The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-05-14


Talmage was shaking hands with mem.
bera Of his congregation, fire burs. out
between the pipes of tho organ, and
within ten minutes the big tabernacle
was doomed to total destruction. Ad-
joining the church was the Hotel Re-
gont, olght stories in height, with
frontage Of ninety feet on Clinton ave-
nue and extending back 200 feet to
Wayerly avenue. The fire spread from
tue tabernacle to this hotel and then to
tho dwelling houses on Greene avenue
md Waverly avenue opposite the
church. Tho wind carried the blazing
cinders In such quantities In q south.
easterly direction that dwelling houses
on Washington avenue, two squares
AWAY. and also the summerfield Metho-
dist church. were set on fire by them,
but the greatest loss on any ono OF these
structures did not exceed $4,000. Tho
total loss, however, reaches over
100000.
Mrs. Talmago tells the following story
OF the fire:
"The doctor was still In the pulpit
shaking hands with tho people, OF whom
there were nearly hundred probably
left. His back was to tho organ. 1 was
standing up at the end Of pew, l
looked up toward the ceiling and saw
tongue OF ilamo burst out between the
pipes Of the organ. at once called
aloud: Doctor, tho church Is on fire.
He turned and told all the people to
retire, while he went into tho study to
get lew things. l waited for him as
the door, The flames spread very rapid
ly. so quickly that some Of tho trustees
were overcome and had to be helped
out" rr
THE pocToR's STORY.
The doctor held quite reception at
his homo during tho afternoon. Dr..
Talmage made graphic statement OF
the incidents connected with the fire.
He said:
eat the close OF the church service I
was standing at the foot OF tho pulpit
shaking hands with hundreds OF people
from all lands. ! was about through
and walked TO the center OF the church
where my vile stood, when she called
my attention to fire springing out from
the top otthe organ. saw at ouce that
it was under full headway and my first
impulse was To look around aud SEQ how
many people wero then in tho house,
aud then to my great Joy there was only
about twenty people, and twenty-five
doors to get through, l felt that they
would all escape:
~ then went into my study back OF
the platform. passing under tho bla:-
ing piping, to get my hat and coat and
then said to myself '1s it manly to
run! no. So walked up and down
the study room, rejoicing that the fire
had occurred when there was no chance
OF fatality. While in this sort OF
brown study New York friend rushed
into the room aud taking my arm said:
Get out OF this. room i'm mmediatcly or
you'll not get out d. all We went out
into tho church; ono hall OF tho organ
was down and tho fro bad leapcd to
the roof. saw that nothing could save
the building and camo out"
Tho tears were coursing down tho
doctor'acheek and his voice broke as he
told tho story, but in an instant he
spoke with his old time vigor.
CAUSE FOR TuASKFuLSEss.
"There Is mercy on top, of tho disas-
Ter. II it had occurred one half hour
before 1t would have been tho calamity
OF tho century. The church and all the
rooms adjoining were packed with peo.
pic, and tho panic would have left the
whole scene ono oiindescribable horror.
Or, II it had occurred two orthrco hours
lator when tho Sunday school was in
scssion, there would have beon n thou.
sand households beref. in Brooklyn.
Little children, helpless children; what
would they haze done2 God cared for
them and even In this calamity His
mercy Is ininite.
'Personally feel not tho least Item
Oh disheartenment nor less faith In God,
nor less hope for the future.
"Thls long procession OF disasters Is
irexplicable-liko what occurs some
times in family, four or fve dying
from scarlet iever-it 10 ine1plicablc;
VIC must simply accept tho fact.
"Our church has been burned threc
times, md 1t has always occurred on q
Sunday. Itis mystery that I! adjourn
till tho next world shall let US know.
1T is the Lord Lc. him do what
seemeth good in his sightl"
When asked for his own opinion as
to the cause OF tho fire. he said, em-
phatically: