The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-11-13
MooDY's CHURCH
Iu Chicago Burned-Ths Fire Supposed t
be IuCendiaTy,

Ia Chicago Hurned-The Fire Supposed tu
be IHcendIary,
CHICAGO, Nov. l2,-At 2;S0 o'clock this
morning fire was discovered in the base.
mept Of the Chicago Avenue church, bet,
ter known as Moody's church, at the cor.
Her OF Chicago and La sallo avenues. An
alarm was given, but before the engines
could respond the flames had burst through
the ilrst floor into the lecture room. Here
their fury was checked for q while, as was
supposed, but concealed by the dense
smoke the fre had crept up to the second
floor and soon eaten Its way into tho aud.
itorium Of the second floor, Fed here
by the multitude Of cushions and other
inllammable furnishings the flames spread
with surprising rapidity and Iedoubled
tierceness.
A second alarm was hastily turned In.
The burning cushions and other material
gave forth almost fmpsnetTable volumes
oi dense, black smoke, which for time
repulsed all efforts OF the 6remen to enter
the church. The stained glass windows,
which had begun to crack from the heat,
were dashed In with axes and In few
minutes half O doAsn streams were play.
ing on the fire, which Glung with obstinate
persistence 70 the furniture and other
light combustIbles in the room.
Alter nearly three-quarters OF an hour
Of hard work the flames werc got under
control and the Ore confined to the church
building. The smoke was still too dense
to permit an investigation Of the extent OF
the damages, but It Ia believed that the
interior Ia entirely gutted. The stained
glass windows were almost entirely de.
Btroyed. Tho walls, 1t was thought, arc
about all OF the structure that could bo
preserved 80 as to be tit for future use.
The pastor, the Rev. Mr.. Goss, estimated
the loss at $4,000, and said that tho
church and furniture wers covered by In.
surance to that amount. IncendlRrism is
believed by some to be the cause oil the
Are.
II Is said that AZ 80 o'clock this morn
Ing policeman saw some one in the In.
terror Of the building. Mr.. d, B, ;rurner,
the janitor, said that all tho members OF
bis laInily had retired at that hour. Tho
lsev. Mr. Goss could not conceive OF a
motive any one might havo, but admitted
that he could not understand the origin OF
the flames on the part Of the building
where they were discovered unless
the tiro was set. He said there
might have been an overheated pipe from
one Of the aaven furnaces which are 10.
Gated In tho building. The church society
was organized by tho Rev, Dwight i.
Moody, the evangelist, In 1900, and oCcu-
pied small huilding on Chicago avenue
near Franklin street, until the great fire
In 1871. Immediately after that time Mr..
Moody built tha present church structure,
soliciting and receiving contributions
from all pa!ta Of the globe until 100000
was raised. Ms.. Moody continued as
pastor until he began his general
9vangellstic work. The present pastor OF
the church is the Rev. D. +. Goss. 1t has
grown from small beginning to be one
Of tho largest churches In point Of mem.
bership in the city. The Sunday school
rolls include the names of sixteen hun
dred children. A. II. Revell, ]. II, Hitch.
cock, A. Fl. Lowdsn, K. +. AtChison and
John Morrison are at present deacons.
Vhe auditorium OF the church Is the
largest In Qhioago, though perhaps the
plaineSt In design. Since the building
was first erected alterations and improve.
ments have been made to the extent Of
S26 600.