Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-26

and roofs SuTered IN IdrBe nufnDcio, pue
the people remained at the fire.
At 2:30 o'clock, when the nremen had
given up all hope of saving the church
building. the Grace-street wall fell with
resoundng crash, and after short in
terim the central portion OF the. wall
on the Foushee-street side also collapsed.
AS the roof caved in fragments of burn
ing timbers were snatched up by the stiff
breeze and carried 10 the roofs OF several
neighboring houses. The firemen, seeing
this, gave their whole attention to the ad-
joining property. -
The failing walls just missed b6rying
number of firemen who were playing
streams of water on the burning struc-
ture. They had to run for their lvess
and the crowd which had gathered close
20 the church rushed back pell-mell fall,
ing over one another and almost caused
a panic The fire lines. which were
stretched on Grace street were moved
back fifty feet. This was done for fear
that the tower would fall. The firemen.
however. braved this danger to pour
| streams of water into the seething mass
| Of flames.
THE FRONT WALL.
| In the vast assembage of spectators
| were many members OF Dr. Hatcher's
J congregation, several of the deacons, and
| the grief-sricken minister himself.
| When a broad section of the front wall
| caved down a great sigh went up from
! the crowd, and there were expressions
| OF profound sorrow on all sides The
heavy and massive piles OF browpstone
] cracked like bits of pastry. under the
4 fierce heat from the fire. At $3.50 o'clock
| the frame and slate apex Of the tower.
| or cupola, caught. and II presented a
| beautiful picture while burning. The
wind at that time was such as to cause
| the dense volume Of smoke to range
] downward, and II struck the crowd east
] Of the church on Grace street full In
| the face, half stIrng many Of the spec
| tators. The tongues OF fame lapped
| around the corners Of the apex and up
| the sides, and caused the cupola to pre-
| sent a volcano-like appearance This
| feature of the fire was the most beautiful
| spectacle OF the day. At precisely 3:50
| O'Clock the hull of the apex tumbled
| In, leaving only the cupola, and a few
pieces of the walls standing These are
all that now remain of that beautiful
temple OF God.
The fremen devoted most OF their at
| tention to the surrounding houses when
II became apparent to them that the
church could not be saved. They worked
under the direction OF CHIEF Fuller and
Asslstant-Chief Shaw. and President
Frischkorn, OF the Board OF Fire Com
missioners, several other members of that
body, and Superintendent Thompson and
his assistants. of the Fire-Alarm Depart
ment, were on hand and rendered vafua
BILE aid.
, LOST HIS SERMONS
Notwithstanding the haste made by the
department i'm responding to the alarms.
there was some delay In getting streams
upon the burning church. and the firemen
found n irnpossible to save any Of the
elegant new furniture Of the church.
which cost $4,000. The pews alone oc-
casIoned an outlay Of S,iso. and the hand
some organ was put In at cost of 1900.
All these, with the beautiful silver ser
Vice of the church, were totally destroyed,