The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-01-17
ANOTHER CHURCH BURNED TO THE
GROUND.

Last Friday night at atout
eleven O'Clock the ringing of the fire
alarm bell caused the people of Scran-
ton to hastily arise from their beds
and seek the streets. The western
portion OF the horizon was lit up by
the red glare Of fire, and upon closer
investigation ii was discovered that
the beautiful Presbyterian church
was wrapped in flames. Even before
the alarm had been sounded the fire
had gained such Roadway that 1t was
perceived by those first on the scene
that an attempt to save the burning
building was useless. The ~incendiary
had made sure of his distardly work
by the free use of coal oil. So the
tiremcn and citizens set themselves to
work with energy to save the resi-
dences neal the church, but the lack
of water supply made this a difficult
undertaking, and for awhile 1t looked
as though a contlagration would ensue,
which would have undoubtedly swept
from the face of the earth the bust
ness portion of Scranton, cntailing a
monetary Joss and a pa~ralyzation of
business difficult to estimate. How
ever, by hard and unceasing work by
willing hands this fearful calamity
was happily aud almost miraculously
aycrted.
The distardly crime was the work
of a flend in human shape. 1t is not
the first time this identical crime has
been perpetrated in Scranton-four
other church ediflces have been
burned here within the space of ten
years, and all were of an incendiary
origin. Are we living in a civilized
land? a correspondent, whose letter
is published in another column OF this
weeks DEMoCRAT-STAR, says; 1--WE
send missionaries TO China and South
America, but there is not, | am sure,
a town or city in those lands that has
burned five churches, dedicated to the
worship Of Almighty God, within the
past ten years"
We agree with our friend, and to
think that such things should occur
in a land of Bibles, where churches
and institutions of learning dot every
hillside, causes a shudder to yibrate
every nerve, and we ask ourselves the
question; 'Can such things be-" Such
crimes are perpetratcd right in our
midst. The truthfulness OF the as
sertion make the good people of the
community hang their heads with
shame, that they have in their midst
a being so lost to the common in
stincts of humanity as to be the author
of a deed so black and damnable as the
one we naratc. We regret that Gods
footstool is the dwelling place of one
who could be guilty of the crime.
WeOwei it to ourselves and to the good
name of Scranton that no stone be
left unturned to bring the perpetrator
Of this foul deed to justice. Noman's
property is safe from the incendiary
torch with such tends incarnate in
among them. Such acts of vandalism
will cause immigrants who are seeking
homes in the South to shun our Sec
ton. Every good citizen should con-
stitute himself Il posse comitatus, 50
to speak, and use every means within
his power to hunt out and bring before
an outraged law the author of this
hcinous crime.
Woe unto the villain, if caught.
The mutterings OF an outraged people
are heard, and if he escapes mob yio-
lcnce 10y hanging or burning he may
thank an overriding Providence.