New-York tribune., 1896-10-26
FROM CHURCH BY FIRE
THE WEST FIFTY -FrRsTST. PRESBYTERi-
AN CONGREGATIONS LOSS.
fR. DOUGLASS THE PASTOR. STICK TO MS
prr.p,T rx7-rr. TIE LAST woRsHrrrER
WAS OFT NOBODY lNjrRED-TIiE
DAMAGE ABOUT $500.

pf.r.pIT UNTIL. TIE LAST wORsHiPrER
WAS OFT NOBODY iNJrRED-TnE
DAMAGE ABOUT $3.50
MANY ~ the members of the West Fif,y-hr't-
=, Preshyterian Church AZ Nos. 3'j and ''''i
West Fif,y-hrst-st.. were driven from the ohurch
=, noon Yesterday ~ n nre In the basement
started by a furnace lighted for the first time
,hs season. hundred peri'ns had remained
for an after-seryice AT the request Of III" pastor
the Rev. Dr Theodore Douglass. and forty
children were in An upper room In IN" front of
the church. All got out 4 the building in safety.
David Shand the sexton Of III" church. ana
William Head an usher. were reat"d in pew "f
,h. side aisle when the sexton thought h"
sn.ll.d smoke Head believed some on" was
s,nol;ing In tn. vestibul- al the entrance. ana
both men started for that part OF the church
ON the way down the aisle they noticed that
smoke was coming up through IN" floor and in
several different plac = all. however. In the rear
OF ihc church
Sband went out 70 the rearest nrehox and
sent in an alarm of fire In the mean time Head
walked up to the pulpit and told DR. Douglass
that the place was ahre. He then returned To
his seat 50 as not TO alarm the congregation
Dr Douglass at once cut short his remarks
and. lowering his voice, Informed the worship
pers that there was Are In the church ana ihat
every one should quickly leave The building f"r
a body OF a hundred there VAS remarkably niue
disorder vet there were some who could not re-
strain their fears Of danger Several screams
emana,ed from among the women. but they were
READILY duieted by the men. There was hurry
ing too. but not enough to cause anything Ike
q manic The people filed out OF the middle
,isIe and in five minutes had almost emptled
A hD
coming denser and poured up through the cracks
I'm tn. flooring at more rapid rate every
minute Those who were among the last 10 go
out had their handkerchiefs to their mouths ana
coughed hard. Some few had boodshot eyes
and clothing partly covered with SCOT. Dr
Douglass remained in the pulpit un'l the las' oI
his congregation had disappeared through the
door Then he called To by some or the
6remen who had reached the place on the iirst
alarm. He could not see to get through me
church and had to he guided down the straight
aisle which led out to the vcstibule. lie was
covered with soot when he POT to the door ana
his white necktle and linen were badly soNed.
Ipon returning from sending the alarm the
sexion found the people coming out He ran
upstairs and met the children coming III good
marching order. They had been told by their
teacher Miss Sarah Derby OF NO 4IN W'st
Forty ffth-st that they must not be AFRAID. ana
they seemed To obey her. though there were
many blanched faces among them. Tfey had To
yn ma II The only entrance to the cellar. a narrow
staircase lust OF the door OF the church Tne
smoke from this badly frightened great many
~ them Miss Derby received many expressions
~ oratitude from the members OF the church.
and especially from the parents OF the children
Who we're in her room at the time OF the fire.
Thev were members of the Juvenile Endeavor
Society. ,,, - , a..
Mics Derby's brother. Thomas. one OF the
ushers was seated In side aisle when the
no.,or announced the fire. He ran to the pulpit.
ssaa,np thai DR. Douglass did not leave IT. and.
seizinp the Bible took II out OF the church with
him. 49, .A,o 81. .,,,,,o
Dr Douelass's books and papers are kept. He
has about six hundred volumes besides vast
amount OF manuscript which he has been pre-
naring for publication These he wanted TO try
~ save but the fremen would not let him
ascend 10 that part Of the building. He could
nn, have done 80 safely as the smoke too
dense. 49,, - -, 49,.
noorine I'm the church had To be torn up to get at
IL Jefectiye furnace. The fire destroyed nearly
iii the furnishings OF two small rooms just of
,ha veetibule The damage was estimated by Dr..
nnurIass 10 he between Sl.'D and $1,000 The
church is a two-story brick structure. detached
frnn, the dwellings each side Of II. Ii was
erecte ed about fifteen years ago.
DIR. Douglass who lives at No 3O0 West Fifty
arst St says that he kept all Of his books In the
library OF the church.