The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-14
HAUNTED BY FLAMES.
Talmage's Brooklyn Tabernacle
Again Totally Destroyed,
A BIG HOTEL ALSO WIPED OUT.

v NJ 1
nacle burned down." is an old story in
Brooklyn. Three times has 1t been told
30 the world, and just at present It Is q
question If there will ever be another
"Talmage's Tabernacle" in Brooklyn,
though pledges Of assistance have already
been made since the structure was de
Btroyed at noon yesterday This edifice,
the fourth in which the doctor has
preached in Brooklyn, was situated on
the northerly side of Greene avenue, and
extended from Clinton avenue on the west
to Waverly avenue, 200 feet away. Ad-
joining the church was the Hotel Regent,
eight stories in height, with frontage of
80 feet on Clinton avenue and extending
back 200 feet to Waverly avenue The
fire spread from the Tabernacle to this
hotel, and then to the dwelling houses on
Greene avenue and Waverly avenue oppo-
site the church Both the Tabernacle and
hotel were totally destroyed. The wind
carried the blazing cinders in such guam
titles in a southeasterly direction that
dwelling houses on Washington avenue,
| two squares away, and also the Summer
field Methodist church were set on fire by
| them, but the greatest loss on any of
these structures did not exceed $4,000
The total loss, however, reaches nearly
| S., 600 600.
When informed of the fire Dr. Talmage
commanded the few people remaining to
leave the church, and they lost no time
obeying the command. Two of the trus-
| tees, who were in their room in the tower,
| were overcome by smoke and had to be
i carried out. Within ten minutes after the
| first alarm had been given the church was
| doomed and the flames had extended TO
| the Hotel Regent, which was soon beyond
| control of the firemen.
There were not wanting dramatic Incl
dents during the day. From the fifth
floor of the hotel Mrs. Loomis, one Of the
guests, and her newly born babe had to
be carried down the fire escape to the
streets. Mother and child were removed
to the Seney hospital, where they are said
to be in no danger. just as Mrs. Loomis
had been rescued from what might have
! been horrible death a woman appeared
at a window on the eighth floor, fran
| tically shrieking and waving her hands to
the horror stricken crowd below. In less
time than it takes to write it, however,
the woman, who turned out to be the as
sstant houscHeeper, Mrs. Keene, was
brought down the fire escape in safety
Almost Immediately after this a man,
who proved to be President Bogardus, of
one of the Brooklyn street railroads, car
ried out his own trunk and deposited it on
the sidewalk. George Mccoy, another
boarder, went back after some valuable
papers, against the protests of friends, but
came out successful Fireman Gaffney
had an epileptic fit from heat prostration,
and two other firemen were Frustrated.
The trustees of the Tabernacle met last
night and decided to rebuild, but not on
the same site The insurance, the re-
ceipts and the money realized from the
sale of the present site would enable them
to pay off all their debts Then, accord
ing to the plan they would raise 5000, 600
and within year would begin to build
About $40, 600, it is thought would be suf
ficient to pay for site, and less expen
sive building would be erected. 1t was
decided that DR.. Talmage's tour around
the world should begin tonight, as ar
ranged. He will start in the evening fol-
Philadelphia and proceed from there tC
Atlanta, Ga. After visiting some south
ern cities he will go to San Francisco, anC
sail from there to Honolulu, going after
ward to New Zealand, Australia, India
Spain, England and other foreign coun
| tries.
Dr. Talmage held quite a reception a
r his home, No South Oxford street. dur
4 ing the afternoon so great was the streau
k of sympathizers who called, among then
Y Rev Teunis S. Hamlin, of Washington
l He had preached the dedication sermon o
z the building then burning some thre
r. years ago and when he grasped the han,
p of DR.. Talmage he said:
e Doctor, you have my deepest sympathy
but you should not be so fiery"
The two men clasped hands for me
ment, and then DIR. Talmage replied:
/ at is blessing that only the building
d is gone; the work will continue, and W
IS can all thank God that no life or limb i
2 injured"
e Dr. Talmage made graphic statement {
Is the incidents connected with the fire. II
L said:
r AT the close of the church service
; was standing at the foot of the pulp
). shaking hands with hundreds Of peopl
from all lands. | was about through an
walked toward the center of the churcl
= where my wife stood, when she called m
attention to fire springing out from I'll
, top of the organ. l saw at once that
- % was under full headway, and my first in
" pulse was to look around and see no
n many people were in the house, and TO n
- great Joy there were only about twent
people, and with twenty-five doors to e
out through, l felt that they would e
= cape. l then went into my study, back
- the platform, passing under the blaziI
- piping, to get my hat and coat, and wit
70 which / soon returned.
"There is mercy on top Of the disaste
q" II it had occurred half an hour before
would have been the calamity of the ce
. tury The church and all the rooms a
joining were packed with people, and q
- panic would have left the whole scene ol
,ts OF indescribable horror. Or if it had G
r. CURED two or three hours later when Il
~ Sunday school was in session, there won
20 have been a thousand households bereft
m. PERSONALLY l feel not the lesst disa
nv pointment, none the less faith in God n
be less of hope for the future, This long pI
ell cession of disasters is inexplicable - Ii
N; what occurs sometimes in family, TO
~ or five dying from scarlet fever-it is inc
y plicable; we must simply accept the fat
n. Our church has been burned three tint
so and it has always occurred on a Sunda