Smyrna times., 1869-12-15

FIRE.--Nay7eaoE Escape Of the H. E. Church. |
On Saturday night last, about ll4 o'clock, |
a dense smoke was seen issuing from the lee
ture room of the NJ. f. Church in this town by |
Mr.. Weddle, living at the rearof the edifice |
The alarm, of hre was at once given, and the |
usual frantic scenes cotDmenced, which were
all the more intense on this occasion from the
fact that so many were Interested, in sympathy,
if not pecuniarily. Our citizens were prompt
ly on the spot and never were more heroic et-
forts exhibited on an occasion of this kind.
The rear doors of the lecture room were forced
open, when it was found that the floor and
pulpit were igniting, but the crowd were driven
hack by the dense smoke and heat. Two or
three, however, succeeded in forcing their way
after short time, at great risk, and found 1t
necessary to cut the floor away with axes to
reach the sills, which were rapidly burning
underneath. BY this time the little engine,
"Smyrna," was in position and fierce stream
was forced into the almost iupenetrable room,
and the flames, which were brcoming furious,
|. tall, efforts to reach them by water in buckets
being impOSsible) were soon extlngulshed.
The pulpit was nearly destroyed, and the
Sunday School organ and Bible so badly chared
as 10 be rendered useless. A number of Bibles
belonging to the school were somewhat d. ID
aged, also. The library cases were scOrche1,
but none Of the books (near 700 volumesl were
Injured. Among the articles destroyed was a
portrait of the venerable DR. Cooke.
On the following morning, Sunday, the large
congregation of that denomination we're de-
prived If a place of worship The pastors of
the other two churches, however, kindly ten
dared their churches to Rev Mr.. RittenhouSe.
Rev. Mr. Kennedy, ofthe Presbyterian church,
tendl4ed his pulpit to the pastor in the even
ing, which was accepted. Rev. DR. Morsell,
of the Episcopal church, also invited the pas
tor to worship at St. Peters at any time when
not occupied.
! The origin of the fire seems to have been
this: There is Tor was) a wooden air box run
ming from the heater, under the floor, and ter
minating under the pulpit The gas accumu-
latng in the furnace became so great that il
forced its way out this box, and also forced the
heat with it, which, being intense, and coming
in contact with the outside air iguited the boz
at the end under the pulpit. The end next tC
the heater was not burned because there wat
not sufficient air to create combustion. This
is the general opinion. IncendiariSm was alsC
freely talked of, as usual, but gained little
credence.
The whole building is black with SCOT ant
smoke, and the ceiling and paper will have Il
! be renewed. Painting throughout will be ne
j ceSsary, also, it is thought. Only the lectur
, room, however, was touched by the flames. l
will require new sils, new floor and new seats
for the most part
+ The church is insured to the amount of Sc,
: OOO--$4O0O in the New Castle Fire Co., an,
and $1,000 in the Kent County Co. The com
: mttee to assess the damages put the loss a
: 1880. There is desire on the part of man
!. to enlarge the church, and it is suggested tina
it be repaired temporarily for the present, an
n thar it be enlarged and improved in the sprin
+ by building an extension of 20 feet to the rea
i and improving the front. A committee
. make these improvements has been in exis
ence for the last six months, but had decide
> to abandon the enterprise until money matter
= were easier. 1t is quite probable that somt
o thing in this line will be done