The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-03
IN ASHES.
Dover, N. H, Visited by a Most
Destructive Blaze.
THE FREE BAPTIST CHURCH. BRUSH
FACTORY, &C., CONSUMED.
Four Persons Buried in the Ruins OF
the Church.
fspecialDispatch to the Press |

Especial Dispatcn 10 tne FreSs.l
DOVER, N. H, May 2.-This morning at pre-
cisely twenty minutes before s O'Clock an
alarm of fire came from the brush manufacto-
ry of Lewis B. Laskey, next building west Of
the rear end of the Free Will Baptist Church
on Washington street and standing but very
few feet--some eight or ten feet perhaps-f
the church. The general alarm of the steam
gong was Immediately given and there was q
rush of people at once. The FIRE department
was very dilstory in getting to work. and be-
fore the steamers were ready for action the
brush factory was all on fire inside and out,
and the flames had communicated to the audi
ence room of the church. also to stable just
north of the church and almost touching it,
1t was soon evident that this fine church was
doomed and its entrance doors were opened to
save its contents, which hsd the effect to cre-
ate vigorous draft right through the building
from basement to pinnacle, and the fire thence
forth had its own way. Everybody who could
took hold and cleared the church of all nova
BILE furniture and fixtures, pew cushions, set
tees, chairs, pulpit, piano, and everything that
it was possible to move was soon out, and car
ried away to places Of safety. The big organ
could not be moved and was destroyed
In exactly one hour from the time the alarm
was first given the tower and splre lurched TO
the northward and fell with crash down up
on the burning roof clear through the Dase 10
ment story, carrying down everything IN its
course. This was relief, because no further
danger of accident appeared, and the crowd
again began to rush up around the burning
building. AT this time the structure was very
thoroughly gutted, and what an hour before
,nAi iarIc nf xYnr
ship, was total wreck and ruin. 1t is a terri
BILE loss to that parish and society. They had
lust succeeded in paying off all their debts and
owned the property clear. 80
The society was organized February 4, 1910,
and worshipped in the wooden building whore
the Morning Star Office now is until 1868, when
the building now destroyed was erected at a
cost of about 1923 000 Since then some inn
provements have been made amounting to two
or three thousand more, SO that the property
was worth at least $4,000, besides the organ,
which would add some $1,000 to $500 more,
making a total loss not far from $4,000. On
this was only $4,000 insurance, leaving the net
loss at about $22, ,000-a heavy blow to that
heretofore prosperous church and society.
Fortunately the progress of the flames was
stopped at this point, though many ellings
and other buildings caught fire from flying cin-
ders and sweeping conhagation at times
seemed inevitable.
At $40 this afternoon the fire alarm again
sounded and instantly came the report that the
walls of the burned church had fallen and bur-
led several persons underneath. The most in
tense excitement prevailed and hundreds flock
ed to the scene. 1t turned out that the walls
had not fallen but several persons were inside
upon the partially burned church. floor when it
gave way, tumbling all together into the base
ment and covering them with timbers, bricks,
and all sorts of rubbish Men went to work
to get them out and found four of them
in all, Mrs. Stuart Clifford, Mrs. Whitney,
whose husband is in the employ of VIM. 1,
Lucas, Mr.. Job Burleigh and a clerk in Tash's
shoe store whose name we could not get Mrs.
Clifford had both legs broken, and some inter
nal injuries. Mrs. Whitney had one leg brok-
en-, and was badly bruised. Mr.. Burleigh bad
ly bruised and hurt internally The othre one
severely bruised. The actual injuries of none
of these persons can be obtained as they can
not be known without surgical examination.
The total loss from the fire will foot up over
$4,000, and SO far as can be ascertained the to-
tai insurance is only $6S00-$6000 on church
$500 on property of Laskey & Goa fatal lack
of insurance to cover such loss.