The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-17
COOL SUNDAY SCHOOL PUPILS
WALK THROUGH FIRE TO SAVE
ALTAR ORNAMENTS.
Blaze Attacked Bronx Chapel Just 40
School was Over and Those Caught
Paraded Out with what They Could
Carry-Christmas Mail Also Rescued.

Carry-ChrIstmas Mail Also Rescued.
Sunday school was over yesterday morn
ing In the chapel of the Holy Spirit on the
second floor OF the two story brick build
ing at 100 Fox street This is n Of the
small chapels which Bishop Greer has es-
tablished throughout The Bronx as founda-
tons for future churches. All Of them
are served by lay readers.
After nearly all OF the sixty odd children
who attended Sunday school had left the
chapel Mrs. Charles Goudy, who volunteers
70 play the mall organ, thought she smeiled
smoke. Six or eight young girls were
helping Miss Agnes Forsyth. h assistant
organist, and Robert Wevill of 53i West
124th street, the lay reader, put away the
ornaments Of the altar and get the chapel
ready to be shut up until the next service.
Saying nothing TO brighten the children,
Mrs. Goudy hurried into the hall, where
she thought the smoke was coming from.
At the head of the stairs leading down
from this hall is a small room used as a
storeroom by letter carriers attached to
Station Y, one of the branch post Offices,
which occupies the entire first o OF
the building. A force of eight clerks under
Chief Clerk Frank Treiber was at work
getting the unusually large mass Of Christ
mas mail ready for Monday distribution.
Mrs. Cloudy saw that the small room Was
full Of smoke, little tongues OF fame
darting about in the corners: She rushed
back into the chapel, the altar of which
was separated from the burning room
only by a thin matchboard partition, and
gave the alarm. ~
Miss Forsyth tried 70 shoe the girls down.
stairs. But they insisted on picking up
p,VY,sA oINar n~nn pannNa and nFhoR fnNrnfah-
inGs OF the chapel and rescuing these. al
though the flames were now cracking
just beside the only exit from the room.
Helen Davis, IA years old, of 1924 Fox
street ran out through the smoke with the
heavy brass cross from the altar in her
arms. Thirteen-year-old Stella Livingston
of Hoe avenue and l60th street rescued the
two vases which stood on the altar. Mrs.
Goudy n Miss Forsyth and the four other
girls all escaped with hymn books, organ
furnishings, Mr.. Wevill bringing up the
rear with the chapel Bible and his over
coat. BY the time he passed through the
door to the stairs the flames had burst
through h partition and were attacking
the altar and piano, Practically al. the
lighter furnishings had, however, been
rescued.
Alarmed by SOM of the Sunday school
children Chief Clerk Treiber set his men to
work hustling the mail out OF the building.
This was all safely piled up across the street
and covered with the mems overcoats by
the time the fire engines responded to a call
rung in by one Of the postal clerks. None
Of the mail was lost or damaged.
Some OF the chairs were got out of the
chapel upstairs. but the fire practically
ruined this. The damage was about 81, 900.
The communion set luckily "a been left
at the lay readers home. The damage
TO the whole building was about IS 600.
Clerk Treiber summoned twotmail wagons,
and by the time the fire was out had all the
matter safe under cover and in course Of
distribution at Station T at Southern Boule-
yard and l60th street. Mr.. Wevill said
that the chapel would be reestablished as
soon as repairs permitted.