The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-30
DESTROYED
BY FLAMES
Continued From First Page.


northwest corner of the roof fell in with
a resounding crash, that sent myriad
Of burning brands high in the air in all
directions. 1t looked for a time as if
some of the surrounding property would
be destroyed, but luckily there was not
enough wind to carry the brands any
distance and they fell harmless.
The falling in Of a portion of the roof
gave egress to the flames penned up in
the inside and they shot forth with a
mighty puff and a force that told plain
ly that there was nothing to be done
for the doomed building.
The brick residence of Mrs George
Mitsch stands on Pleasant avenue, a
few feet only separating it from the
church. Chief Jackson ordered a squad
of men to the roof, where two streams
were played into the middle of The burn
ing mass. A stream from the ground
was constantly turned on the residence,
which, together with it's tin roof pro-
tected it completely, so that it was
little the worse from its close contact
with the blaze.
The roof continued falling in by por-
tions until there was nothing of it to
be seen, while the fire in the interior
burned with more energy than ever
The galleries began to fall, and by pill
ing in front of the windows on the
ground floor hindered the entrance of
the water.
BY $3.50 the entire interior was a solid
mass of flames, the heat of which could
be plainly felt a block away From the
rear of the building extends a high bluff,
and this was thickiy lined with curious
people, while on all sides of the streets
surrounding the church the police had
hard work to keep the crowds back.
Around Che roof of the church was
heavy cornice work, and after the drop
ping in of the top, this took fire, and fell
in large sections. Capt. Al Martineau
and Pipeman John Mitchell and Alex
ander Larsted, of engine company No 9,
had a narrow escape from the cornice.
They were playing a hose close into the
building on Chestnut street, when a
large piece fell from the corner It
swung down the street and dropped
within a foot Of the men. One of them
threw himself out of the way or he
would otherwise have been crushed.
The other two stood perfectly still, al
though they were but a foot from in
slant death. The firemen on the other
sides of the building heard the crash
and the shout that went up from the
crowd, and rushed to the scene, to find
that there was no harm done.
At o'clock the interior of the build
ing was burning in the basement, while
the ire chung to every piece OF wood
work about the walls. The windows of
the church We're all loaded and stained
glass, some of them being very valuable
pieces of work.
These were all broken by the water
and there was soon no woodwork Wis
ible except the front door of the church
which was closed and intact.
Rev. Samuel G. Smith, the pastor OF
the church ever since it was founded, il
1883, was distra with the calamity that
had befallen him and his parishioners
He could not estimate the loss, bu
thought that all told it would be fully
$4,000, including the pipe organ, which
was the finest in the city, costing the
church $4,000.
The erection of the church some thfr
teen years ago was in the nature Of g
sensation, as it marked the Withdrawal
OF Rev. Mr.. Smith from the Methods
church.
Pastors Heavy Loss.
The building was dedicated April Il
1889. At that time the cost of the build
ing was given as $55,00O, the furnishings
$500, and the fixtures S2,5OO The pipe
organ was added later. Rev Mr.. Smith
will suffer heavy individual loss in t.
destruction of his library, which he val
ued at $4,000. 1t was composed of rare
and unique works, principally deaIine
with sociological questions. The books
had been gathered during course OF
many years and will be impossible to re.
place. Besides, the pastor had a large
number of manuscripts, some of books
he intended to publish and on which he
had spent long time, and other manu-.