New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-14
TALMAGES CHURCH A RUIN
FIRE DESTROYS THE BROOKLYN TABER
NACLE.
LIGHTNING AND ELECTRIC WIRES THOUGHT TO
RE THE CAUSF-IOSS ABOUT s150.000


hours of Sunday morning the church MADE FAMOUS
throughout the country by its pastor 'he NV
DR.. T.. De Witt Talmage. was burned 10 Ono
ground, and nothing now remains OF IL ou' iour
crumbling walls. ,,or
On Saturday night Officer Patrick McCaifrey'
Of the Tenth Police Precinct was ue'aiieu lor
duty TO the section in which Dr' laiinaHe oiiuron
L. A, ,en minutes to 3 in the morning, while
~. rain uas falling heavily, he turned into
Soh.rnorborn-st. and had hardly taken dozen
stems when. from the great, black windows of the
church on the opposite side of the street, there
was sudden fash of light, and instantly the
whole interior of the church was Illuminated WIN
deep red glow. McCaffrey dashed down the
street and sounded the alarm. Then he ran TO the
three frame houses TO the west OF
the church, and aroused the occupants
Bv this time Engine Company No 26, from
Nevns and State stS., was on the Spot. Ahc
church was envelopcd in flames and the fremen
saw at a glance that they could not save 1t, ana
at once turned their attention 10 the adjoining
houses. A triple alarm was sent out, and almost
immediately engines Nos. 5, 0, 1S, 10, 3, ana p,
With hook and ladder companies Nos ;, and o.
were at the scene.
Chief Nevins. Assistant Chief Smith, four chiefs
~ bsttalions and five district engineers directed
o,erations BY this time the whole street was in
an uproar, while from the houses adjoining and
facing the church there headlong rush OF
,ersons in every variety of undreSS.
AN OLD wOMAN'S NARROW ESCAPE.
The church is on the northeast side Of the
street and takes in Nos 800 to 351 inclusive. No.
a37 on the west side of the church, is occupied
nv John Ames Living in the house was Mrs.
Julia Ames an invalid over eighty years Old
Every one else in the house escaped with ease,
bnt she was helpless Officer McCafrcy, learning
Of her danger ran up the stairs to her room, ana
though almost overcome by the smoke carried her
IN his arms to the street whence she was taken 10
the house of Charles f. Teale at No. 354. Mean
time the fire burned brislly on. and at quarter
mast the roof Of the church fell in with crash.
The efforts of the fremen TO save the adjoining
bouses were toerably successful and after Captain
Earle. of the Tenth Police Precinct, with his re-
serves of three sections of from the First ana
Third Precincts had arrived and driven the crowd
back 10 FlatbuSh-ave., they were able to make
such rapid progress that by 30 the fire was com
pletely under control
DIR. Talmage had been awakened from his sleep
by his son, who called his attention TO deep glow
in the sky which appeared to come from the dlrec-
ton of Schermcrhorn-st Quickly dressing, the
Doctor went up TO the cupola OF his house ana
at once saw that the church was on ire lie
hastened to the spot, and moved about among the
crowd, making inquiries right and left as to the
slfetv If various persons. Then, having ascer-
tanned that no one was seriously injured, and
seeing that the fire was beaten, he went home
ONLY RUINS REMAIN
For over seven hours the femen continued to
play on the burning building, until the flames
we're completely subdued. Only the four outer walls
remain. The great gable walls in Schermerhorn
SC nrn6
and were momentarily expected 10 fall. l}y order
of the police the thousands of visitors to the scene
were carefully kept away from the 'front.' OF the
church, and to-day the walls will be taken down
by the Building Department
The Tabernacle took the place of an old CORFU
gated iron structure which was also destroyed by
fire on Sunday, December 22 1872 the cause OF
the cOnfiagration on that occasion Delng de-
fective fue. The new building. which WIS de-
signed by John Walsh, of Brooklyn, was dedicated
on February %, 1874. 1t was constructed or
brick and maidstone, and while the roof was
Gothic the lower portion and floor were shaped
I'm the form of an amphitheatre. It's dimen-
sions were $50 by ll2 feet, and it could
seat 5000 people. Attached TO it WAS a Sunday
school room forming a kind Of annex. which by
the opening Of doors could be made 10 form part
Of the main building.
The origin of the fire is not positively known,
but Fire Marshal Lewis has formulated the fol
lowing theory The building was lighted by
electricity, the incandeScent lamps being used.
Mr.. Lewis holds that one of the lightning flashes
which is in the lecture-hall to the west of the
window, and that this connecting with defective
wire brought about the blaze. There was only
one small furnace in the building, and it
impossible, says Mr.. Lewis for this TO cause
the fire, and the flames originated in the neighbor-
hood of the switchbOX.
ESTIMATING THE DAMAGE
The total los is estimated at $3.50 900, divided
as follows; Building, sl1sOOO; furniture and
fittings, 100000 organ, S22,80O.
l..
following being the responsible companies Liver
pool London and Globe, S33, ,575 Liberty Imperial,
Of London, and London Limited, each S9,445;
Commercial Union, Of London, $4,000; the
Phoenix, OF Hartford 81 0, 900: the London and
Lancashire, SO, 057; the Commercial Union, SJ5,-
900, and the Northern, Of London, $4,000.
The insurance on the organ $4,000.
The damage done to houses in the immediate
neighborhood Of the church is thus estimated:
IN sCHERMERHoRN-s
No. 353, a two-story frame building, occupied by
Mrs. Mary Soule, damage TO building $1,000, TO
furniture, 81 900; No. 355, frame house. occu-
pied by James Smith and Sarah l.. Powell damage
10 building. 81 600; TO furniture 1000; No 3j7,
0 frame house, occupied " Mrs. q. l.. Cook,
damage TO furniture and building $500: No. 337,
threc-story brick building, occupied by John
Ames damage TO building and furniture, $4,000;
No 335, "A thrce-stOry brick building occupied
by DR.. Hollock. damage to building and furniture,
$4,000. Nos. 33o and JlO. occupied by William
K. Iice and Mrs NJ. l.. Melrs, were only slightly
Injured, the total amount not exceeding 500
No. 342, a thrce-storv brick building occupied
by Peter Mallon. damage 10 building 5000:
No. 3i4, threc-story brick building, occupied by
Mrs g. B. kcarnS, damage TO building. 81 900:
No., 3iS, occupied by Ernest Keller, damage to
building, 81 100.
no LACK OF SYMPATHY.
DIR. Ialmage, who is extraordinarily cheerful
under the calamity, yesterday the recipient
OF lnnumerabe letters of sympathy and offers of
assistance. The Rev Dr. Lyman Abbott. of
plymouth Church. and over forty other clergy.
men, theatre managers. and proprietOrS Of public
nails wrote Offering the use of their buildings
70 the congregation. As on the occasion of the
previous lire however, Dr. Talmage will preach
IN ,he Brooklyn Academy OF Music pending the
rS TteeHon OF new church. His visit TO the Holy
Il. q