Nation in brief

Historic Maryland courthouse burns

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - A wind-blown fire gutted the nearly 300-year-old Prince George's County courthouse Wednesday, but was beat back before reaching a modern wing where records are kept and trials are held.

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze for more than 90 minutes, stopping the flames from moving beyond a series of connecting corridors that joined the unoccupied 19th century red-brick courthouse and the modern wing, which houses the county's court system, criminal and land records and other documents.

The old courthouse had been undergoing a $27-million renovation; hose taps and sprinklers had been disconnected by workers. The fire erupted on the roof, whipped by wind gusts of more than 20 mph and fueled by construction materials.

There were no injuries. Court was canceled for the day, and employees were sent home.

Employees had anticipated moving back into the renovated section of the courthouse in mid January; all the old files and historical paintings had been removed, county officials said.

"We will rebuild this building," promised County Executive Jack Johnson. He said he planned to meet with Gov. Robert Erhlich.

There has been a courthouse on the grounds since 1720, and the building was altered and expanded at least four times in the past 284 years, officials said. The dome-shaped cupola that had adorned the gutted building since its completion in 1881 was badly charred. A bell that signaled the daily opening of court fell from its heavily damaged tower.

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration announced Wednesday that it will run out of maneuvering room to manage the government's massive borrowing needs in two weeks, putting more pressure on Congress to raise the debt ceiling when it convenes for a special post-election session.

Treasury Department officials announced that they will be able to conduct a scheduled series of debt auctions next week to raise $51-billion. However, an auction of four-week Treasury bills due to be completed on Nov. 18 will have to be postponed unless Congress acts before then to raise the debt ceiling.

"Due to debt limit constraints, we currently do not have the capacity to settle our four-week bill auction scheduled to settle on Nov. 18," Timothy Bitsberger, acting assistant treasury secretary for financial markets, said in a statement.

Congress is scheduled to return for a lame-duck session beginning on Nov. 16 to deal with the debt ceiling, an omnibus spending plan for the rest of this budget year and other matters.

WASHINGTON - An empty subway train backed into an occupied one Wednesday, injuring 20 people, transit officials said.

The occupied train had pulled into one of the city's busiest stations moments before the empty train backed into it. Most of the 75-foot-long rear car of the empty train came off the tracks and about one-third of its aluminum shell was pulled apart.

Witnesses said the operator of the occupied train began screaming for people to get off a few seconds before impact.

None of the injuries was life-threatening, said Alan Etter, a Fire Department spokesman. He said it was "astounding," given the force of the crash, that more people weren't more seriously hurt. The worst injury appeared to be a broken leg, he said.

The crash happened after a loaded six-car train pulled into the Woodley Park-National Zoo Metro station about 12:49 p.m., spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said.

Each train has an automatic control system to keep trains a safe distance from each other, said deputy general manager for operations James Gallagher. Officials were looking into whether the system failed.

"The train rolled backward. Trains don't roll backward," Gallagher said. "There's something unusual about this event."

CLINTON LIBRARY: Oragamilike chandeliers hang from a 40-foot ceiling illuminating a massive reception hall. Drawn gold drapes part to reveal a full-size replica of the Oval Office. A preview in Little Rock, Ark. Wednesday, two weeks before the Clinton Presidential Library is unveiled, was enough to make Democrats forget about Tuesday's presidential result. A crowd of 30,000 donors, reporters, celebrities and international dignitaries are expected to descend on the 30-acre presidential park for the Nov. 18 grand opening.

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