The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-03-24
FREMONT TEMPLE.
An Important Boston Building
Again Destroyed By Fire.
ADJOINING PREMISES DAMAGED.
Tho Loss Approaches 500. OOO-Ths Con-
tiagration Makes the Third For
the Inflated BuiId-
lug.

BosToy. March 2O.-Fire broke out
about clock in the fremont Temple
on Trc.-Ont street, opposite the Ire
mont house, and before noon the entire
structure was Quilted, entailing a loss
roughly estimated at 1915, 900. Fireman
Patrick Dunn of engine 26 had a leg
broken and another man, name I'M
known, is reported to have been seri-
ously injured.
The fire in the Temple was discovered
by one of the guests on the fourth floor
of the Parker house adjoining. He had
first been aroused by smoke and on go
ing to his window was startled by sec
ing flames darting from the window
fronting him. He thought it was the
hotel and smashing the glass on one of
the signal boxes on his floor sent in the
first alarm. The hotel guests proceed
ed to remove themselves and their eff
fects and no mishaps are reported.
The Temple was a fiery furnace
twenty minutes after the first alarm
The blaze poured from all the upper
windows, threatening the Burnham
building, placing the Parker house and
the Park hotel in danger in the rear
and alarming the firemen lest it should
get down among the roolxeries on Pro-
vince court. The firemcn ran lines of
hose up through the Parker house and
the Park hotel, and both buildings were
damaged by water.
At $50 o'clock the fire was well un-
der control. The 1000 occupants at
the Parker house and Park hotel were
returning to their rooms, and the in
surance brigade was busy covering
goods, guarding as much as possible
from the water that damaged mOte or
less all the adjoining buildings and
contents
The loss ON the Temple is variously
estimated at $500, 900 to 1878, 900. while
the Parker house is believed to have
been damaged by water to the extent
of $50, 900 Besides the Union Temple
church there were number of Offices
in the building, including the American
Baptist missionary mission. the Home
Mission society, the business and ed
itorial departments of the Waterman
and the Baptist Social union,
the office of the Woman's Voice
and the Loyal Women of America
Under the Temple was the store
occupied by Federhen &c Sons, opticians,
and Mrs. Sam Mcdonald, gloves. These
stores were badly flooded and the stocks
much damaged
Numbers 90 to 9S fremont street is
the building occupied by William ).
Butler. dry goods This building was
not damaged by fire, though some of
the stock was damaged by water
The Durham building was occupied
on the ground floor by S. A. Becilard,
gentlemen's furnishing goods, aud at
7G bv Lubin, trusses. Both were dam
aged by water.
fremont Temple, which was origin
ally a theater, has been one of the
most conspicuous public buildings of
Boston in the current generation.
Since 1868 it has been celebrated all
over the country as the largest Baptist
church in New England, II not manner
lea, and the headquarters of that de
nomination. The purpose of taking it
for religious purposes was stated in the
original appeal for purchase money to
found free church in Boston, where
all persons, whether rich or poor. with
out distinction of color or condition,
might worship"
On December Z, after remodeling, the
house was dedicated, but on the night
of March 81. 1872, the tcmble was
burned and John Hall, citizen. was
killed and George Estes u fremsn of
engine Z, Charlestowu. had his baci5
broken and died shortly atterward
The loss was Sis 800: insurance. $40
244
A new building on the old site was
completed, however, in December, 1873,
at a cost of Sl26,O)O. On August Il.
1879. the building was destroyed again
by fire, but was promptly rebuilt and
reopened on October II, 1850, at n cost
of more than S2O0. 900
The auditorium was one Of the larG
est in the country, being l22 feet in
length, - feet in width and &c feet in
height The seating capacity was
equal to an audience of 1000 people.
Beneath this great hall was the Melon
ian, with a seating capacity OF 1000.