on the fifth floor, and although slight
ly damaged by smoke, are still intact.
They We're stored today in a treproof
safe.
Becker's leather goods store. 1a24-.6 F.
street; the w. +. Frederick Music Com
pany, 1882 F street; Seltz & Co., taiIors.
1:'34 + street, and the Edmonston shoe
store, 1886 F street all on the ground
floor Of the survey building, were serious
ly threatened, but the work of the fremen
in keeping the flames upstairs prevented
any damage to them.
The blaze attracted large crowd Of
people from the shopping section Cars
were blocked for nearly an hour. Owing
to proximity to the fire. the guests on the
upper floor Of the Ebbitt House removed
their belongings to the ground but the
hotel was uniniured.
The survey building is constructed Of
steel and brick, and Is claimed to be
fireproof. Little damage is thought to
have been done to the structure itself.
Director Makes Statement.
The director of the survey said TODAY
that careful examination of the parts
Of the building visited by the flames
showed that the loss had not been as
great In papers and records as had at
first been supposed, but consisted mostly
in the loss of valuable instruments and
geological collections accumulated by the
survey from all sections of the United
replaced: others cannot.
Mr.. Smith added he considered it espe-
cially fortunate that the fire did not get
at the records of the conservation of re-
sources, which were in a room on the
fifth door. The executive committee had
met in that room only yesterday after
noon. Mr.. Smith said further there is no
insurance on the government property
but that the building, which is the prop
erty of the Willard estate, is fully pro-
tected.