The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-14

New YORK May 10.
TIRE seems to be the Nemesis OF
L Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage and the
members of his congregation
u Their beautiful new tabernacle ut
the corner of Clinton and Greene
avenues, Brooklyn. was destroyed by
FIRE this afternoon. Flames broke out
in the church edifice just after those
who had attended the morning service
had left the building Not only was
the church destroyed, but a nearby
hotel and u number OF buildings were
also greatly damaged Had the fire
broken out one hour earlier while the
building was filled with worshippers.
II is almost certain that dreadful
panic and loss of life would have re-
sultsd
This is the third time that the Tai
mage tabernacle has been destroyed by
fire by singular coincidence each
fire occurred on Sunday. Every.
thing in the tabernacle today WAS de-
stroyed with the building Perhaps the
loss which will grieve DR.. Talmage most
he brought from the east and which
were set in the wall at the right OF the
organ, encased in stereo-relief work.
They We're tour in number Toe top
block was from Calvary and bore the
word Sacrifice. The stone below
from Mount Sinai. bearing on 1t The
Law" The bottom stone is from Mars
Hill and bears the inscription, Cos
pei. The front stone WAS unmarked.
"a more unique collection never was
gathered from one place, DR.. Talmage
says Of them.
DISCOVERED By A SMALL BOY.
The fire was discovered shortly after
l2 o'clock, just after the congregation
had been dismissed from the morning
service. DR.. Talmage was in the church
shaking hands with some Of the con.
gregation when small boy rushed in
The church through one OF the open
doors and informed the sexton, James
Day, that he had seen smoke coming
out OF the windows Of the Waverly
avenue side of the church, Mr. Day
without speaking to DR. Talmage,
rushed down stairs to the motor room
aud began making a thorough examin-
alton. After searching around all the
corners OF the room and not being able
to ind any indications Of fire, he ran
uD stairs As ne entered the church
he met Dr. Talmage with DR.. Moody.
They lad also smelled smoke
The boy who first entered the church
and Informed Mr. Day of the fire, then
volunteered 10 90 up in the back Of the
organ to see If 1t was there. He did
%, and second later he appeared be-
fore The gentlemen who were waiting
FOR him, with his face blackensd and
almost suffocated from smoke. All ho
could say was that he discovered the
fire in the back Of the organ. DR.. Tai
mage, Mr. Day and Mr.. Moody then
started for the organ, but before they
could get near it, gust Of flame broke
from the top The gentlemen then
made hurried exit.
In the meantime. .ex-SnpervisOr Reed,
who was in the Summertied Methodist
Episcopal church. directly opposite
from the tabernacle, had also seen the
smoke coming from the tabernacle win
dow and bad sent In an alarm OF fire.
BY the time the fremen arrived the
flames were bursting from all the
church windows. Two extra alarme,
aud finally a special call were sent in,
bringing all OF the engines in Brooklyn
and Williamsburg to the fire. The
flames spread with lightning rapidity
and the sparks flew in all directions.
The interior of the church was q
seething, roaring mass Of fumes inside
OF thirty minutes after the fire was dis.
covered, and by o'clock the roof and
the handsome steeple had fallen in
HOTEL ALSO BURNED.
Great jets of fame shot across the
open space. between the tabernacle and
the Hotel Regent, which is next to the
church on Clinton avenue, and in q
short space of time that portion Of the
hotel nearest tue church was burning
fercely.
The Regent is a family hotel. The
guests fed in dismay. Some of them
stopped to throw their valuables and
clothing from the windows while
others hurried to places of safety Just
as they happened to be apparslled
when the panic struck them, At the
time of the fire there were eighty-five
guests and ninety servants in the hotel,
and many of these had narrow escapes,
The fire extended to the hotel between
ihe first and second floors Before the
employees gave the alarm they at.
tempted to get 1t under control. The
fire soon spread up to the third and
fourth floors, however. and the guests
and servants rushed pell NELL into the
sire, ts
There's were two ladies lin the hotel
who he'd TO lie carried out On the
fifth floor, Mrs. LOOMS, of Savannah,
Ga., was lying i'll with her young baby
a lfasu laua old Sha rna cnrri "a On Ealu