Evening star., 1940-11-17
Fires Public Buildings of Capital Have Destroyed Valuable Materials
War Office
First tOLOSe
By Flames
Historic Revolution
Records Suffered
Heavy Damage
By John ClaeeH Proctor.

- t4lC iCSSAlO Il1IlS VI q W1i1e VI
the Munitions Building occurred,
the rumor was freely circulated by
the political party opposite to the
one in power that the blaze was
started purposely in order to oblit-
crate traces of irregularities in the
running of the Government. For
tunately, however, allegations of
this type are no longer used by op-
posing political parties in such
cases.
The first fire in Washington in
which public property was destroyed
occurred on the night Of November
8, 1900, when a building then being
temporarily occupied by the War
Once was practically totally de-
stroyed and only few of the records
were saved. The most unfortunate
part about the loss incident to this
fire was the destruction of many of
the records of the Revolutionary
War.
The War Office at this time was
located In one of two new buildings,
which are said to have stood on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue
"nearly opposite the six buildings
the latter, some of which are still
standing, being on the north side
OF the Avenue between Twenty-first
and Twenty second streets. The
buildings burned were owned by
either Mr.. Hodgson or Mr.. Jackson,
and in the one not occupied by the
War ONCE lived the man who built
It, and who, at the time of the fire,
was in a dying condition. They are
referred to as being two of the best
houses in the city.
Treasury Blaze.
The second public building to be
severely burned was that occupied by
the Treasury Department.
This building, begun in Novem-
Der, 1898, was the only one suff-
ciently completed in 1900 to receive
the Secretary of the Treasury and
the SO employees then on the rolls
OF that department.
In size 1t did not compare at all
with the present structure, its
foundation measurements having a
width of but ST feet and length OF
lat feet. 1t was built of brick and
stone, with two stories and attic,
and contained Is Office rooms on
each floor. Leonard Harbaugh,
builder, received the contract for
the sum of s3e,511, but up to the
time of its destruction in 1914, when
the British invaded Washington, it
had cost the Government s4S955.28.
The plans for the building were
prepared by George Hatfield, an
English architect, who for a time
was employed to supervise the con-
struction work upon the Capitol,
but because of the liberty he took
with DR.. Thorntons plans he was
relieved. In 1920 his design for the
courthouse-or city hall, as it is still
called by old Washingtonians-was
accepted, and besides this he drew
the plans for a number of other
local structures of lesser impor-
tance.
The first Treasury Building cov-
cred part of the site of the pres
ent magnificent structure, its south
front being on a line, east and west,
with the south of the White House,
and the east front facing about F
street.
AS intimated, it was not preten-
tious sort of building, but at that
1t was greatly in demand when the
Government first made its home
here and when accommodation
were so limited that even the State
was forced to seek shell
ter for its seven employees and its
office equipment within its already
crowded rooms However it was not
destined to be in existence for many
years, and indeed came very near
being destroyed by fire on January
20, 1901, when it was saved by fire.
bucket brigade of We olden time, with
q number of prominent public off,
cials-including President John
Adams-in line and passing the
buckets.
First Fire Engine.
At this date fire engine was kept
In the corridor of the building, for
we read that when the War Office
was destroyed a few months before,
1t was hurried to the scene, but
whether it was burned up in the fire
or not the writer is unable to say.
1t is significant as the first fire en-
eine in Washington.
When the British came here in
1914 and started their several little
bonfires throughout the city, the
Treasury Building was designated
as being among the public buildings
best adapted for celebrating the
grand entrance of Gen. Ross and
Admiral Cockburn into the District
of Columbia, and truly these gentle
men must have been especially fond
Of fires, for it is related that after
burning the Treasury Building and
the Presidents Mansion, they re-
paired to the lodging home OF Mrs.
Suter, where, after extinguishing
the lights, they ate their supper by
the blaze of the burning buildings"
This boarding house was then on
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