The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-17
FALLING OF A CHURCH.
The CD Houston Street Brick Presbyterian
Church Falls Immediately After the
Departure Of the Congregation.
A MASS OF RUINS.
A Narrow Escape from an Awful Loss of
Life-The Scenes of Fright and Terror.

About twenty minutes to two O'Clock yesterday
afternoon the neighborhood of Houston and Thomp-
son streets was startled by q tremendous crash,
many in the vicinity rushing out into the street
almost frantic with fear. II was first supposed to
have been an explosion, but the rumbling noise
was snch that many changed their minds for all at
once the streets wore the appearance OF one dark
cloud, and dust could be seen flying in every direc
ton. II took but moment, however, upon gain
ing the street. to learn that the old Presbyterian
brick church. located on the southwest corner OF
Thompson and Houston streets, was
ONE MASS OF RUINS,
the whole building above the basement floor
having fallen in with crash. Instantly the fire bells
rang Off an alarm, and the firemen, together with
the police, were soon on hand No sooner had the
walls fallen than out OF one OF the side windows in
the basement came two men, looking like manacs,
their hair standing out in every direction, while
on Thompson street, at one Of the side doors three
little girls and q gentleman made their ap-
pearance all safe, not one having received the
slightest injury. Soon followed a woman and
two children and an old man, the latter proving
to be Mr.. Joseph Greer, the sexton, his wife and
children. Several citizens Immediately rushed
into the basement OF the building, but found that
no one had been hurt the ceiling only having been
broken through near the nOrthwesterly corner A
one in the body OF the church, but the sexton. Mr..
Greer, assured ali that there was no one in the
upper part OF the building as he had just unlocked
the front doors, having the keys in his hand. The
fremen and police, together with
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE,
soon COngregated about the ruins, the police haV-
ing considerable difficulty in keeping the latter
back. report arose that the pastor, the Rev. w.
w. Page, was in the ruins; but this proved false,
as at that very moment Mr.. Page put in an APP
pearance, having only got three doors away from
the building when 1t fell.
the time, stated that he saw two men passing on
the Houston street side, and believed they
could not nave escaped being buried In the
Engineers Orr, Brandon and Shea, set their men to
work to clear the rubbish OF the walks. The walls
fell out on both streets clear the opposite
sidewalk, carrying away TWO large trees and the
lamps on thompson street and partly destroying
grocery wagon, while on Houston street four large
trees were also carried away. In fact both streets
were
PILED UP WITH RUBBISH
to the height OF three and four feet. The building
was erected about thirtyhve years ago for the Rev.
DR.. Burchard, now OF Thirteenth street, and about
eighteen Years ago passed into the hands of the
strong, substantial building. had about f0rty-nve
feet front ON Thompson by about seventy eet depth
on Houston street. The church was open yesJer-
day morning for divine service about two hundred
persons being In attendance, and had the accident
t taen occurred FRED most OF them would have been
mon preached by the Rev. Mr.. Page, whose subject
was
Had the accident occurred half an hour later
there would have been about one hundred children
IN the building, but they would have all escaped in
Sa1etythat 49, so far as the falling OF the walls and
timber was concerned as they might have been in
the basement; still it would have caused STAN
pede, and in the rush some might have been killed
or injured. The sexton, Mr.. Greer, resides in
the basement OF the church in the rear, where his
wife and two children were at the time. Mrs.
Greer tainted away on reaching the street. The
hrst that was known OF the danger was the falling
OF a lew bricks from the northwest corner, which
attracted gentlemans attention, a Mr.. HOugh,
who stopped to see where they came FROM He
had hardly looked up when he saw
THE ROOF MOVING,
and then the whole side of the wall on the Houst on
street side came out above the basement windows
and fell over into the street. He said It seemed to
him as II the whole thing was done by magic He
nad 10 Jump aside TO get out OF the way OF some Of
the falling bricks one Of which struck little girl
named Mary Stewart, residing in Bedford street.
ever, seriously injured.
IL seems that for some time the roof has been In
leaking condition, and II Is supposed that some
OF the beams have rotted away and the heavy
weight OF snow has caused them to break, carrying
with them the whole roof, and forced out the sides
and the front wall. The building is in TACT totally
destroyed and the loss sustained by the church Is
estimated at $50, 900.
AFTER A CAREFUL SEARCH
Dy the hre1ncn nobody was found under the ruins
so that we are not compelled to record any loss of
life.
Among the narrow escapes was that OF Mr.
Jerome Hopkins. the founder of the Orpheon
in the basement Curiously enough Mr. Hopkins
happened TO be In the building shortly before 1t
1ell. The OrpheOn Free school will in future meet
at the spring Street Presbyterian church.