The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-11-21

12:45 Friday afternoon when tre broke
out in the basement of the First Bap-
fist church and before the flames could
be extinguished the beautiful church
building had been completely de-
stroyed entailing loss of from th1r-
teen to fifteen thousand dollars.
The destruction OF the church caused
the widest excitement in the city and
a great crowd gathered at the scene OF
the fire and watched the Development
of the couhagration from a small
amount of smoke coming from the
roof until the flames finally crawled to
the top of the big tower and 1t fell
among the mass of ruins which had
once been one of the most stately
churches in the city.
The fire originated in the basement
of the church, but the cause of 1t Will
probably remain unknown. A fire
had been built in the two large fur
naces early in the morning to warm
the church for social which was to
have been given this evening. No one
was In the church at the time of the
brea king out of the fire and for this
reason the origin of the flares is
deep mystery. 1t ts'thought, however,
that some explosion IN the furnaces
started a blaze in some kindling wood
in the basement and as the building
was a veneered one the flames were
soon communicated to ali parts of the
building.
The first indication of the FIRE was
small amount of smoke issuing from
the dome of the roof. An alarm was
at once sent in and the fire department
responded promptly, but the fremen
seemed to be unable to cope with the
flames. The chemical engine was
pulled close to the church door and
both TANKS we're emptied in an effort to
put an end to the flames. But the
chemical was of little use, for the
flames had been so scattered through
the roof of the building that when the
streams of water were finally set to
play on the burning building it was
one mass of flames.
When the flames were once re
leased from their cover they spread to
all parts of the roof and in a minute
the firemen were forced to run to
places of safety. The fremen dis
played the greatest bravery in fight
ing the FIRE, and although the flames
were rapidly creeping toward them,
they managed to hold their place on
the burning building until they were
forced to give up the unequal fight
and concede the building to the all de-
vouring flames. An hour after the
fire had been discovered all hopes of
saving the building was abandoned
and the massive roof began to totter
and fall. With a roar the flames
1eaped into the center of the building
and began to feed upon the wood wor k
and the walls about the building be-
gan to fall
With a wild rush the people fell back
and no one was injured. It was only
the cornices and the tops of the walls
that fell and the remainder of the walls
remained as monument of the fire.
By three O'Clock the flames had done
their work completely and only four
charred walls remained. All the fur
nishings of the church were complete
1y destroyed, as the fremen we're un-
able to fight their way through the
smoke and carry them to a place of
safety. A very small amount of the
furniture III the society rooms of the
church was saved by the fremen, but
the great pipe organ and all the fur
niture which had been in the main
auditorium of the church was com
plete loss.
The loss from the fire will be heavy
one and the insurance carried will be
altogether inadequate to insure the re-
building of the building. The build
ing was originally built in 1890 at a
cost of about $4,000. Since that time
it has been repaired and during the
last few weeks repairs costing over
$500 were completed. The organ,
which was one of the finest ia the city,
had been installed in the church less
than two years ago at an expenditure
of $1,000.
There are conflicting reports as to
the amount of insurance on the church
but Il. F. Jordan, the agent who is
supposed to have all the insurance,
stated this afternoon that there was
eight thousand dollars, a portion of
which had been placed on the building
recently. This insurance is equally
divided between the following COM
panies. Sun, of London; American,
of New jersey; Connecticut Fire and
the London and Lancaster.
There were many pathetic incidents
in connection with the fire which de-
voured the church home of the
Baptists. The members of the congre-
cation huddled round the burning
structure and many of them who had
been acquainted with the struggle
that the congregation had gone
through to secure the erection Of the
church could not withhold the ex-
preston of their sorrow and gave way
to tears.