New-York tribune., 1902-04-28
CHURCH'S FOURTH FIRE.
THIRTEENTH STREET PRES
BYTERLAN BURNED OUT.
FLAMES DISCOVERED SOON AFTER sun
DAY SCHOOL ADJOURNS PAS
TOR SAVES RECORDS-HARD
FIGHT WITH FLAMES.

The Thirteenth Street Presbyterian Church.
three story white brick building. at No. 141 to
l45 West Thirteenth-st, caught fire at $50 p. m
yesterday. The interior destroyed The fire
started under the altar it is supposed from
defective electric wire, and the flames spread SO
rapidly that when the fremen arrived the whole
interior was burning like roaring furnace.
Two alarms were sent in. The firemen fought
the flames at a great disadvantage and before
they had the fire under control the church was
damaged to the extent Of $4,000
The Rev Dr. James H. Hoadey. the pastor.
lives at No. 149 West Thirteenth-st, two doors
from the church When he was told of the fire
he dashed into his study. which behind the
altar, and by quick work saved the old records
Of the church and the communion sets.
Miss Dorothy deuel.. of No. 149 West Thir-
teenth-st-. was seated on a porch at tie rear Of
the house with L. D. Hobbie, when she saw
flames shooting from a window in the rear OF
The church. Mr. Hobbie ran and sent in an
alarm and Miss Deuel. informed Dr. 'Hoadley.
HOUSES ON BOTH SIDES THREATENED
In a short time dense volumes OF smoke were
coming through the windows and flames were
shooting through the roof, threatening to spread
10 the houses on both sides Of the church Nhen
the hremen arrived they saw that extraordinary
precaution would have to be taken in fighting
the blaze. They could not open the large front
door for fear that the draught would fan the
fames nor could the windows be opened, SO
when Chief Croker arrived, on the second alarm.
he sent the freu1en to the roofs of the houses
adjoining the church There are alleys on both
sides of the church but with extension ladders,
which were stretched from the roofs Of the
houses to the slopng roof of the church. the fire
men were able, after some little time. to get
good positions from which to tackle the nre'
When the firenen finally got to the roof OF the
church flames were licking all about tnem- Inc
roof in the rear had already been purheu
through and the flames were sweeping along
the sides when the fremen at last began TO play
streams Of water into the building
FIRE CHECKED IN TWO HOURS
Tons Of water were poured into the church.
and after two hours the fire was checked The
flames had eaten from the altar along the peWs,
up the walls to the galleries, and then burst
through the roof The organ loft, TO the right Of
the altar: the vestry. IN the rear, and. in fact
the interior of the church as far as the front
doors, were completely destroyed
The work Of the frenen on the roof pre-
vented the flames from gaining headway at the
front Of the church. The vesibule. the corri-
eors and tic walls saved
This IS the fourth time this church has been
on fire In the winter of 1891 Policeman Robert
Nicbo1 of the Charles St station, lost his life
in attempting to save little girl who was
benrned in the vestibule of the church when
it was afire AS he was dragging the child to
the street heavy ladder fell on him. killing
him instantly. Two subsequent fires did little
damage.
SUNDAY SCHOOL HAD ADJOURNED.
Half an hour before the fire broke out last
evening about two hundred members Of the
Sunday school Were in session in the basement
Of the church. Many of them were lingering
I'm the vicinity Of the church when the fire was
discovered The police reserves of the Charles
st station. under command Of Captain Martens,
had hard work in keeping the vast crowds In
check The children crowded around DR.. Hoad-
ley many Of them weeping
While the fire was raging the Rev I,r. James
ID Steele pastor OF the First Reformed Presby-
terian Church in West Twelfth-st, extended an
invitation to Dr. Hoadley to use his church Tor
services DR.. Hoadley IN q broken voice thanked
Dr. Steele. and then in behalf Of his congrega-
ton accepted. A service conducted in the
First Reformed Presbyterian Church last night
by DR. Hoadley.
The Thirteenth Street Presbyterian Church
was organized in 1S45 by the Rev. DR.. Samuel
X Burchard who created sensation In 1854
when ne made a speech in this city for James
G. Blaine in which he used the expression
PUN Rornanism and rebellion" DR.. Burchard
was pastor Of the Thirteenth Street Church for
forty years. He was succeeded by the Rev. Dr.
Worrall in the eighties