Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-26
MADEAMANlAC BY PERIL.
BUFFALO HAS A BIG BLAZE
WITH A TRAGIC FATALITY.

A Volunteer Fireman Sticks to the Roof
of - Burning Church and ails to Inn
prove Opportunities to Escape A
Climb Up the Steeple and a Final
Plunge to Death.
BUFFALO, March 25.-About s O'Clock
this evening, as an attache of the Music
Hall was lighting gas jet just above
the stage, drop fly took fire from a de-
fective burner. In an instant the whole
stage was in flames, and six minutes later
the entire building was burning. The
McCaul Opera Company was dressing,
preparatory to the production Of "Falka,"
and had barely time to escape, some get
ting out only partially dressed. The COM
panY lose their entire wardrObes for the
operas of 'Falka," The Little Duke"
and 'sThe Queens Lace Handkerchief"
The members of the company had had
most of their trunks brought to the build
ing, and these were consumed also. Very
few persons had arrived to witness the
performance, and all escaped without
injury.
ST. LOUIS CHURCH ABLAZE.
An hour later the st. Louis Roman
Catholic Church at the rear of Music
Hall, took fire, and it was soon evident
The street between Music Hall and the
church is very narrow and rendered it
impossible for the fire department to do
effective work. Two citizens, George
Smith and Joseph Green, ascended lad
ders in front of the church for the pur-
pose of assisting the iremen in directing
their work. The building burned rapidly,
and the fremen and Smith hastily left
the roof which they had reached, but for
some unaccountable reason Green re-
mained behind and frantically rushed to
the cupOla, climbing in full view of
thousands of spectators.
CLIMBING THE LIGHTNING ROD.
He clambered to the lightning rod, but
returned and rushed to the body of the
roof, which was now burning fiercely.
He rushed to corner of the building,
and needless Of the cries of the fremen,
who had a tarpaulin stretched for him to
jump into, made for the lower roof, and
from it hung by his hands fully ten min
utes. An attempt was made to reach
him with ladder, but it was unsuccess-
ful, owing to a net work of telegraph
wires surrounding the building. At this
time the entire front of the church was
enveloped in flames, and after a time a
dense smoke hid the imperrilled man
from view. When the smoke cleared
away he was seen to be still clinging to
the edge of the roof.
DASHED TO DEATH.
Then he lunged forward, let go his hold
on the roof and Iell. His feet struck the
lower roof as he fell, and turning over,
he struck on his head and was instantly
killed.
At $3.50 O'Clock the tower of Music Hall
fell in with a crash, and a few minutes
after the front walls fell into the street.
The south wall, which was unusually
strongly built, was within ten feet of
large private dwelling and remains in
tact. The fire was finally confined to
Music Hall and the church. The north
wall of Music Hall alone remains, while
all above the first floor of the church is
destroyed. Music Hall was completed in
1888, having been about a year in course
of construction. 1t was hardly completed
in time for the Sangerfest, which was held
in 1888.
THE LOSS ON MUSIC HALL.
Tne cost of the building is estimated at
$4,000. There was insurance of $50, 900.
The st. Louis Church was the oldest RO-
man Catholic church in the city. The
structure was commenced in 1889, and
about twenty years ago the main portion
of the building was erected. The cost of
the church was about $75, 1000, and the
building was insured for $4,000. About
$4,000 has been expended for decOra-
tions during the past year. Music
Hall will be remembered as
the place of holding the grand musical
festival of 1888, the Democratic State
Convention in the fall of 1883, and the
grand musical festival at which Theodore
Thomas and DR.. Damrosch appeared in
June, 1884. Within the walls of the edi-
flee was one of the oldest and most COM
plete German libraries in the country.
Books which cost over $8, 200, but whose
value can hardly be estimated, as many
of them can never be replaced, were de-
strOyed. The association holds insurance
on the library of $4,000.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
st. Leuis Church has history pc
culiarly interesting. Some years ago the
church property was vested in trustees.
The Bishop of the diocese directed that
the usual rules govern the management
of the affairs of the church. This the
trustees refused to listen to, and after
several Intellectual attempts to cOnciliate
them they were communicated, not
being allowed to baptiZe their children
or bury their dead according to the rites
of the church. This edict remained in
force for five years, when q special Papal
nunciO was sent here from Rome to in
vestigate matters. On his arrival the
nuncio was driven down Main street
followed by mob. A black flag had
fiOated from the tower of the church for
years. The trouble was finally settled,
the property remaining vested in the
trustees under the State law.