The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-13
Destruction Of the Holy Trinity
lhnrch IN

NEW YORK, February 1.-THE Protestant
Episcopal Church Of the Holy Trinity, cor
ner OF Fifth avenue and One-bundred.and'
twenty-Iiftb street, was destroyed by IRE
early this morning. The loss IL estimated
at $4,000, partly covered by assurances OF
$4,000 in various companies. IL was just
2:10 O'Clock when the lookout On the sum-
nit OF Mount Morris tower noticed sud-
den illumination OF the church, and pre-
sumed that 1t had teen lit by the SEX
ton. Presently, however, the flames
burst through one OF the side win
dows. The alarm was sounded at once.
There was some delay In getting the
fremen's hose attached TO the hydrants,
and a second alarm was sounded. The
| hook-and-ladder men broke down the win
dows. and through them streams were at
! last laid on, but for awhile they seemed TO
| have no effect. The tire rapidly consumed
the light woodwork OF the interior in q
| fierce flame. The large oriel window on
! the avenue front and the smaller embra-
sured windows surrounding it were lighted
marveously, and many OF Hlriem's good
people left their beds TO see the spectacle
and mourn over the church, which was the
finest in Harlem.
The tremen devoted themselves to cool
ing the walls Of The church as much as pos
! slble and to protecting adjacent buildings.
| The fl Imes mounted to the large organ in
the front Of the church, ran along the pipes,
and exploded the bellows, sending no
| clouds OF sparks and cinders. a small
wooded imitation OF a Grecian temple
stands on Observation-Disclosures
street, few yards west OF the church, and
the chapel On the Fifth.ayenue side. The
! fire was checked on the observation-disclosures
twenty ffth-street side, but the chapel was
almost totally destroyed. 1T daylight no.
thin. OF the church remained but the bare
and blackened walls. The organ cost
| $4,000. It had three key-bosrds and fifty
stops. There was m insurance OF $1,000
on il. An oval slained-gIass window in
front OF the organ, which cost $4,000, was
entirely destroyed.
The church was built ten years ago at a
cost Of Sl2j 900, in great measure through
the efforts OF Frederick Ogden, Frederick
Tinsen, b. +. Paddock, George Buckout,
Henry w. Motley, G. +. AIvOrd, J. u. Eel
lows, and Thomas L. Hanson. The money
was raised principally by subscription, and
the debt that remained was paid off in year
! " in,talmeuts, the last inStalment being
| paid year ago. The church was built OF
re pressed brick, with sandstone trim
mngs, the main entrance being on Fifth
avenue. Inside the walls were frescOcd in
pale blues. drabs and reGS, and the ceiling
in blue and cold. The chapel was built in
the same style as the church and was con-
nected with it. The church has about 400
commitments. and its congregation num-
bcrs about 200.
The Rev. DR.. Randolph II. McKim is the
rector. lie took charge four years ago. bis
predecessor having been the Rev. DR.. INV.
McVicker. The interior OF the church was
divided into a nave and choir gallery. and
had $50 pews, with a seating capacity for
over thousand persons.
The fire is supposed to have originated
from the heater. About midnight the Of
icer on duty reported TO the sexton. Mr..
CoWperihWaIte, that he bad noticed Il thin
cloud Of smoke within the building. They
entered it together, and found steam Issuing
from the boiler in The cellar. The water WaS
nearly out, and there was heavy pressure of
steam. Being afraid that an explosion MIGHT
take place they withdrew the fire from be-
meath TIE boiler. They say that the Goals
were ali tXtingui>hed before they lett. The
ASE-Wcdne> day services OF the Church
were held in the neigbboring Presbyterian
churches, which have been put at the dis
pOSal OF the congregation.