Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-03-23

BosToN, MASS, March l9.-Fire broke
out about O'Clock this morning in Ire
mont Temple, on fremont street. opposite
the fremont House, and before noon the
entire structure was destroyed, entailing
loss roughly estimated at 1915, 900.
Fireman Patrick Dunn of Engine 26,
had leg broken and another man, name
unknown, is reported to have been seri-
ously injured. Box 20 was rupg in about
40 o'clock, This is the special box of the
Parker House, and people pictured with
the ringing a big hotel conflagration and
all its attending horrors.
When the Parker House box was rung
in, an employee of the Parker sounded the
gongs of the different floors to arouse the
guests, and quickly the occupants of the
rooms hurried out i'll great excitement.
When il was seen that there was no imme-
diate danger of the fire reaching the hotel,
the guests proceeded to remove their
trunks. The protective department did
much to save the interior of the house
from the water that poured down through
the open stairway. No mishaps are re-
ported 10 the Parker's guests.
Through open windows in the upper
floors great volumes of smoke poured in
from the burning building, which was
fiery furnace 20 minutes after the first
alarm. wv.
The flames poured from all the upper
windows, threatening the Burnham build
ing and w. S. Butler building adjoining
| on fremont street, placing the Parker
House and the Park Hotel in danger in
the rear, and alarming the tiremen lest it
| should get down among the rookeries OIL,
/ Province Court. The tiremen ran lines of
| hose through the Parker House and Park
| Hotel, and both buildings were damaged
| by water. At $50 O'Clock the fire was
under control. The loss is variously esti-
| mated at from S325,O0O to $3.50 while
| the Parker House is believed to have been
| damaged by water to the extent of $50 900.
| The building was occupied by the Union
Temple Church, Rev. DR.. George c. Lori
mer, pastor; Blish School OF Oratory,
| American Baptist Missionary Missions,
| Home Mission Society, the business and edi-
torial departments Of the lFdtcLnadN, and
the Baptist Social Union, office of
| "WomanS Voice and Loyal Women of
| America .o ....."
FREMONT TEMPLE.
fremont Temple, which has been one
| of the most conspicuous public buildings
| Of Boston in the current generation, stood
| on fremont street, opposite the fremont
House and adjoining the Parker House,
| Originally the structure was widely known
as the fremont Theatre, an old-time resort
| for dramatic entertainment for a bygone
| generation.
Since 1913 it has been celebrated all over
! in New England, if not i'll America, and
the headquarters of the denomination.
The purpose of taking it for religious pur-
| poses was stated in the original appeal for
| purchase money to found free church, in
| Boston, where all persons, whether rich
or poor. without distinction of color or
condition, might worship
The price paid for the place was $50, o00
to which $4,000 was added for furnishing
| and remodeling. On December It'll the
new house was dedicated. but on the night
of March 3lst, 1852, the Temple was
burned, and John Hail. citizen, was
| killed, and George Estes, fireman of
engine I, CharestoNn, had his back
broken and died shortly afterwards. The
loss was Sl7s,365; insurance, $45,2i4. A
new building, on the old site, was conn
| pleted, however, in December 1855 ut
! cost of $4,000.
| On August l4th, 1879, the building was
destroyed again by fire, but was promptly
| rebuilt and reopened on October l7tn,
| 1880 at cost of more than S23O,OU0
The auditorium was one of the largest i'll
the country, being 122 feet in length, - in
width and G6 feet in height. The seating
| capacity was equal to an audience of 1000
| people. Beneath this great hall was the
Melonian, with seating capacity of 900.
THE LATEST REPORT.
The fire originated in the organ loft.
| The definite cause is unknown, but it is at
trbuted To defective electric light wires or
ovcrheated steam pipes, The tota! loss is
now said to be about S225,0Ou. fremont
| Temple was not entirely burned. The
| flames extended to the roof, destroying
the same, together with the organ loft.
| gallery and generally wrecking the inter-
ior, while the remainder of the building
was flooded.