Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-05-25

The Rev. DR.. T. De Witt TalmaSe's
church, the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and the
Hotel Regent, which was the finest hotel in
the East outside OF New York City, were
completely destroyed by fire, and the Sum
merfield Methodist Church and no less than
twenty residences were damaged to greater
or less extent. 1t was one OF the great
est fires that Brooklyn has ever seen,
entailing as it did loss estimated at about q
million and quarter dollars. 1t extended
over the two blocks bounded by Greene, Gin
ton. Lafayette, Washington and Waverly ave-
nues The Fire Department was incompetent
TO handle it. and it was so slow in responding
to the alarm that not only the whole Of the
church where the fire started, was in flames,
but they had spread to the hotel which adj
Joined it before the first engine was on the
scene. Then, too, the pressure OF water vas
insufficient. Guests OF the hotel had to fee
for their lives. Some of them came down
the fire escapes, and one woman was carried
down. DR.. Talmage himself had an ex-
tremely narrow escape from death, and SO
did several of the officers of the church.
Less than ten minutes before the fire was
discovered there had been 5000 persons in
the church listening to the Sabbath morning
sermon Had the discovery been made
while they were there, there would in all
probability have been stampede and
fearful loss of life.
fifth year of DR.. Talmage's pastorate was
concluded in the church several nights be-
fore and the decorations for the occasion re-
NAMED in the building. DR.. Talmage had
preached upon "a Cheerful Church," and
referred to the joyous features of the occa-
sion. He had also spoken Of his intended
trip around the world, and expressed tho
hope of meeting his people when he re-
turned after six months absence. He was
preparing to go upon an extended trip to the
HOLY Land at the time of the last fire in his
church, and the work of rebuilding went
forward in his absence, while services were
held in the Academy Of Music. Arrange
ments had been made for tho Rev, r. Fay
Mills, the we'll known evangelist, to fill the
Tabernacle pulpit during DR.. Talmage's
projected trip to Australia and India, upon
which he had planned to sail from San Fran
cisco on May 80.
DR.. Talmage had concluded the services
and dismissed the congregation. He re-
manned upon the platform to shake hands
with those who wished to speak with him,
and the organist, Henry Eyre Brown,
was playing the great organ, when
Edward w. Adams smelled smoke.
He had just shaken hands with DR.. Tai
mage ind called his attention to the fact.
Mrs. Talmage was waiting in her pew for
her husband, and she saw flames mounting
amid the organ pipes. young man had Al
ready told the sexton, James Day, that fire
had broken out. He ran down to the base
ment and could discover nothing in the
motor-room, and he sent his assistant up
into the organ. The latter reported
that there was much smoke, but
he could find no blaze. In the
meanwhile a fire alarm was sent in. Efforts
were mdde to save the furniture in the
church and Sundayschool room. but the
building filled with smoke and flames SO
quickly that nothing could be done. DR.. Tai
mage was in his study when he was warned
to escape. Treasurer Birkett and some
of the trustees were counting the collection
when they heard the cry of "Fire p and
they had to fee from the building. Many of
the congregation had not left the vicinity
of the church and people from the other
churches in the vicinity were on their way
home, so that great crowd of spectators
was speedily assembled. The church was
a mass of flames when the firemen who re-
sponded to the two alarms sent out ap-
peared. The walls were not plastered, but
covered with papier-mache board, which
was saturated with oil and paint, and added
to the inflammability Of the interior. The
fire soon burst through the windows
and reached the ceiling. The flames rose
above the roof for a few minutes
and then the beams fell with crash and the
whole interior of the edif1ce was gone The