The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-05-14
Dr. Talmsge's Brooklyn Tabsrna-
Gle Is Again the Victim Of
the Flames
With 1t Goes a Fine Hotel. While
Other Buildings Arc
Damaged
The Total Loss Is Nearly $1,000, 900
Torribie Explosion at an o. Fire
In BrAddock, Pa.

was shaking hands with his congregation
to-day and about 200 people we're left In the
tabernacle. some ono remarked, Il smell
smoke" tongue OF FIRE was seen 10 leap
pat from between the pipes OF the organ.
Dr. Talmage commanded She people to
leave the church. and they lost no time in
obeyinR the oommsnd. Two OF the trua-
tees, who were in their room In the tower.
were overcome by smoke and had 20 be
carried out. Within ten minutes after the
nre alarm had been given the church was
doomed and the flames had extended to the
Hotel Regent. which was soon beyond con-
troll of the nTemen. Tho tabernacle and
Hotel Regent we're totally destroyed and
the summeraeid Methodist Episcopal
church, together with about twenty resi-
denoes. were more or less damaged. Tho
fire spread with Lightning rapidity. and be-
fore sunset had destroysd property TO the
value of nearly S2OO0OOO. Tx. Supervisor
John Reed, who was rehearsina with the
choir In the Methodist Episcopal church.
two blocks away. in the rear OF the tabsr-
naale. sent in an alarm 20 fire hsadquAT-
ters This was quickly followed by a SEQ
ond, third and fourth alarm. which brought
out all the apparatus In tine western dis-
tfiet OF the city. IL was nearly two min
utes before the hrsmen arrived on the
scene and streams were turned on the
blazing pile. But the church was doomed,
and every effort was devoted 10 saving the
adjoining property. In three hours only
the bare walls OF one Of the costliest siruo-
lures In Brooklyn remained standing.
Long orc this however. 10 became evident
that the Hotel Regent was also doomed.
Fire started here in ths second story but
was speedily extinRuishsd. This proved so
be only a temporary relief, for a little later
flames were discovered In the upper story,
blowing up hercely through the air shaft.
The inhAmmable nature OF the church and
the great open amphitheatre OF the taber-
nacle gave such a draft that the FIRE was
forced in the air In columns Of glowing
flames that made fearful picture OF de-
struotion. Within half an hour the mag
nincent hotel wac seen TO have Joined the
tabernacle on tine road to destruction and
no water could reach the ere there. The
guests lost no time In making thoir escape.
They waited only to snatch mp few vsisa-
blsa and run. From ths hfth floor OF the
house Mrs. LoomiA, one Of the guests, and
her newly born babe, had TO be carried
down the FIRE escape 10 the street.
woman appeared at q window on the eighth
floor, shTiekinR and waving her hands TO
the horror of the striken crowd below. She
was brought down the fre escape in safety
After the flames had licked away the sup
ports beneath nearly all the ffe escapes on !
the north wall Of ths hotel a large portion |
OF the wall itself fell into the mass OF debris |
with roar like distant cannon. This was
quickly followed By the fall of a section Of
about thirty feet in height on the WaveFlV |
avenue side of the hotel aud from that |
time up TO eight p. IN. huge masses OF wall |
continued 10 fall.
Flakes of burning wood and red hot Gin |
ders were shot mp as from a volcano and |
carried by strong breezss, they swept |
thG ought the air in every direction. Before
long houses on both sides Of Green avenue
was ableze. So were thos3 on WAverlV
avenue. But as fast az they broke out the
people and the hremsn extinguished them
Ths walls Of the church began to crumble
and fall. and the great rush OF flames which
followed started the houses burning again
and al the same time flames we're seen
bursting forth from the oOf of the Sum
merhsld Methodist church a shorh distance
away. This was saved from total destrue-
tion, however.
The heat of the showers of sparks and
embers made the situation q most trying
one for tho nro department., and one man,
George Cunningham. had TO be carried
from his Lost whom the heat was most in
sense. but afterwards returned. John
Lately. of engine No. II. had an epileptic
homeopathic hospital. Edward S. Hoydsn
and John Kelley, Of truck No. /, were also
p ostfated by the heat.
DIR. IalmAee held quite q reception At his
home during tho afternoon. lie made a
araehio statement OF the incidents con
nected with the q Q. lie said; AT the close
Of church servics ] was standing at the foot
OF the ulpit shaking hands with hundreds
Of people from all lands. ] wAs about
through and walked toward the center of
the church whore my wife stood. when she
called my attention 90 iie sprinRlna out
that 10 was under fun headway, and my
nTst impulse was TO look about and see how
many people there we're In the house To
my great JOY there vera only absut
200 and twsnty-hVe doofs 20 gs, ont
u. l fet they would all escape.
then went into my study. back Of she
platform, passing near ths biazing piping,
10 get my hat and coat. and then asked
N, self ~ 10 was manly TO run of. ] walked
np and down my study room rejoicing that
ne hrs had occurred when there vas no
,hance Of fatality. While in this soTt of
brown study a friend rushad into the room
Ind. taking my arm. said; Get out of this ,
ioomed room OF you vi | not get out az
III We vent ont OF the room into the
,huroh. One-half of ths organ was down
md the hfe had leapsd 60 the roof saw
hat nothing could save the building and
anne out.
There is mercy on top Of the disaster.
Il IL had occurred half an hour before it {
Souid have been abe calamity Of the coun- !
~. The church and all the rooms Ad- /
oining we're packed with poopls. and a 4
'anio would have left tue whole soeno one
II indeacribabis horror. Or IL 10 had oo- Y
Iurfed two or three hours later, when the {
sunday school was IN session. there would 1
lavo been q thousand households bsteft In e
God oafed for ths children,
md even IN this calamity his mercy 10 in y
intn. 4,
Personally / feel not the least atom OF h
lisheartment. nor lees faith ia God nor :
sss hope for the future. Ihia long pro :
easion ot disasters - sKplieabie-like a
5hat occurs IA . family. four o. Ave diving
rom 80 oulet fever. Nenust simply accept
he fact. Our church was burned three
lines. aEd - has always burned on san.
az"
When asked for an o. inion as TO the
ause OF ths IRE. Talmage aaid emphatl-
ally; "E!totrio liRhta ElectrisitT caused
his IRE. ~ 10 did IN tue last tabsrnacls on
street"
4 be total loss on the Hotel Regent and
ontenta foois up In the neighhorhood OF ]
N1Uo. the furniture which ooas from 4
"a III 1