The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-05-14
Talmage's Brooklyn Church
Burned the Third Time.
JUST AFTER MORNING SERVICE.
Impossible to Fight the Flames in
the Great Amphitheater.
Ane Largest fretestsns Temple In
Amsrica-Ksca ef the Fires Occurred
On sanday-NeighberinS Buiidings
Destroy ysd--Loss 81 200, 900.

today. and while DR.. Talmage was shak-
Ing hands with members of his copgrega-
tion, IRE burst out between the pipes of
the organ and within ten minutes the big
tabernacle was doomed TO total dessrue-
ton. sAdjoining the church was the Hotel
regent. eight stories in height. with q
frontage Of ninety feet on Clifton avenue
and extending back 20 feet 20 waverly
avenue. The fire spread from the saber-
nacie to this hotel. then to the dwelling
houses on Green and Oliver avenues, op-
posite the tabernacle. The wind carried
the blazing cinders in such Quantities in O
southeas,eriy direction that dwelling
houses on Washington avenue. two
squares away. and also the Summerfieid
Methodist church was set on FIRE by them,
but the greatest loss ON any Of these
structures did not exceed $i5.oa The
total loss. however. reaches over 81. 600 0oo
Mrs. Talmsgs tells the following story
of the FIRE:
THE doctor was still in the pulpit, shak-
ing hands with the people. of whom there
was nearly loo left. His back was turned
TO the organ. was standing up at the
end Of the pew talking with Mr.. Martin.
OF Chicago, who wanted TO see the doctor
with messages from loved friends in that
eity, looked toward the ceiling aui saw
q tongue Of fire burst out between pipes OF
the organ. l at once called aloud, Doctor,
the church Is on fire. He turned and told
all the people to retire while he went into
the study to get few things. waited
for him At the door. The flames spread
very rapidly, 80 quickly that some of the
trustees were overcome and had TO be
helped out. The doctor joined me soon
after. We went down to Lafayette avenue
to friends. where We renamed until We
could hear hat friends In the Regent were
out OF danger and what the prospect was
OF saving any Of the church"
DR.. Talmage held q reception at his
home during the afternoon. He gave q
graphic statement of the incidents con-
necied with the fire. saying:
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 attention
to ire springing out from the top Of the
organ. ! saw st once that it was under
full headway. and my first impulse vas to
look about and zee how many people were
in the house. To my great joy there were
only about twenty, and twenty-five doors
to get out of. felt they would all escape.
/ then went into my study, back of the
platform. passing under the blazing piping,
to get my hat and coat, and then said to
myself: is II manly to run orr I walked
up and down my study room. rejoicing
that the tire had occurred when there was
no chance of fatality. While in this sort
of brown study friend rushed into the
room and taking my arm said: Get out
OF this doomed room or you'll not get ont
at ALL We went out into the church.
One-half OF the organ was down. and the
tire had leaped to the roof / saw that
nothing could save the building, and /
came out"
The tears were coursing down tho doc
tors cheeks, and his voice broke - he told
the story, but in an instant he spoke with
his old vigor:
"There 10 mercy on top Of the disaster.
Ii IL had occurred half an hour before it
would have been a. lamity. Of course.
The church and all the rooms adjoining
were packed with people, and the panic
would have loft the whole scene one Of In
describabie horror. Or il IL had occurred
two or three hours later, when the Sunday
school was in session, there would have
been q thousand households bereft in
Brooklyn. Little children, helpless, what
would they have done2 God help them
Even In this calamity His mercy il infin-
ite. Personally. / feel not the least item of
disheartsn or less hopeful for the
future. This long procession os disasters
10 inexplicabie-iike what occurs in FAM
iiv. four or five dying from scarlet fever.
church has been burned three times, and
IL has always burned on Sunday. IL Is q
mystery that l adjourn until the next
world shall let Us know. Ii 10 the Lord.
Let Him do what seemeth good in His
sight"
When asked for his opinion as to the
cause of the fire, he said emphaticaliy:
Electric lights. Electricity caused this
IRE, ~ it did In the last taberpa acls on
Schermsrhorn street" Continuing, Mr..
Talmage said: This may change my en-
tire programme, and do not think will
start on my trip around tho world ss In
tended to do tomorrow night"
The fire spread with lightning rapidity,
and before sunset had destroyed property
worth nearly $1,000. GOO. Ex-Supervisor
John Reed, who was refiearsing with the
choir in the Methodist Episcopal church,
two blocks away. in the rear of the taber-
nacle, discovered that the building was on
Gre and sent in IN alarm to fire headquar-
tiers. This Was quickly followed BY . sec
ond, third and fourth alarm, which
brought out ell the apparatus In the west
ern district Of the city. II was nearly
twenty minutes before the firemsn ar
rived on the scene and streams Of water
we're turned on the blazing Pile. But the
church Was doomed, and every effort was
devoted to saving adjoining property. In
three hours only the bare walls Of one Of
the costliest structures Of Brooklyn re-
mained standing.
Long ere this, however. ii became eyi-
dent that the Hotel Regen. WAS also
doomed. The IRE started here on the sec
ond story, but vas speedily sx.inguished.
This proved 20 be- only temporary relief.
for little later flames were discovered in
an upper story, blowing mp ferceIy
through the aar shaft The infiammsble
nature of the hotel and the great open
anphithesfer of the tabernacle have such
a draft tha. the FIRE y a. forced into the air
in columns of glowing flames that made .
fearful picture Of destruction
flakes of burning wood and red hos
cindsrs we're shot mp as from . volcano.
and. carried by strong brsszes. they
swept through the air IN every direction.
Before long both aides Of Green avenue
w~re abiaxe. so were the buildings on
waysf!y avenue. buf ~ fast ~ the flames
broke on; the people and hremen ex-
,iuguished them. The walls began To
crumble and fall. and the great rush Of
flames which followed started rhe houses
burniag again. and at the sans time
aamsx we're seen bursting forth from the
roof Of the sammsrfeid Methodist church.
. shors distance away.
WitAia hail N hour ths magnificent