Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-01-06

Springfield. A spectacular fire
Tuesday night, which illuminated
practically the entire city, totally de-
stroyed the Highland Baptist Church
involving a loss of $4,000, and threat
ened adjoining property. One fireman
was killed, one injured probably fatal
Iv one aariouslu hnrt and t--v- vtHeIS 5
overcome by smoke.
The fire was discovered about y
o'clock and in little more than an
hour the church, one of the largest
of the denomination in New England,
was in ruins. Thousands of people
flocked to the scene of the contlagra-
ton. which was the elimination of a
series of attempts to burn the church.
Two threatening fires about eighteen
months ago led fire insurance cor6
panies to withdraw risks upon the
Highland Baptist property. The Cir
cumstances surrounding these fires,
which were nipped in their infancy,
We're suppressed as far as possible, in
'Lle >-"ne of discovering the identity
OF the perpe.-otOrs.
Last month hahted candle was
discovered in cigar bUN in the barn
of Terrance Flanagan, whicl. stands
in the rear and in close proximity to
the church. The incident caused un-
easiness on the part of the Highland
Baptist parishioners. James W. An
derson, deputy fire marshal, investi-
gated the affair, but found no clews
and could attribute no motive other
than pure deyiltry."
The latest fire originated in Flana.
gan's barn. 1t was discovered in its
incipiency, and an alarm was promptly
rung in from box 573, situated almost
opposite the church. A sleet storm
was in progress and the weight of the
ice presumably interfered with the
fire alarm telegraph. The indicators
in the engine houses registered box
227 instead of box 573.
There 10 -IlI' uUuUI IUr several
minutes before the correct call was
registered.
chester park fire companies looking
down State street saw the smoke and
started for the fire. Owing to the
frozen hydrants time was lost in get
ting water upon the fire. The pres,
sure was low and before the flremen
were in position to cope with the
flames the blaze, which under or.
dianar1r -nirn,lnn stan --,~..ld have
been speedily subdued by line from
a chemical engine, had assumed
threatening proportions.
The firemen broke into the church
and running line of hose to the
chapel sought to check the progress
Of the flames. A brisk wind, however,
famed the blaze over their heads.
The roof Of the chapel, which is a
structure long standing, caught fire
and burned as though it were tind0r.
The firemen were hardly aware of
the presence of the fire in the chapel
before it had swept through the par
titions into the large auditorium.
Thirty minutes after the fire was
discovered in the barn the church was
a seething cauldron.
To the rapid progress of the flames
may be attributed the death of Capt.
Sidney Bowers and the narrow es-
cape of his comrades.
All four were in the chapel. The
falling OF a heavy chimney and the
sliding outward of a rear wall in con-
junction buried the men beneath
mass Of burning debris, weighted
down by heavy timbers.
William T. Gregg. a member of the
church, realizing the danger of the
firemen in the chapel a moment be-
fore the crash, entered the building
to warn them. Gregg disregarded
hundreds Of voices commanding him
to retreat.
AS Gregg disappeared inside the
chapel the roof collapsed. Gregg was
thought to have perished by those who
saw him enter the building. He was
saved by Chief w. ]. Littlefeld, who
dragged him out by another exit. The
chief also assisted in saving Captain
Stevens and fireman Robertson.
Fireman Hines was in the building
20 minutes after the roof fell before
the rescuing party reached him. He
was taken 10 the Mercy Hospital in
the police ambulance. His chances of
recovery are slight. The hospital at
Lendents stated that the inhalation of
smoke and flames was in itself suf.
fcient to cause fatal results.
One Dead in Duel on Roof.