The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-11-26
|RANFORD'S FINE NEW
 CHURCH GUTTED BY FIRE
NLR THE WALES OF ST. MARY,S
 NoIV REMAIN.

Dss EstAAnated aI Sl%OsOOO-henutiIuI
 Altar Given by Mrs. Plant and the
 Handsome Memorial Windows De-
 stroyed-Rectory saved After n Hard
 Fight-Father Martin Who is Not
 Well Remoyed--Crew of Trolley Car
 Discovers Fire.
 Ft. Mary's R. c. church in
 anford. one of the most cost
 in the state, which was dedi-
 ted less than year ago, was to-
 Fly destroyed by fire last night, and
 loss is estimated at $l25. GOO. Of the
 agnificent structure nothing remains
 t four bleak walls, everything in the
 urch being wiped out by the flames.
 e altar given by Mrs. Margaret
 ant, widow of Henry Bradley Plant,
 doubtless one of the finest in New
 hgland, is now a pile of ashes, and all
 e windows put in at considerable
 St as memorials were eaten up by the
 mes. Very little was saved, the loss
 Branford being the heaviest the town
 s ever suffered.
 The flames, which doubtless started
 rough crossed electric wires, were
 powered about midnight near the
 bf of the building by Conductor John
 finley and Motorman Daniel Hogan, this city, who were in charge of a coming to New Haven, d evidently gained great headway be- Ee they were seen. Responding quick the fire department worked like beav- to check the flames, but were un- le to make any impression with their e streams of water. Famed by a long westerly wind the flames ate foot after foot of the building until ally the roof fell in with a great sh. Gradually the interior of the lrch was burned out, so that an hour Ter the fire was discovered the build- was gutted. Hundreds of persons eked to the fire, the eyes of many Ing tear filled as they saw the hand- he building go up in smoke. The lrch was located on high property i. Main street and against the moon- sky the spectacle was magnificent. bngside of the church at Main street h Hopson avenue stands the reetory, h when the firemen saw that all eff It's to save the large building would 5fruitless they turned their attention the rectory. Citizens and firemen lied carpets, moved furniture and res d the piano from the building and ught everything in the house to a lee of safety outside so that if this |, lding caught fire something at least uld be saved. The firemen managed save the building, although the roof light fire several times from falling N srks Down Hopson street there was !, Bn more danger of houses catching N as the strong wind blew directly |r yn the thoroughfare. Streams were |s yed on all the buildings for a block |r that side of the church and nothing |f l burned.
 h he pastor of the burned church, Key. Ward Martin, whose health is not M 3d, was renlON6ua #ITOlll lll0 lOClulJ |h was spared the pain of seeing his |f lrch burn. Rev. John McGuinness, X; assistant rector, worked hard to N. e what he could of the effects of |h church and rectory and was there bf lii an early hour this morning. |5lat. Mary's church was brick struc- , and had been building for several ii rs. During those years the wood- Ef K had chance to become thorough |el Beasoned and dry, and consequently |ie building burned like a Under box |a er the flames got a good start in lM interior. There is no sign of the IN dsome and costly statuary, peWs
 fittings that made the church one
 the most beautiful in Connecticut, it was stated tonight that efforts |ht lid be made in the near future to |n l1ild on the same spot. It is believ- |ps that greater part of the loss is ia bred by insurance.