, 1873-01-17

gtonea IN the caplnEH OF the gables. IN feW
places on tile Ann street front Ct the church the
walls haye been slightly cracked and the mason
~ chipped by the heat. It does not seem prob.
able, IN the event OF tho walls being found
perfectly safe when they cool oil, that the re-
pairs to exterior masonry can cost more than a
few thousand dollars.
THE SCENE.
At distance from the church, the flames,
shooting out from the windows, burned with a
allow and steady glare. There Was little wind to
blow them into white heat at fret and the
effect OF tho steady, almost dignifed columns
was indescribable. From the two Windows, ut
tho north and at the east, the flames poured
forth in perfect masses. Tho wind Increased,
and the flames rose higher yet. The stating Of
tho roof crumbled to fragments; tongues Of fire
we're visible here and thero all over the surface
for fow minutes, and then the whole building
seemed to be wrapped in sheet Of flame, which,
BLOWN TO WHITE INTENSITY
Of heat, lit up the surrounding neighborhood
With glaro which recalled to mind the most
picturesque ofYccts Of the October disaster. III
decd, the building at one time, with the flames
pouring out OF tho dor1ner windows, reminded
one very forcibly Of the old Chamber OF Com
merce building as it first burned, before the
sheet OF flame enwrapped it. To spectator
standing On Ann street, north Of Washington,
it seemed IS if the whole Of the square, as
fur as Madison Rtreet had yielded to the
heat, so dazzlingly bright was the blaze Of this
immense structure. The illusion created quite
q panic in the neighborhood, nearly every one
supposing that nothing could have Tithstood the
1nteneo heat.
1T IT'S HEIGHT.
.oo ~ "Don ~ ~ NAo pteeoute
oeantuul spectacle. Inc soaa Walls res'steo
the action OF the heat, 80 that the flames only
found outlet through tho roof, the blazing
beams Of which burned for nearly laK an hour
!, ueloto 10y 1eu -n.o .n3 -nA'I4u' M anu
through :tne numerous "anao"b. Inc TWO
large circular windows on tho north and
east sides Of tho church burned for long time
also and their illuminated tracoriea being
ibfe for a long. distance. The water which was
thrown upon il made but little impression, ns it
could oa17 DO thrown in through the windows
before it fell npon the fire. Tie woodwork
about the crosses in front aud on tho east wing,
high up above the mass Of. the flames, made
Bn1111Axr EFFECT
ngninBt tho dark back ground of the sky, while
to tue south tho air was filled With showers Of
eindera and burning brands, which seemed to
tho roofs in the vicinity and oven south of Mad
ison street, in great at'confusion. Close watch v:as
paid to them, however, and ia may cases, roofs
and balconies wero covered with net blankets, SO
that no damage was done:
One could not but long for Rtreau to pour into
the north window OF tile church. Aa soon as
the wind rose to gale, the wood-work. vas strip
ped from the window in d few seconds, and the
oriGce looked like
Aa1nPsE 1:,1o THE EoTroarLEss FIT.
4afr fAce mt 1yiff
ont danger to the G-en1on. When the effort WIS
made, if'waa too lcto to be Of any avail, for the
interior Was guttel il about as short time aB it
takes to write it. Nothing could have been moro
beautiful than the blaze as o spectacle. The
metal work on the Windows and the cornice, tho
escaping gas, and other portions Of tho build
ing tiugc1 tho flames % With almost
every conceivable shade Of .co1oring,
green, purple, orange, and scarlet, blending IN
most exquisite varieties Of shade, and fringing
tho maBs OF glowing flame with natural trim
ming that would make tho fortune OF any
moiiste who could even fce1ly -ic1itate it in her
art.
. TIE CROWD;
as vas natural, the luri1 Light attracted an
ing the progress OF the flames, utterly regard
less OF the bitter mir, and the occasional deluges
from burning hose. The hose-carts, as they
drove fnrlous1y up to the scene OF the
tinualy increasing throng- .AB one dozen spec
tatols moved backwards to avoid tho huge
wheels, the crowd surged back, and janmcd cne
another until the dangers OF tho fire, md the
magniticenco Of tie spectacle were overlc oked
in tho desire for personal srfety. ~
: - on WASHINGTON STREET, -
for three blocks on either aide Of Ann street,
the sidewalk was denae]y packed will human
beings, wi.ose ordinations Of BosroH Of tho
n1nsh1T tn Ian ~ ~ ~ ;{a Trooz
ine witnesses Of the1ire. Madison st1cot vas also
thronged in the vicinity Of the church The