PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 237 



fire, however, had been in this room for ten years previous to Monday, 15th 

 January, when the mechanist and carpenter of the Institution were engaged, 

 with several other of the employes, in rearranging the pictures of the gallery, 

 the weather at the time being unusually cold. These persons, for temporary 

 convenience, set up the stove above mentioned, intending to remove it as soon 

 as their task was finished. A coal fire, kindled with wood, had been burning 

 in this stove for eight days previous to the conflagration, yet it appears from the 

 testimony that no evidence of combustion was observed by a person who passed 

 through the loft six hours before the breaking out of the flames. It is probable, 

 however, that the wood had been undergoing a process of charring for several 

 days. 



On account of the very expensive style of architecture selected for the build- 

 ing, and the limited means at the command of the Board, the plan had been at 

 first adopted of finishing the interior of the whole edifice with wood and plaster. 

 A large portion, however, of the interior woodwork of the main building, after 

 the roof and exterior had been finished, gave way and fell; whereupon the Re- 

 gents ordered the removal of the woodwork and its place to be supplied with 

 incombustible materials. Thus the main building was rendered fire-proof, with 

 the exception of the supports of the roof, which being covered with slate was 

 assumed to be safe. The only danger of the occurrence of fire was supposed 

 to exist in the two wings and the towers, and to guard against this contingency 

 especial precautions were constantly observed, viz : 1. No smoking was al- 

 lowed in any part of the building at any time. 2. No lights were allowed to 

 be carried from one part of the building to another except in lanterns. 3. 

 Three coils of large hose were deposited, ready for use, one in the upper story 

 and the other two on the first floor of the building ; and there were water-pipes 

 in the basement with faucets. 4. Barrels and buckets, kept constantly filled 

 with water, were placed at different points of the building. 5. The rule was 

 observed of cleaning the flues every autumn before the commencement of fires. 

 6. A watchman was employed each night, who made every hour the rounds of 

 all the rooms in the building, giving special attention to those in which fire had 

 been kindled during the day, including the apartments occupied by the family 

 of the Secretary. 



These precautions, however, as it has proved, were insufficient — the fire hav- 

 ing occurred at a point where no danger was apprehended, and to which access 

 could with difficulty be obtained. 



II. THE CHARACTER AND EXTENT OF THE LOSS SUSTAINED. 



The loss to the Institution was as follows: 



1. The contents of the Secretary's office, consisting of the official, scientific, and 

 miscellaneous correspondence, embracing 35,000 pages of copied letters which 

 had been sent, at least 30,000 of which were the composition of the Secretary, 

 and 50,000 pages of letters received by the Institution. Here, moreover, were 

 lost the receipts for publications and specimens ; reports on various subjects 

 which have been referred to the Institution ; the records of experiments 

 instituted by the Secretary for the government; four manuscripts of original 

 investigations, which had been adopted by the Institution for publication; 

 the manuscript material of the report of the Secretary for 1864 ; a large number 

 of papers and scientific notes of the Secretary ; a series of diaries and memo- 

 randum books, and a duplicate set of account books, prepared during the last 

 twelve years, with great labor, by Mr. Rhees, the chief clerk ; also, about one 

 hundred volumes of valuable works kept at hand for constant reference. 



2. In the apparatus room, the large collection of scientific instruments, in- 

 cluding the donation of the late Dr. Hare. 



