The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-05-29
Another Geological Survey Fire.

had another close call Sunduy, May
IS, in a destructive fire that practically
gutted the basement of the entire build
ing which it occupies. Owing TO the
congested condition OF the store rooms
and document rooms and TO the escape
Of gas, the fire proved to be most stub
born and difficult to handle and result
ed in the collapse Of some 20 fremen,
among them the Chief OF the Wash
ington Fire Department. There was
little fame, but the smoke poured in
dense volumes from the Survey build
ing, sufocating the fremen, who, how
ever fought desperately to keep the
fire confined with in the basement.
The Chief Of the Fire Department
states that had it got past the staircase
which his men were holding and into
the elevator shafts probably the entire
building and possibly other adjacent
buildings would have been consumed.
The destruction, as it was, resulted in
a loss Of about SIS, 900, mostly in top
ographic maps, geologic lolios, andre
ports, which, however, can be replaced.
The unpublished data and other ma,
terial in the upper floors OF the build
ing, having an estimated value be-
tween four and a hall and fue million
dollars, were fortunately unharmed.
The only thing that saved the rest Of
the Survey building from total destruct-
ion," said Director Smith in an inter
view, was the efficiency of the Wash
ington Fire Department, aided as it
was by some fireprool doors leading
from the basement to the upper hall,
which had been erected on the recon-
mendations Of the Chief Of the Fire
| Department and the Fire Marshal. In
its present quarters, after installing
every possible safeguard, it appears
that the Government must rely upon
the bravery and efficiency olthe Wash
ington Fire Department.
The Surveys campaign Of last win
ter resulted in the authorization by
Congress Of a new Survey building to
cost $2,596,O00 but work on it can
not begin until the money is made
available in the next appropriation bill.
Then, according TO the usual time
required in the construction Of Govern
ment buildings, it will be from three to
four years before the Survey can get
out Of its present quarters. According
to the record Of the last few years,
three or possibly four more fires must
be reckoned with, since an annual fire
event for the Geological Survey build
ing has come to be expected copy for
the Washington newspapers.
As a result OF the recent fire in the
Geological Survey the Director has an
nounced a fire sale" Of geologic fol-
los. The entire basement, in which
the Iolios were stored, was filed with
dense smoke and many Of the iolios
were burned, others scorched, and all
more or less damaged by water. With
the approval Of Secretary Lane the
Director announces that he will sell the
entire remaining stock Of some $50,
900 folios, four-fiths OF which are prob
ably as near perfect as goods usually
, offered in a smoke or fire sale, at the
nominal price Of S cents each. The
= regular retail price OF the standard
D folios is Is cents, but few unusually
2 large iolios have sold for so cents, and
= the regular price OF the field edition
a Of the later folios, a more convenient
Y form for use in the field, is so cents
+ All these are now TO be had at cent,
n each, but no wholesale rate applies t
;, this fire sale.
/. Now is the time Tor students, engi
e neers, and the public generally to orde
e geologic iolios to complete their file
d or to become acquainted with thi
d Government publication, the 1873 mum
r bers Of which fully describes the geo
logy Of some IT'S, 900 square miles {
the United States. The stock inclut
Il es probably $4,000 to 1905 copie
r on which the real damage is PRACTICAL
ic negligible. Application should
II made to the Director, U. S. Geologic
ca Survey, Washington, d. c., and remi