Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-10-19
BURNED TO THE GROUND
DIR. TALMAGE's CHURCH A HEAP OF
RUINS.

The Great Fdifice at Brooklyn Comp etely
Destroyed by Fire a Second Time-Its
Pastor Postpones His Trip to the Holy
Ian and Appeals for Help.
The BROOKLYN tabernacle, of (which
T. Dewitt Talmage, D. D., is pastor,
has been, for the second time in its
history, totally destroyed bv fire. At
2:tj O'Clock in the morning a police
man discovered flames issuing from one of
small window over the main entrance, and,
rushing to the nearest signal-bnX, sent i'll
an alarm. The fremen found the fire had
assumed large proportions, and additional
alarms, calling all available apparatus,
were at once sent in. 1t became event
chat the edifce was doomed to destruction.
1t burned like a finder box, and the fire.
man. despairng of saving it, directed their
efforts to the adjoining property. Many
of the occupants of the neighboring dwell
ings were already awake, and the police
proceeded to arouse those who were sleep
ing. The three story frame structure at
353 Shermerhorn street, adjoining the
church on he east side, was the first to
take fire, and 355, similar structure,
followed; 351 was also damaged
On the west side of the church the
flames extended to two brick dwellings,
and on the opposite side of SchermerhOrn
street row Of three-story brick dwellings,
1913 to 34S, suffered from the intense heat
Window glass was broken and woodwork
scorched
The residents Of the neighhorhood, awak-
ened either by the roar of the flames or by
the pounding of the police upon their
doors, became frightened and rushed out
half-dressed and IN their night clothes,
I 1 IA
surfing them that they were in no danger.
Fortunately there was no loss of life or
limb. The police carried out one old lady
from 337 Schermerhorn street and placed
her in house at a safe distance. All the
other inmates were able to care for them
selves.
But while the firemen and the police
worked for the salvation of property and
people the doomed binding was rapidly
being consumed and in an hours time only
totterng walls remained. DR.. TaImage
was on the scene soon after the first alarm
and did not leave until he had seen the
edfce which had been his pride laid in
ashes.
The origin OF the fire is unknown but it
is thought that it may have been caused by
lightning.
The loss on the church building, incud-
ing the organ, which was one Of the finest
in the country is $50, 900 1t is said to
be covered by insurance in a number of
companies The building was of four
teenth century Gothic architecture and
was dedioared Feb. % 1874. It was of
brick. with stone trimmings with a
frontage Of $50 feet and a depth of 10
feet, to which had recently been added an
| extension GO feet wide and - deep. The
] nd
! always fully taxed at the Sunday services
! The previous structure, which was built
of corrugated iron, was destroyed by fire
! Sunday morning Dec %, 1872. That fire
was also of unexplained origin.
DR. Talmage has issued the following
address:
To THE PEOPLE:-By sudden calamity
we are without a church The uildng
consecreated by SO much that is dear to us
is in ashes In behalf of my stricken con
gregation l make appeal for help as our
church has never confined is worl, to this
locality. Our church has never been
sufficient either in size or appointment for
/ the people who come We want to build
something worthy of our city and worthy
of the cause Of God We want 500, 00U,
which, added to the Insurance. will
build us what is needed ! make appeal
to all our friends through christendom, to
all denominations, to all creeds ard
thosa of no creeds at all to come to orr assist
ance ! ask all readers of my sermons
the world over to ,ontrihute as far as
their means will allow What we do as
a church depends upon the immediate re-
Spouse made to this call | was on the
eve Of departure for a brief visit to the
Holy ] and that I might be better pre-
pared for my work here, but that visit
must he postponed ! cannot leave until
something is done to decide our future.
May the God who has our destiny IN
diviluals and churches in his hand APP
pear for our delivarance Response to
this appeal to the people may be sent to
me at Brooklyn, n. y, and | will with
my own hands acknowledge the receipt
thereof"