New-York tribune., 1905-08-09
ST. THOMAS'S DESTROYED.
OLD CHURCH IN RUINS.
Blaze in Vel Kno1cn Building
Caefa Pa,lsh 500 .00a.

established, eighgy-two years =, 90. St Thomas's
Protestant Episcopal church was destroyed by
fire yesterday morning II was an imposing, IVY
grown structure Of browastone. st 5th-2ve and
5i-st. in the heart CT Tie most fashionable resi-
Dental district in the city, and vas one of the
best known churches in America in less than
hour from the time the fire was discovered.
at $50 o'clock the his church was entirely
eaten out shell Of exterior walls and the lofty
Gothic tower, which is one Of the landmarks OF
5th-ave., alone remain standing.
Defective electrical insulation back of the
fine $4,000 pipe organ which was recently pre-
scented TO the church is believed to have caused
the fire. The whole interior OF the church was
in danes before either glare smoke was no.
tsoed from without. From the beginning. the
church doomed officials of the Fire De-
partrnent blame the police for delay in reporting
the fire and say that they were haInpered in
getting apparatus to the scene by there being
no bridge across the Grand Central station ter
nninal tracks from 42d-st TO 5Ith-st.. - which
East Side companies could respond 10 the alarm
The fact that there little wind and the
solidft-r of the surrounding houses saved Them
from serious damage. though at time several
OF them were in danger. Adjoining the church.
In 5th-ave-, are the homes OF Dr. w. Seward
Webb and Hamilton NICK. Twomby and
around the corner in 54th-st. is the town house
OF John j Rockefeller. Across 53d-st from the
church al the homes Of Frederick Gallaun and
the late Daniel S Lamont. The Webb. Twon-
bley ar ,zaLatin homes were damaged to the
extent o. a few thousand dollars by water and
broken windows.
The loss 10 the parish of St Thomass was esti-
mated by the vestrynen TO be about 100000,
which is covered IN part by insurance amounting
10 100000. held by two British companies. Al
most before the ruins cool the vestryInen
were busy laying plans for temporary worship
ping place and as soon as possible they will
move 10 erect new and greater St Thomas's
Before the flames had burned themselves out a
member of the congregation telephoned 10 the
Rev. Dr.. Ernest NJ. Stires, rector Of the church.
who is spending the summer ar the Sycamore,
on Lake George. The response was that Dr.
Stires would come TO New-York at once and
take UP the work of planning the future of the
church As the parish is one Of tie richest in
the country. little trouble is anticipated in get
ting funds for an even finer church than the
which was destroyed.
At 8 o'clock Monday afternoon George W.
Winston, the colored Janitor who lives in The
Bronx, locked up the church after letting out
two men who had been working the tower.
AS he leaving the church, after having
found everything in good condition. Will c.
MacFarlane, the organist and musical director,
who has q --ey Of his own, entered the church
10 practise on the organ. he remained only a
1.-the nile, and says there trace Of fire
when he departed At 5:15 o'clock yesterday
morning, William Gibson. the private watch
man Of the block. looked into the church offices.
which under his care and found everything
in order.
DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.
A little more than hour later man named
Gallagher, who is caretaker Of the Webb home,
saw flames through the stained glass windows
Of the church. and. hurriedly getting into his
clothes found Patrolman Thomas Hewitt. of
tls Est 51st-st. station, who turned in the
alarm About the same time Mrs Sandbach.
who has charge of the rectory, awakened
by the flames and sounded another alarm from
her open window. With her daughter and three
servants, Mrs. Sandbach fed to the Thomas B.
Starr home. No. East 53d-st
BY the time the first engine came UP every
stained glass window both the side and front
OF the Church showed rudy glow. a second
and third alarm were turned in, promptly bring
ing more apparatus and Fire Chief Croker. who
at once turned in a fourth alarm.
Already the hreInen had many streams of
water playing into the broken windows. but the
fire gaining every minute and soon began
TO show itself here and there through the OPEN
ings In the big tower. The doors Of the church
were locked. but the firernen battered them in.
The result was that the flames got added
q
church was roaring furnace into which no
human being could venture.
''She burns like q paint shop said one OF the
hosemen, who had been driven back as he
brushed gr1my hand over his singed face.
The seats of seasoned wood, the elaborate
decorations and hangings were like so much
finder. Soon the roof began 10 go in sections
each accompanied with a booming crash which
sent showers OF sparks through every possible
outlet
Under orders from Chief Croker the iremen
chopped their way into the Webb house and
lines Of hose TO the roof on which they
played down the fire. Cther fremen gained
the roof Of the Rockefeller stables which was
seotaer vantage point. Water Tower No. 8 had
the task OF saving the tower and gushed thou
sands OF gallons OF water into the befry open
ing. The bells there tolled out requiem for
the burning church as they felt the force of the
powerful stream.
Even after the last dig section of roof had
caVed IN with crash that could be heard for
blocks the interior Of the church was roaring
crater. The east end wall In a measure pro-
tectsd the rectory and church Offices but it took
hard fighting 20 save them. The frenen were.
constantly in danger OF being struck by blocks
Of brownstone which We're Clipped out of the
walls by the heat
The only injuries resulting 20 the frenoen oc-
CURED after the flames were under control J.
II. Mooney, Of Hook and Ladder Company No 4
climbed the tower on a scaling ladder TO the
befry and then to the steeple. quantity
OF brick and stone. loosened by the heat came
tumbling down about him. inficting several
sls 1T wounds. They were dressed and he re-
turned TO work Michael Nichols fell from the