REPORT OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 



. It has been stated to the Board that the fire which occurred on the 24th of 

 January, 1SC5, destroyed the roof and all the interior of the upper story of the 

 main building, the interior of the two large north towers,' and also of the large 

 south tower. 



The first step toward the reconstruction of the building was to secure the 

 services of a competent person as architect and engineer to prepare plans and 

 superintend the work. For this purpose Mr. Adolph Cluss, who had designed 

 and directed the building of the principal school-houses of the city, was em- 

 ployed. 



The next thing to be done was the making of a critical survey to ascertain 

 the actual state of the walls, and to determiije what parts it was necessary first 

 to rebuild. This survey forced upon the committee the conviction that the 

 original construction of the building, as a whole, was very defective, and, in 

 many respects, unsuited as a receptacle of records "and other valuable articles, 

 the loss of which could never be repaired. The exterior of all the walls con- 

 "sists of a facing of red sandstone, bound to an irregular backing of bluestone 

 of very bad workmanship. In the main building, and in the lower portion of 

 the large south tower, was inserted a four-inch brick lining, separated by an air 

 space from the main walls. This lining is not bound to the walls, and, there- 

 fore, does not add to their strength. It is merely a furring, intended to pre- 

 vent dampness by the condensation of moisture from the atmosphere. This 

 furring is open at the top, and it was into this that the stove-pipe was inserted 

 which led to the accident by fire. In all the other rooms of the towers the 

 plastering was upon the rough rubble work. 



The heavy projecting cornice of the south tower was merely set in place 

 without fastening, and, consequently could not withstand any disturbing action. 



The parts of the building which were not injured by fire, namely, the two 

 wings and connecting ranges, as far as the committee have had the opportunity 

 of examining, are defective in materials and construction. The floors, in some 

 cases, though covered with flagging and filled in with deafening, rest upon 

 beams of pine wood, which is decayed, and in the course of a few years the 

 interior of these parts will require renewal. 



It is proper to state that the foregoing remarks on the character of the mate- 

 rials, and the construction of the building, are not applicable to the work on 

 the main edifice, subsequently executed under the superintendence of Captain 

 (now General) B. S. Alexander, of the United States engineers. This work, 

 which principally consisted in the arching of the basement and main story of 

 the upper building, was executed in fire-proof materials, and prevented the ex- 

 tension of the fire, and, consequently, the destruction of the entire edifice and 

 all its contents. 



From the foregoing account of the original construction of the building, it 

 will not be surprising that the eff'cct of the fire was found to be much more 

 serious than previous to this survey it had been supposed, and that the work to 

 be done could not be confined to the mere repairing of the injury caused by the 

 fire, but would include also the rebuilding of a considerable part of the edifice; 

 and this was particularly the case on account of the decision of the Board that 

 the-restoration should be in all parts indestructible by fire. 



