The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-26
VISITED BY FIRE.
EXCITING STAMPEDE AT AN EARLY
MORNING HIGH MASS.
Father Then Averts What Might
Have Been q Great Fatality by
His Goodness at a Critical Mo-
ment - The Altar DiScov-
Ored on Fire-A Very
Thrilling Scene.
1.-THE altar is on fire."

One Of the most thrilling scenes wit
messed in the city during the year was that
at the cathedral yesterday morning.
One thousand people were ut the 5
O'Clock high mass. The light of 200 candles
illumined the church and shed their light
on the respiendent Christmas decorations
of the altar. Five richly clad priests and
some thirty or forty altar boys were in the
chancsl chanting the responses TO the
high mass. Everything looked beautiful
at that early hour. The swelling notes of
the organ were resembling throughout
the edifice and the solemn singing Of the
choir fell upon the audience with more
sweetness than usual. The altar bell
rang, the host was elevated every head
Was bowed, and when that part of the
ceremony ended the organ and forty voices
burst forth again:
The organist's fingers froze to the key
board; every singer was struck dumb, the
audience lifted their heads after the sacred
climax of the service had ended; piercing
shrek rang through the church; this was
followed by another woman's shrek; the
entire audience sprang from their knees
ana terror was depicted on every face.
ton of every tongue that could speak.
Yes, the altar was on fire. The wreathes
on the statue of the Son OF God, whose
birth was being celebrated, We're burning.
Soon everything was enveloped in one
sheet of flame. From the wreathes the fire
extended to the drapery and thence to the
floral decorations The fire caught from
the burning candles, and the things that
were being consumed being light there
was scarcely any smoke-it was all fire.
A wild rush was made for the door, and
things looked terrible, AS there is but one
entrance to the church and that is by no
means spacious.
A loud voice was heard on the altar say
ing, ''stand still" Every limb was APP
parently struck life!ess by the command.
Every face turned around and saw the
weird form of Father Then, the celebrant,
standing as it were under an arch of fire.
Return to your Seats" he said, and
every soul returned, not one leaving
the building. Let the choir con-
tinue to sing the glory of the
risen son." said he, continuing and the
organ and forty voices burst FORTH taking
up the very note at which they left off.
Luckily there were two firemen at
church,. p. Nolan and Mr.. Baldwin.
Whel they saw the fire they sprang from
their knees, bounded into the aisle, dashed
into the chancel. disappeared behind the
altar and i'll a moment Mr.. Nolan had
climed to the top of the altar. and holding
himself there with one arm encircling the
statue he stripped it of the burning mate
rial. while Mr.. Baldwin was smothering
the flames in other portions Of the altar.
During all this heroic work on the part of
the firemen Father Then continued TO
read the mass as unconcerned apparently
as if there was nothing occurring. Even
the little altar boys displayed remarkable |
GOODNESS and every one of them stood at
his post. The mass proceeded without
further interruption.
The only thing that happened was that |
Mr.. Nolan's hands were badly burned, for
while bis left hand was tearing the fire |
away from the altar his right hand was in |
the very middle of the flames.
After the services were over the |
sisters of the Parocial school near by went |
to work re-decorating the altar and at |
the 10 o'clock high mass it was as gor- |
geously decorated as it was before the &C
cident occurred.
To reporter for the EAGLE Father |
Then said: st was very exciting &C.
currence and it nigh. have been more SER
ious. The wreathing of the altar extended |
to the two smaller affairs and were it not |
for the timely arrival Of the two cool
headed and brave firemen the fire would |
spread till it encircled the priests and
altar boys. The danger was not in that.
however, so much rs in the stampede
created. When | heard the two shrIeks
and saw the fire | looked around at the
and / saw that something
had to be done quickly. l looked at the
ioor and it then seemed to me to be the
smallest door l ever saw. l could hardly
see it. it looked so small. l drew myself
up to my most commanding height, l
-aised my voice to the highest pitch
and | told them in the most impressive
manner could assume to stand still and
everyone obeyed. The next thing for me
% do was to order the choir to resume the
music and all of this bad the desired effect.
The tiremen were then seen and safety WIS
assured TO everybody. 1t was very lucky
hat Mr.. Nolan and Mr.. Baldwin were in
,hurch, they were cool and knew exactly
where 10 take hold land manage affairs sys-
ematically. lam very proud OF the boys
lad think every citizen should be proud
# our fire department. for this incident
that the Wichita fire de-
,artment is well trained and has cool
headed men.