Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-15
CHURCH DESTROYED.
Or. TALMAcE's BROOKLYN IAsEh-
NAcLe BURNED ON SUNDAY. ].
Neighboring Houses, Methodist S""rc"'
and = Zig Motel Aiso Destroyed
Loss. s2.OOo.0OO.

For the third time fire has razeh the
Brooklyn Tabernacle OF DR.. i. DE VIII
Talmage's congregation. Flames burst
out at noon on Sunday just AFTER the
morning service. and before they were
subdued they had destroyed an adjoining
hotel and endangered number OF resi-
dences.
The fire started from a defect In one
OF the insulated electric wires IN
the organ loft, and was the most destruc-
tive. rapid. and furious that mas visi'ed
RrookIyn for years. il started shortly
after noon. when fortunately all but lv
OF the 1900 morning worshippers al
the tabernacle had departed ana AZ q ''iie
when the guests at the big Hotel regent
we're somewhat prepared for such an emer-
gency. IL spread with lightninS-iKe ra-
pidity, and before sunset hau uese W. ,. 90
property to the value OF nearly f@'Vv''Vvo'
An alarm was sent to IRE neauauarue's'
This was quickly followed ny sc.ouu,
,hird. and fourth alarm. which brought
n'', all The anparatuse In the western DIS
,ricts of the city II was nearly twenty
minutes before the hremen arrlVed on
the scene and then half hundred
streams Of water were turned upon 'he
blazing pile But the church was uoolneu
and every effort was devoted 10 saving
adjoining property.
THE HOTEL DOOMED.
In three hours only the bare walls OF
one % ,au standing. hng ere this.
hn,rover n became evident that the Hotel
Regent was also doomed. Inc imam
mable nature OF the materia! ana tne
great open ampitheatre OF the tsperha''c
gave such draft that the IRE was lofVeu
into the air in columns OF glowing haihes
,bat made a fearful picture OF destuc-
lion Flakes Of burning wood ana red
hot cinders were shot up as from VOL
cano and carried by a strong breeze. they
swept through the air In every uirec'-
ton. - -,
The heat too, blistered the houses OH
tho opposite side of the streets ana De-
fore long both sides OF Green avenue
were ablaZe. so, too, were the houses VI"
Waverly avenue. but as fast az '"eS
broke out the people and hrerneh en-
tinguIshcd them. Then the waiiS Oh 'Ie
tabernacle began TO crumble anu IAN,
and the great rush Of iiames which iol-
loved started the houses burning again.
ard at the same time ildines were So ,,
bursting from the roof OF QUINN a.,
Methodist Episcopal church a shoI.
lance away. The street were cleaien ."
we'll as possible by the police pu' -
dreds of people remained and chung Win
in the court-yards, too eager " "''''"
the sight to obey orders.
THOUSANDS Or SPECTATORS
After a couple OF hours the efforts ol
a., C,.,oar wore directed to the front OF
the burning hotel and at $3.50 o clock there
vas a prospect of saving at least ie"
| of the rooms Of the lower noors lIoii
| total destruction. At this uihe ,ic ~
! lines had been extended in every diiec'i'l'
and there were thousands of people upon
every street, although back out OF uaii-
ger. Fortunately they were IN ,he u's
! lance for after the names hhu .@n.u
/ avav the supports beneath nearly all the
a,a|esca,es on the north wall, with a
! LARGO norton of the wall itself. Tell INTO
! the mass of debris with roar IKE as
| tant cannonade. This was quickly ioi-
| lowed by the fall OF "a SECTION about thirty
feet in height on the Waverly-avenue slde
| of the hotel and during the night MASSES
of the wall and flooring continued 10 iaH'
until nothing was left but smoking runs.
Four fremen were affected by the neat
| George Cunningham, of Engine Company
| 10 had to be carried from his post when
| the heat was the most intense. but he
| afterwari returned TO his post. John
Ganney, of Engine IA. had an epieptc II,
from heat prostration and was removed
| IN rho HOMEOPATHIC Hospital. He Is not
| considered to be in danger Edward
| Sheridan and John Kelly. OF Truck w.
had TO be carried away from their posts
| by comrades.
| MANY NARROW ESCAPES.
There were many narrow escapes from
| the flames.
The loss on the tabernacle was complete.
| The insurance on 1t was only $l5o.Wo, In
New York, Brooklyn, and Hartford
| Comm companies. OF the insurance.
| Russell Sage holds 10000 as collateral
| for his mortgage. There was in the taber-
| nacle at the time of the fire some Slo'-
90 worth of decorations. which had been
| nut there for the silver jubilee, which Dr.
| Talmage celebrated on Thursday and FRI
| day of last week. These had mostly been
| loaned to the tabernacle. Another loss
which Dr. Talmage feels very severely Is
| that of the memorial-stones, which he
brought from the Holy Land.