Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-12-03
EDaIIoiuflI HoraI NeWs.
Burning OF the congregational Church

Burning of the Congregational Churt d.
The destluctio of the "Old South Church" by
fire on Sabbath morning last, removes about the
only cold land IN IL" oil the city, tar as pubic
bulldogs are con eerned, as we ! as one OF tn
most vener Bile in styls archit, cture in the state
having been bnIlt during the O>ing years OF the
last century after the model OF those early times.
The church rs one ofthe LARGEST on the river,
built of timber such as The Pine Tree portion II
Massachusetts Territory ahp1ndcd IN during the
carlv he ory o the ecu airy The TIM err through n
out we've al hdIe dimensions, aud The 4, OF q -
PLAYED complete network OF uetm-, doubie
IA tiers N! bra Is, nc uiinr M uetlt cn"rsh TOR
the entire ronritu ton - q modern 'huv'h. 1he
e wa nr-t discovered by tnt mig wa'chm a.
few minut = BET Ie three O'Clock >uuday mo- n.
volume OF ,nrt. arrested his progres~ hui h" " ~
enable 10 sen The bc rope IA tie lower Ne-li-
hWc and so I'd an alarm. BY standing outside
the door he managed to keep the bell ringing until
the bell rope was burned H. AMI IN TIE mean
me- The B,ptst bell peeled forth its powerful
the, a. Il soon The ann be, anne Ic'rritt. car
IRE coLpanIer re- pUnded with their usual piompt
ness anu cxer ed themselves to the Il most u stay
the progress of the Dire. powerful streim Of
water wa So immediately thrown iHtp he
building from the cuJtOu Iaciory fir app ratus !;
bni WAS fou impossible To reach the hre that
had made good progress along the eel ing~ o. tn
walls and lower flo ~. Wherever I've could he
discovered the deluge OF water poured u, on /.
served To de tden IL, and for IN ne than an
upur thcr' seemed to b" IA good pros Get Ion saw
INK HE bti Ging. soon, however, indie anon OF
lire appeared high up the walls 81 the e'-'ern
fiunt, and Il ic minutes before tour ~ ioci .
na1 e. bG ~ tr N the Ia cry windo">, hey rd
the reach Of III" ir, men, and the doom OF the iihc
old pie Wa sealed. Tie lire aiidiy ascend,d 10
HE spirc, afDrulnE one OF the M ~ magnificent
spectacle o. co ft-iatlcn poeslDte. + rtonoley
not a brr, In oI win Was stiulng; IN H. ana
ndmes ST med to rise to the heave r ~ pfrIen-
dtular coinmn OF terrific sub .mty. The Wntthe.
vaue II atouHd aud around ike irlgntcned
bid uDdc' idcd which way TO tlv, wnile the llIlul
Old clock -nuck the no r OF iuur ami O-ed IT. Il .
nfT- falf ft4slT f - Il tam
splrc 'eil % the Nv ri with crash III pen Ing
predetermined display, Of brilliant an Natvd hu'
Tue whole M in building wa, now aecihng
roa ing volume OF ham ;, rendering IL quite inpo--
-ible 10 approach vi hin wording distance al Ii"
spot. In country was brilliantly Illuminated for
III les ouid. The hrc Companies and fOrs
brigade now turned their attcnt on 10 the 7nI-
rounding bui Iings and soon the sic ,mer Cu7hnoc
arrived from Angus a, ard with IA lull company OF
active and = iii lent hrem n re ddefed val aii
So wee during the remaining hour OF danAei.
tn" fire was fortunately confined L the church
IT. u tlre although { surrounding kuildthgs or
every side were % wood ana IL near pioAinith,
and many times on lire upon the roofs and sl'.e-
Had there been strong wind from any point q
t e compass the conf q alton mnsl have been "a
tensive. There was partial Insurance upon tho
house of - UJU as tul o.: Hanover 5000; Man
haitian. UoJ; Royal, 500 While the church ha-
thus been deprived OF their IN en- enerated huus
ol worship, the entire commun ~ experience
sense % r-onal loss. The many sicred mcIno'
ries OF past generations who have ~orshi.'p,d III
TINS im IGNORED san III Try, VIII long be cher.
l-hcd ana tncir christian c.et- WIZ pt We - M
dicton to the present and future members o. the
church dtd society. Measures VII M uuuJL b
at one iuaugui ated for tuildlu Il new nuusc 81
worship bet er a.iap.e4 perhaps to the pr' seat
tastes All, necessities OF the times.
Some ten or twelve families in thi, city, from
the vicinity of the Granite z tany, are cotten-
plstlng settling at some point IN AroostoOk, -Huud
sufficient Inducements be offered by the State 1t
is the iuleuticn of these families to let loca
ton IN the vicinity Of Ptesaue Isle. Caribou or
Fort Fan fl, Id, and they are Of he oplnlou hst
the State should provide transportation ~ some
other suitable inducements to aid in the Sc t
meut Of the unoccupied lands of the state.
The d organ destroy ed by the cremation Of tho
old South church SUNDAY morning last MAS
relic OF historic interest. having been IrpttoJ
from England 10 the carly pant OF the present cen.
tuiy, and said to have been tr-t used at the coro
nation Of King George the Third. II had Heen A
rematkab V iue toned instrument, but had lon,,
Oulliyea Its pristine glory and US fl mess. The
late d.. Btr Vaughan contributed the ~ lrcip,l
amount for purchasing the organ fot pieseuta ion
to the church aud society.
Another east,rly storm set in or NJ udav after
noon, with every prospect of a icp.tiliuu of the
late severe RAINY weather. Niut,r seem. to lin
ger in the lap of autumn quite satisfactorily.
The he'll Of the Old South church has been ie-
covered from the ~ us IN dilaplda ed con iition.
part OF it having been melted into fatciiu forms
hy the extreme heat.