Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-13
st. Dominic.s Church Fire.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ALTAR AND MEMO
EIAL WINDoWs-THE Loss BY THE FIRE &C.
The fire at st. Dominics church, South WASH
ington, yesterday, of which an account WAS
given in last evenings STAR, was almost entire-
ly eNtinguished by three O'Clock The regret
among the parishoners for the destruction OF
the altar and It's appurtenances, and the pic
tured windows about the sacristy, which repre-
3nts n heavy financial loss Is greater than
could be represented by any statement OF dol.
lars or cents. The grand altar, which was to-
tally destroyed, was designed by L. G.. keeiy,
and built by smith 4 Crane of New York The
nine windows around the altar, containing
stained glass, imported from France, were de-
stroyed. Five of these windows, containing
liie-sized figures, were donated 10y George Mat
tnglv, Arsenius Harvey, Mrs. Gen. Sherman,
ST. pomiHic's Mutual Relief Society and Rev
Father Alig. The other four windows wer,
beautifully Ornamentcd with crosses flowers
and tIacery, and We're donated 10y ". I'll. shea,
MfS. -. Campbell, Philip Shea and Young "
Hull These windows were valued at 800 each.
The handsome window I'm st. Joseph's chapel,
dow IN the south wall of the church, presented
10y Harrison Johnson. the rose window over the
'front.' entrance, presented by Mr.. Patrick Culli-
name, ahd containing iigure OF st, Cecela,a and
the windows In the chapel of the Lady OF
Lourdes and most of the windows in the roof
Were broken. Many OF the damaged windows
had To be broken by the firemen 10 get streams
of water upon the flames. The windows In the
Chapel of the BlesNed Virgin, given by the
Society OF the Children OF Mary, and Gems.
hugh and Charles Ewing, were not damaged,
The other windows which were not damaged
y. L.. III.
V. Browne and daughter LouIie, Mrs NJ Rem
shaw, Mrs. Schreplcr, j. q. stafford, Emma
Wimsatt, j. j. stafford, Young Catholics Friend
society, Petty d Harvey, Mrs =. Dawson, bar.
thoomew Shea, III. Il G. Leddy, Harrison john
son, Mrs Mary Dalrymple. l.. Corcoran, Mrs. Is.
culinane, Fegan Brothers Dunn, ManniN "
Mcdonald. James \. McDevitt Wtn. BuckIev,
~. Dominic's Benevolent society, Mrs. J. Il,
Lewis, J. G. Derm"dy Emma permody, James
- l4eary, Harvey a Holden, Knights OF st. Pat
rick, t. Mcitugh ana John Welsh, Mrs Grace
j. Duffy, Edward Shechy, Messrs. o'Nein and
oBricn and Mr.. Leiich. The altar i'm the
Chapel Of the Lady of Lourdes and The statue of
the Lady Of Bourdes, the gifts of Miss Ida Stew
arr; the altar i'm II. JoSephs chapel, which used
Ia stand in the old church, hut was rcmodeled
at the expense OF the Young Catholics Friend
society, were ruined 10y the fire. The Chapel
of the sacred Heart, which was furnished by
MI ana Mrs. Edward Dolan,was not materially
damaged.
THE FIRE ALARM APPARATUS UNINJuRED.
superintendent Miles, Of the fire alarm ser.
vice, states that the property connected with
the fire alarm telegraph. which was placed in
the steeple of ~. Dominic's church. destroyed
10y fire yesterday. is uninjured, the fire not
reaching the work These bells struck the
alarm Tor the fire yesterday, and when the fire
was eNtinguishcd struck the one stroke for
tire out
THE SITUATION TODAY.
St Dominicls church from the outside this
morning showed but few traces of the disas.
trous fire OF yesterday. The windows I'm the
rear over the main altar were broken and the
woodwork burned away and there was "A hole
IN the slate rooL. Some OF the windows along
the sides were broken and there were couple
of holes in the large rose window I'm the front u
the church. Inside the floors We're still wet in
places from the water, aud the walls were
stained with smoke but the rews were intact
and standing. With ones back la the altar, it
was difficult To Imagine that the entire struct-
ure had been threatened with destruction. All
about the altar was "A perfect wreck. The floor
and the joisis up To the front row of pews had
been entirely burnt away. The fire burned
with the greatest fury at this point, having
crcIt up through the walls from the basement
the altar were cnarred slightly, and the fire had
rum under the floor some fifteen or twenty feet
The fircmen had tough fight, and one come
pany remained about the church all night
The most remarkable feature of the entire
scene il the charred and shapeless ruin of the
organ, which stands I'm the loft. 100 feet from
where tine fire was confined. and it's surround
ingS showing no signs Of fire. Chief Cronin
plained this phenomenon this morning by saw.
ing that the heated air in conjunction with the
gases generated by the fire acted upon the soft,
painted wood Of the organ SO az 10 set IL I'm a
blaze. lie said that he was afraid the same
thing would be repeated in the arches under
the side roofs, but ne succeeded in lowering the
lumber i'm the arches OF the ceiling il estimated
10 be $4,000 feet for every fifteen feet. In tho
roof OF the nave alone there is 100000 feet of
lumber.
THE INSURANCE ON THE BUILDING.
The amount OF insurance on the building is
100000, all of which is i'm Baltimore compa.
nies Mr.. Reese, the president Of the Howard
insurance company, OF Baltimore, which has
$4,000 of the Insurance, was looking into tho
damages this morning. Meeting Chief Cron,n
in the church he took him by the hand and
said heartily:
AZ want to congratulate you. This is the best
put out fire ever saw
Mr. Cronin was the recipient OF n good many
that he was able To confine the
fire To one part of the church, and especially
that the roof was saved. A temporary alfaF
will be erected and services will be held I'm thi
church on Sunday as usual.
APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC.
The following was sent out this morning:
Aa appeal 10 the friends Of Religion and 81
Doai,,ic's Chorch.-A terrible disaster has bss
The hand of the Lord has teen laid
heavily upon us. The devouring elements "a
fire have ragged In fury around u.s. aud de-
stroyed the beauty Of the Lords Temple We
appeal to the generosity OF all our friends to -
sist US TO restore 10 its former beauty the hous1
Of God. meeting of the congregation and all
the friends OF st. Dominic's throughout the citv
will be held in the old church On sunday next
March 18th, at p. IN.
h. ID. DoNNELLY, o. p, Pastor
THE REPRESENTATIVES, OF OTHER cATaoLro
CHURCHES,
In this city, called to-day at the PASTORS rest.
dence TO extend their sympathy and aid. The
amount Of the damage Is not known, but Il ID
thought that IL the full insurance is paid tnaA
the entire loss Will not be covered. There is =
debt now on the church of about S5O.OOO and
this loss adds TO the burden. In addition ID
repairing the injury done to the sanctuary and
altar, IL Will probably he necessary TO replastod
the entire ceiling Of the church.