The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-01-06
A BIG BLAZE.
THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH BURNED
LAST S SUNDAY.
Nothing But the Brick Walls Remain, Damages
$4,000, Insurance only Sl400O.-WiHbe
Rebuilt ITamediatelJ


Nothing But The Brick Walls Remain, Damages
$4,000, Insurance only sl4,OOO.-WHbe
Rebuilt Immediately.
Last Sunday morning some three hundred per.
sons were assembled in the audience room Of the
First Methodist church at the corner Of Tusca.
rawas and Poplar streets. Just about twelve
o'clock when the entire congregation were kneel-
ing aud number Of the members Of the church
were about partaking Of the sacrament, pecu-
liar noise was heard overhead. Shortly after
wards flames were seen at the Ventilators in the
ceiling, and a shower Of sparks was precipitated
upon the heads Of those assembled. Mr., Jacob
Miller was the first to observe the flames and ris-
ing to his feet said fire." Immediately some one
In the audience cried out requesting the people
to pass quietly ont as there was plenty OF time
and no danger The congregation made Its way
quickly and without much confusion down the
flight of stairs and out Of the building. In their
hurry many forgot their hats, Overcoats, rnbbeIs
&C., although most OF them were recovered in
time, The bell In the tower began tolling Its own
death knell, but was shut off by the melting Of
the connecting wire between 1t and the engine
house. The entire city fire department was soon
on the spot and crowds Of people came from all
directions. Many OF the water pipes wore frozen
up and the old water works engine was unequal
to the emergency, Sufficient pressure could not
be obtained to throw stream Of water on the
roof Of the burning building and the FIRE gained
rapidly the steeple acting as iue through the
windows of which dense volumes Of smoke pour
ed forth At 1890 the wooden portion Of the
steeple was burned to the frame, which slowly
settled, broke in the center and fell with crash
striking the pavement In front Of the Tuscarawas
street entrance. Not long after the BELL weighing
nearly three thousand pounds fell from It's sup
port which had been burned away, and lodged
in the basement breaking into seVerallarge pieces
The pulpit chair, the morning collection Of some
fifteen or twenty dollars the silver service, some
hymn books and nch'cushions were all that
was saved. The organ, worth about So 500 was
entirely destroyed Most Of the attention Of the
fremen was directed to the saving Of the sur
rounding buildings many Of which would have
been ignited had 1t not been for the heavy coat.
ing Of snow with which they were covered. The
awning before humans grocery took fire aud was
put out with considerable difficulty. The old
city cistern located on the public square east Of
the Court House, was opened and the steamer
was thus enabled to get a sufficient supply OF
water to throw good stream. The Aremen con-
tinued working until about half past five, when
most Of the burning woodwork on the church and
red hot embeIs had been exungIshed. The
steamer at Massillon had been telephOned for and
started for Canton. 1t was net about half way
on the road and told that the fire was under con-
troll, when 1t returned to Massillon, The Meth0
dist church was built in 1868 and was one of the
finest and most substantial church buildings in
Canton. Ithas the largest congregation Of any Of
the Protestant denominations in the city. The
building was located on the site Of the old st.
Cloud hotel which was destroyed by FIRE Novem.
ber 23rd 1859. the original cost Of constructing
and fitting up the church was about $4,000, but 1t
can be replaced for less money. The damage is
estimated at about $4,000 1t was at first thought
that the insurance amounted to between 5000
and $4,000, but investigation revealed the fact
that 1t was but s140O 1t is divided as follows:
Canton Mutual So 500 Buckeye Mutual Of Shelby
Ohio, So 900; Forest City Mutual Of Cleveland,
$1,000: COlumbiRna County Mutual Of New Lis.
bon, $1,000; Western Mutual OF Urbana, So 50O;
Rlchand County Mutual Of Mansfield, S3,00O
Several theories have been advanced as TO the
cause of the fire. The most probable is that
sparks were blown into the attic through an aper.
ture in one OF the lues and set fire to the wood.
work and rubbish therein contained The fire
had probably been smouldering in the attic for
several hours and possibly several days previous
and was nourished by the draft resulting from
the opening Of the door connecting the attic and
the tower