New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-18
OLD CHRIST CHURCH BURNED.
ONLY TIE STONF WALLS NOW STANDING

THE. BUILDING HAD BEEN SOLD-PAINNNGS
SAID TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.
The old church building with gray stone walls
and short square towers. A. the southeast corner
Of Ffth-avc and ThrtY.hfhst., formerly known
as Christ Church protestant Episcopal nut va
cant for about q year. was burned out last even
ng. Only In" stone walls ana towers remained
after the flames were cxtnguishcd. The building
was sold several months ago 10 d. SamucIs' Of 40
20 Woostcr-st.. and the organ and most of the
furnishings were removed On one OF the towers
was fastened big canvas sign. which Dor" TINS
information: Ths property for sale. Apply 10
the owner. at 80. - Wooster-st." Lately. when
tbc v,,athcr had darkcncd the canvas until is
color was nearly as gray as the tower smaller
sion hearing the words ITO Iot - was place |
over the front door AhoUt two w"rl,s ago some
body hired the building as place for exhibiting
oil paintings anon. which was j. b. Ecntlcys
New Ideal Of Christ" large picture that was
eaid 70 be valued highly. The admission pilcc
was 80 cents, and only few persons went IN
each oay 10 look AT the paintings. Every week
dav and cccnin. thc exhibition was open 10 the
public until yesterday.
4 few minutes after p. m, when the ire was
discovered. tho building was closed ana apparently
deserted Policeman BloSs, OF the Ninctecn'h
Precinct. was walking pas the Ncw-lo ork cl'o-
house. on the opposite side of The avenue. ana slw
q man sending 4 call from the lire alarm DON Oh
the corner. Bless h"l notlccd no Signs OF hc
since the burning of the -. Nrh"as c'u''Hou'c
in the next block in the afternoon lie ran 10
the stranger and asked where the fire was over
IN the church, said the man. Then BOSS no'lc'd
smoke issuing from the basement OF the ola stone
building. lie ran 10 the front doors ana found
them locked Turning back, he noticed ihat me
man who had sent the alarm had disappeared
When the hrcmcn arrived they broke open Inc
doors in front and also door in the rear. smoke
filled the building and the basement was biaZng
I~forr the iircmcn could find way 10 the base
mrnt tie flames rose and filed the entire Dnild-
iun \ second alarm Was rung and then hat'aIloH
chief Fisher sent ont third call. whIrh hrouEhl
all the available engines in the district 10 the
fire. but for q time the trcmen were uhaplc 10
cope with tie flames.
Tbor. were no side windows In the building ana
thr high stone wall. extending nearly 100 feet
i'm Thir'v-hfth-st. shut the frcmcn away from
the fin, on that side Through doors IN IN" two
tower, and n larscr door between tie towers
streams Of water were forced little way into
tho bla1,u. structure, huf they had Ati" cn"ct.
The Sfaincd-elass windows between the towers IN
The front wall were broi,en 10 let IN NOR" water.
Presently the santing roof of the building was
on fire from the caves 10 the ridge pole ana the
flames rose high IN the air, maAns ma&mlcehO
dieplay Despite the storm crowds gathered N
rbc aNculc and IN Thirty y-ifth-St. - watch the
ire Members Of the New-Nork Club ana me
Manhattan Club filled the windows OF thc cup
house, ON the wrst side of the avenue and looked
~ the spectacle IN comfort. The slN-st"rf pHil''
I'M. 50. "GJ Flih-aNc. ne\f door I" Inc p"Il-
iu, huilding. was vacant. and the hfcmcn took
po,>r.,Ion Of II for a time. From It's roof water
,,,. throvn from several line, OF hose upon the
fin, Water was thrown also from the roof OF
+ y GoGda-d's lone. No. East Ihirt}-hith-Si.,
which WAS separated from the rear Of the chirch
only by a narrow paSsa gcWaN. lhe LIeM'h man
aerd 10 protect the house from damage ana also
ih. building No. so Flfth-aYc- but they were
OBLIGED To let the fire rage IN the chuIch uh'h
II he'd burned mp all the fuel WITHIN The
.,,r. WALL, Nj. Goddard had hi, servants
made hot coffee for the hrcmen ana
% MS drunk with relish 10y the
mon who were obliged 10 stand IN the storm Tor
l,ur, Tie roof Of the church fell in ruins soon
after X p IA. and the i.rcmcn began the task Of
c\tinem,ainz tie mas, Of sowinl cmocrs in the
basement, WHEN wa, all that remained oi lhc
interior OF the buldY-.
A. a Sill later hour the ircmcn or The ponce
had not seen ans person WHO could >ay positively
that Mr. HcnUcN'> pa!utip. and the other
uirti.rrs lately on exhibition m -" huNdiuS were
there when tire ire starred. No person repre-
>.utIue the cNhInltiou or tL' pctdrc> appeared al
tine hr,. Ncltucr could the police hnd any person
who represented tl' owner OF me nuildiu-, OF
had been i'm charge of IL hc Hcl' hhorN we're
divided IN opinion rceardlnG the prg"Ap" IcNlrn'.
tion of the pllutlur,. some Of 'h"nl said that
the exhibition uaI been .olu- ON a., late aS ye>t,r-
day forenoon. however. and nobodt had seen The