Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-28

CrnmDlinE, smoke stained granite
walls are practically all that is left
To mark the site where the splendid
News BAPTIST church stood until yes.
icrday afternoon.
Thee hurch. which was erected two
years ago M a total cost of more
Than $4,000, was destroyed with its
contents. by fire. discovered in the
bascnen! few minutes after z
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Starting
in the flooring OF the main audito-
rum. near the base of the pipe.
Organ, the flames ate their WY ups
ward, caught Tie dry and ,lindeiailt
pipes, and, swept upward by strong
draft. reached the hgh-pitched cell
ing of the auditorium enveloping the
whole interior of the building in an
incredibly short time.
Half an hour after il was discover
ed. the fire was entirely beyond con.
troll and the great crowd of people
which gathered at the scene knew
that the church was doomed.
Origin of the Fire.
Various opinions as to how the
fire started are advanced, but the
most plausible theory seems to be
that electric wires did the work
Rev. j. w. Porter, ID .Di, pastor
of the church. states positively that
there was no fire in the furnaces
and that the only fire in the building
was in Il CRATE in his study The
study was entered long after the rest
of the church was in flames. so it is
evident that the trouble was not
there. On the other hand, City Flee
trician Green declares that the meter
showed that no fuse had been burn
ed out. that the wiring throughout
the building was in excellent condition
and that fire could not have been
started by the wires.
Net Loss $4,000.
The net loss TO the church will
amount to about 100000 The value
of the building and contents is
conserva!ively estimated at not less
than s55.000 The building was in.
sured for $4,000 and the furniture
for $4,000. The pastor personally
loses $1,000 or more. His library.
probably the finest in the city. was
destroyed and he carried only $500
insurance.
Invaluable Papers Saved.
by what seemed 10 be almost
miracle. DR.. Porter's sermons and
private papers. an Invaluable col
lection. representing years of labor
and study. were saved When the
interior of the church seemed To
have been wholly destroyed. several
firemen ventnred into the private
oilice OF the pastors study and
brought out small walnut book
case. In this case, wet and smoke.
stained, were the sermons. papers
ana few hooks Of unusual value
Smoke Gave Alarm.
Just when the fire started no one
seems TO know. but it probably had
been burning for an hour or more
before II was discovered. Smoke is
suing from the basement of the
church attracted the attention of peo
pie living in the neighborhood and
when some one ran into the base
ment the work of destruction was
well under way.
Patrolman Price telephoned an
alarm to the Central fire station at
2:l7 o'clock and q few minutes later
other telephone calls and an alarm
from the box at the corner of West
avenue and Thirtieth street went i'm
10 the station.
Engine Late Getting Out.
Because one Of the horses was
sick, the engine did not turn ont
AT once and the company went TO
the IRE with only the combination
wagon and ladder. truck. Then the
horses from the combination wagon
were taken back to the house to
Iake out the engine. In the mean
Time. a second alarm had been sent
in and the North End company re-