The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-05-14
TALMAGE IN HARD LUCK
The Magnificent New Brooklyn Taber.
naCle Burned 10 The Ground.
THEIR JOY TURNED TO GRIEF
Just as the Congregation We're Con-
graduating Themselves Upon
Their Success This Great Mis-
fortune Overlook Them.

was shaking hands with his congregation
to-day and about 900 people were loft in
the building, some one remarked, Il
smell smoke" A tongue OF fire was seen
to leap out from between tho pipes OF the
organ.
DIR. Talmage commanded the people to
leave the church, and they lost no in time
In obeying his command. Two Of the
trustees, who were in their room In the
tower, we're overcome by tho smoke aud
had 10 he carried out.
Within 10 minutes after the first alarm
had been given tho church was doomed
and the flames had extended TO tho Hotel
Regent. which was soon beyond the con-
troll of the firemen. The tabernacle and
the Hotel Regent were totally destroyed.
together with about 20 residences, were
more or less damaged. Tho total loss Is
more than 100000.
Rev. DIR. Talmage held quite a recep-
ton AT his homo during the afternoon. He
made graphic statement of the inc!-
dents connected with tho fire. lie said :
AT the close of the church service was
standing at the foot of the pulpit shaking
hands with hundreds of people from all
lands. was about through and walked
toward the center of the church, where
my wife stood. when she called my atten-
ton to fire springing out from the top of
tho organ. | saw at once that 1t was
under full headway, and my first impulse
was to look about and see how many peo'
pie were in the house. To my great JOY
there were only about 200 and there were
% doors to get out OF. felt they would
all escape.
~ then went into my study, back OF the
platform. passing under the blazing pip
ing TO get my coat aud hat, and then
said 10 myself, is it manly 10 run of 2
walked up and down my study ROOM
rejoicing that the fire had occurred when
there was no chance Of fatality. While In
this sort OF n brown study a friend rushed
into the room and taking my arm, said,
Get out of this doomed room or you'll
not get out at ALL We went out into the
church. Ono half Of the organ was down
aud the fire had leapcd to the roof. Isav
taat nothing could save the building anc
came out"
"There Is mercy on top OF the disaster
II il had occurred half an hour before i
would have been calamity TO the coun
try. The church and all the rooms ad
joining were packed with people and q
panic would have left the whole scene one
Of indescribable horror. Or if IL had oc
Cured two or three hours lator when the
Sunday school was in session there would
have been thousand households bcrcf
in Brooklyn. Little children, helples,
little children, what would they have
done? God cared for them, and even IL
this calamity His mercy is infinite.
"Personally feel not the least atom o
disbursement nor tho less faith in God
nor tho less hope for the future. Thi
long procession of disasters is inexplic
able, like what occurs in a family; four o
five dying from scarlet fever would be in
explicabler We must simply accept th,
fact.
"Our church has been burned tire,
times and it has always burned on Sun
day. II is tho Lord: let Him do wha
seeme,h good in His sight"
When asked for an opinion as to tn
cause of tho fire, he said emphatically
Electric lights electricity caused this fire
as il did in the last tabernacle on Schcr
merhorn street." Continuing, DR.. Tai
mage said: 1.-The fire may change my en-
tire programme aud don't think vii
start on my trip around the world as in
tended TOMORROW. /. however, do no
know what shall do"
Tho fire spread with lghtning-like rap
idiiy and before sunset had dcstroye'
property valued at nearly S2,0)0,O00.
Ex-Supervisor John Reed, who was re
hearsing with the choir in the Methods
Episcopal church. two blocks in the rea
OF the tabernacle, had discovered that ih
building was on fro and sent in an alarr
to fire headquarters. This was quickl
followed by second. third and four,
alarm. which brough, ont all the apparItu
| in the western district OF tho city. IL wa
| nearly % minutes before the tiremen al
rived on the scene and streams of waite
were turned on tho burning pile. But III
church was doomed and every effort wa
devoted to saving the adjoining property
In three hours the bare walls only Of on
of the most costly structures in Brookly
remained standing. Long ere this. how
ever, il became evident the Hotel Rcger
was also doomed. Fire started here /
the second story but was speedily exiir
! guished. This proved 10 be only tempo
AIRY relief. for little later the flames wer
discovered in an upper story, blowing u
fiercely through the air shaft. The II
hammablc nature Of the church and tt
great open amphitheatcr OF tho tabernacl
| gave such draft that the fire was force
| in the air in columns OF glowing flame
that made a fearful picture OF destrut
ton.
Flakes OF burning wood and red hC
| cindcrs were shot up as from a yolcan
| and, carried by strong breezes, they swcI
through the air in every direction. BcfoI
long both sides of Green avenue wa
ablaze. So were those on Waycrly av,
nue.. but as fast as they broke out the pc,
pie and the iremcn exiingulshed then
The walls began 10 crumble and fall an
the great rush OF flames which foll0wo
started the houses burning again and ;
the same time the flames we're seen burs
ing forth from the roof Of the Summe
field ". T. church a short distance ava
Within half au hour the mlgnliicei
hotel WAS seen to have joined the tnbe
nacle on It's road la destruction and I
water couId reach the fire there. II
guests lost no time in making their escap
They waited only 10 snatch up few val
ables and run. From the nth toor OF Il