Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-19
OLD TRINIrY AELAMk.
Damaging FIRE sunday NiRht--An
Electric Light Wire Causes "a
SganFneIe-TLe Loss.

Damaging FIRE sunday NiRht--An
Electric Light Wire Causes q
SIaMpede-Fhe Loss.
There was q stubborn and exciting Ere
Sunday night in the old Trinity Church
building, at Fifth and King street, now
occupied rs residence ard msrhla yard,
which at one time seemed to threaten the
entire destruction OF the building. The
first alarm, from boz No. Ia. was struck
about 1925 o'clock, and even before the
tiretnen arrived number OF police offi-
GERS, together with Linsman Haley, were
or the scene. This FIRE was in the upper
section OF the building occupied by
William Il. Stokes aa q restaurant and
boarding house.
Mrs. Amor II. Chandler, Mr.. Stokes
mother, who was on the first floor an
nounced TO her husband that she thought
that she smelt fro md going up staiss
she discovered blaze in the store room
which was on the King street side of the
building next TO the roof. This room
contained $500 worth of goods including
some valuable curtains and other articles
which had been slowed there. Mrs.
Chandler rushed into the street excitedly
shouting that her house was afire. Two
men who wers passing, az soon as they
had located the FIRE, ran and gave tho
alarm. The engines responded and with
the application OF few light streams
together with the effective aid Of one Of
the Delaware Truck uompauy's extin-
Rgiahers, tine fismea seemed to have been
suhdued and the iremen left.
They had hardly reached their en-
CINE houses when a confusion of alarms
from boxes ~ and IL at the same time,
summoned them back TO the scene again.
The hsa was then oo2ing from various
paris of the roof immediately adjacent
20 che gtore room in which the frs ori2i-
mated. The flames had evidently gotten
between the roof and the ceiling, and the
best forts Of the tirsmen saemed for long
while to have but httla eIeot, deBpite the
fact that the roof wGs made OF 6hinelsn.
The fire seemed TO ind many hooks aud
corners which the fremen were unable 10
peach except with officially, Tbs
roof was soon all ahlaze as
ives the entire upper part Of the building.
A mass OF dix 10 eight Thousand people
were wadEsa Ii the adjoining streets.
Several streams o. water were playing on
the bGraing structure, and tie 1ames
wore shooting furtter and further sky.
wsra, whils the crowd wGs intentlv
watching tLeiuterassing sight, when aud
denly one Of the electric light wires
witch furnished electric curgeat 20 toe
burning building Hnappad with q loud
explosion. Instantly there was q stampede
among the mass OF people, which looked
az though il must result seriously, but,
fortunately. 10 one was hurt.
Meanwhile the Asemsp kept nobly to
their work and their etfofts after an bouts
work, began to have effect, although it
was ait1oat II O'Clock bsfore ALI the fire
engines had atopped throwing water on
tie bailding. lbs fire had burned the
two upper stories OF the boarding house
AMI had also singod the roof Of the
marble works in places. The residence
portion, occupied by Stokes, con.
tanned about IL rooms and those rooms
1 whoes contents were not destroyed By
fire were totally damaged by water. OF
the II boaTders oEly one saved his goods.
The others had nothing left but What
they we're wearing Of the time OF the IRE.
! Mr.. StOkss estimates his losA at about
II 40, on Which lie has 3 900 insurance
Ia he Huiae Insurance Company of New
York. The hngrGsra lose from $500 to
500 worth of personal property, while
I tie los on the building, which il owned
( by William and Thomas Davidson, will
aggregate ~ 900 more, which is also fully
insured.
During the FIRE George Simmons md
Isaac Darlington, who were holding the
Friendship engines atream, were thrown
from the sR6dar on waioh they stood,
about Is feet above the sidewalk, by tho
force OF the stream. Darlington was un-
Injured, but Simmons sprained his ankle
and after being attended to by Drs.
shgrtlidPe ana Waies rs was taken to his
home at No. 1913 MorFaw street.
Chief Engineer Mslraeksn was also
Ont RboGt th3 face and hands by some
glass He roacred ons OF the upstairF
windows in Ne tower froal the inside Just
as g!reRm 81 w..ter came crashing
through tho wiUioE Ills injuries were
aragae1 II Frank ROop Smiths dEue
store.
Deputy Garcuss George y. barnhill
Was knocked doEa 1y tho coal supply
wagon Int vas not hurt much.
Arpity was hEiiL in 1850 and was ars
occupied on Christmas Of that year. Al
that .!ua il yygs one 0i the hanisoues
cnrah buildings IL the city, an wBe
erected by tEa congregation which uuti
then worahipoi IL Old Sw5des Church
witch was tben ia ntea OF repairB. II
1881, when the church q eided to reuov,
90 Its present loe&tisnat Delaware ayapnt
and Adams sties.,the ola church building
w5s soid TO its prs9eu, owners, and hal
since been used ~ a nlutbka yard.