The San Francisco call., 1896-08-03
Firemen Save the Business Sec
tion of the City Only by
Heroic Labor.
END OF a RELIGIOUS FEUD.
Pastor and Congregation Had Quar-.
relied for Possession of
the Sanctuary.

FRESNO, CAL, Aug. 2.-The First Bap.
tist Church, one of the finest edfices of
its kind in this city, located at the corner
OF Merced and streets. was destroyed by
fire tonight. The confagration was of
incendiary origin. M. V. butcher, CLERK
at the Hughes Hotel, was attending SER
vices at the Presbyterian Church, which
is in the same block.
At the first cry of fire he ran out, and as
he neared the Baptist Church he saw
man running away with a bundle under
his arm. butcher did not recognize the
man. The fire started in an anteroom
under the north stairway of the church.
and it was from this place that the man
was seen running.
The alarm was turned in at :45 o'clock.
When the department arrived all that
could be seen was little blaze in the bases
ment. A hole was chopped into the base
ment wall and stream turned on. The
nozzle broke and the stream had to be
turned off for five minutes, but there did
not appear to be any necessity for a second
stream. The first was started again. but
suddenly the whole roof of the church be-
came ablaze. Then the department real
lied the extent of the fire and went to work
Instead OF a small fire in the basement
flames were raging between tn O partition
walls and the attic in the Church when
the department arrived. The firemen did
not know this until too late. A strong
breeze was blowing and it sent clouds of
embers directly upon the business portion
of the city.
| Chief Hart was fearful that disastrous
L a.. 49,
men to assist the owners of buildings in
wetting roofs Fire broke out several
times on the roof of the Grand Central
stables, wooden structure located in the
heart of the city, and it was with difficulty
that it was kept from gaining any head
way.
The large bell of the church fell at $50
o'clock with terrible crash, which could
be heard several blocks away.
The First Baptisr Church was built in
1884 at cost of $45O0. In 1892 it was en-.
larged at an additional cost of $500. The
furniture of the church was valued at
$1,000
There has been contention over the
church between DR.. Eshelman and his
congregation. DR.. Eshelman advanced
$500 when the church was enlarged, and
the congregation claims that he donated
the money, having the pastor announce
the fact at the time Afterward he Sc
cured a mortgage on the property for
money advanced, and the congregation
claims that he did this by questionable
| means.
DR.. Eshelman has a suit pending to fore-
close the mortgage. which it was the in.
tention of the congregation to contest.
DR.. Esheman had what he claimed as
his interest fully insured, but the congre-
CATION carried no insurance. The trustees
of the church recently wanted to take out
| a policy but on account of shortage of
funds the congregation did not order
them to do so.
The City Hall, which is only half
block distant from the church, was seri-
ously threatened during the fire. but
buckets were brought into requisition and
the structure was saved. Just as the fire
at the church was under control an alarm
was sounded for some sheds adjoining the
Sperry Flour Mills, which had been ignited
fir ON sparks. The damage was small.