Bypassed rheostat...worked for a bit then smoke and blown fuse

[enginenr9]

The dash lights are out (just the lights on top that illuminate the gauges), so I replaced the bulbs and fuses but still a no go. Figuring it must be a fried rheostat (which it was) I took it out and soldered a jumper wire between the contacts. Dash lights came back for a brief couple minutes, but not before smoke came out of the dash and the #1 fuse (white/square) was blown. Tried another white fuse, then a red...dash lights aren't coming back. My ghetto rigged rheostat seems ok...tell me I didn't somehow fry the circuits in the dash?