New-York tribune., 1873-02-17
FALL OF A CHURCH.

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE CoNGREGATIoN-THH
ROOF WEIGHED DOWN WITH SNOW, But THB
WALLS DANGEROUSLY THIN.
At 1:22 D. M, yesterday, the roof OF the
New-York Presbyterian Church, on the southwest cor
ner of Thompson and West Houstonsts., gave way be-
meath the damp, heavy snow upon it, and fell with
terrific crash crushing the greater part OF the walls and
hurting O mass OF broken timber bricks and mortar
upon the adjacent sidewalks and street railroad tracks
Although there about Is persons one half OF whom
were children in the basement OF the building, aud
considerable number passing along the street close by,
no one was injured. Sexton Joseph Greer and his
family consisting of fouI adults, in apartments IN
the basement of the structure in which they reside.
John Todd OF No. IS East Fourths, and his wife and
two little children, who, in consequence OF the Storm
had remained after the morning service, IN order 10
attend sunday-schOol at p. No. were in the lecture
room in the basement, and six or seven young girls,
pupils Of the school, had just arrived One of the latter
was entering the building almost at the very moment
of the crash, and narrowly escaped instant death.
The walls in falling, were forced outward, while the
tmbers of the roof caught upon portion OF the walls
not demolished in such that the main floor OK
the church enabled to resist the pressure OF mo
runs and to protect the inmates OF the basement which
was almost entirely uninjured. The upper half 0f the
walls. and all the furniture and fixtures Of the audience
room, including new organ, were totally destroyed III
yoying an estimated loss of about $4,000 the fire insur-
ance on which of no avail against damage of this nature.
The building Of brick with brown stone trimmngs,
and erected about so years ago. 1t covered an area
about so by rs feet, and its roof which fiat, was
without supporting columns, and was only sustained by
light truss-wOrk. The walls dangerously thin, and
OF somewhat imsy construction The lectureroom, re-
Gently reftted at an expense Of $780, not damaged
The Rev. W. W. Page, PASTOR had just been 10 the
church from his residence, No 4Varckpaee, Sullivan
ST. between Beecker aud Houstonsis, with some deli
caces for the children, and was only few yards dis
tant on his way home, when the church fell The base
ment of the church used for of the free choral
schools OF the OFpheOn Society and among the narrow
escapes was that Of JeromeHopkns the composer who
happened 10 be nhe church. just before the roof ie
seyenth-aye. car had Just rolled by, and woman
and several men were passing in different directions
through both Thompson and HOustonst but fortunately
upon the opposite sides from church The tremendous
noise and conclusion caused by the fail OF the building,
alarmed Police Inspector McDermott who was at ms
residence No. 2s ThOmpson-st. and he fastened TO tho
scene Of the disaster. Finding painful rumor prevail
ing that several persons had been buried beneath the
ruins he promptly summoned the reserve platoons from
the Eighth Fifteenth and Twenty Precincts and
at once began to clear away the rubbish. An alarm
OF fire was also sounded and the fremen, who quickly
arrived earnestly joined in the search. Tho
tracks of the Seventh-ave Railroad, in ThOmpsonst,
and OF the Avenue Railroad in HoustOns, were com
nletelv blockaded for several hours with rubbish and
tnrootea trees When the ruins had been ransaekod,
and no injured persons had been found, the railroad
tracks were cleared and travel WIS resumed BY inV-
taton Of the Rev. Mr.. McCampbel pastor OF the Pres
byterian Church in Springs, near Varckst the con-
eregation Of the destroyed church worsnped 10 the
former ediace last evening IL Is announced that the
regular weekly prayer meeting will take place ct the
residence Of the treasurer OF the congregation, T. Is.
Rich at No. pa ThOmpson-st on Wednesday evening,
by which time is hoped that temporary place OF Wor-
ship and sunday-schOo room will have been secured.