The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-12

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decided at 10 o'clock last night, after
getting a report from Louis york, the
steeple1ack, whom he employed to ex-
anime the tower, that not only services
should not be held in the church until
the shattered top of the tower is thor
oughly examined. but people must be
kept outside of the ropes in Broad and
Fulton streets.
Section 10 of the ordinances of the city
Of Newark gives the superintendent of
buildings power over all buildings which
may be In such a condition as to endanger
life. and 1t Is his duty to see thai people
are not allowed to assemble in any build
Ing until it shall have been declared safe.
1t Is the duty, also, of the police to keep
people out of buildings deemed unsafe.
1T climbed no inside of the tower last
night to the. top of the huge rent made In
the walls by the lightning bolt" york. the
steeplejack, said to an EVENING STAR
reporter at the church today, and l found
stones In such a loose condition that l got
down as fast as l could. / may get lad
ders rugged up in the tower late today or
tomorrow. so that l can thoroughly exam
Inc the great rent the lightning made and
know the extent of the cracks at the top
Of the tower. Until then 1t is advisable
that people be kept out Of the building and
some distance away In Broad street, but
especially In Fulton street, for II stones
fall 1t will be on that side into the audi
torium."
Charles p. Hairhouse, treasurer of the
church, said today that the building was
Insured in upward of twenty outside COM
panies and there was a lightning clause
In each policy, so that the church would
not lose anything because of the accident.
He said the fire underwriters would meet
Monday. and nothing could be done by
the pastor and official board OF the church
until the insurance people decide what they
shall do. He said 1t would be four or five
days before the exact condition of the
tower from the base Of the big hole made
by the lightning to the pinnacle is definite
ly known. Therefore he would advise the
Rev. DR.. Villers that services be not held
In the building for at least a week.
The Rev. Vfllers was so anxious to
have one service In the church Sunday
that he went to the City Hall to ask
Superintendent O'Rourke to let him hold
a morning service In the lecture room.
which is at the east end of the building.
The superintendent was out at lunch,
but his assistant, John O'Rourke, said it
was decided last night thai the church
should not be used for any purpose until
hS top of the tower was Inspected.
We tried to notify some trustee of the
church last night" he said ''but could
mot reach anyone In authority. york, the
steepleJack, told the superintendent he
would have his ladders up by noon But
he was given until 3 o'clock to do 1t.
and then If he has the ladders up any In
spectors will go to the top of the tower
The Rev. DIR. villers said he would like
to hold one service Sunday as 1t would
be the last before he goes on his summer
vacation, but he did not want to do 1t II
the tower was considered not safe.
III our inspectors can get up the tower"
Assistant O'Rourke said, and should find
the stones at the top not as loose as they
look.r our work will end and the insurance
people will take charge of the building.
But 1t looks from the ground as IL the
tower Is In a very bad co1dition."
DR.. Villers said that was true. He also
said he would stay out Of the church this
afternoon until the inspectors came from
the top of the tower, II they manage tc
get up there, to see II the tower was SC
safe that a service could be held in the
church.
When york, the steeplejack, began ia
put up his ladder inside the tower today
he was ordered by f. e. Bergen, n trns-
tee, through the %ianitor, to stop work,
as the building must not be touched until
the fre insurance adjuster gave permits
sion. Building Superintendent O'Rourke
told york to return to work at the
church. york then saw Charles S. Dodd,
of the Royal Insurance Company, an Off
Ger of the church. who said the work or
dered by the building department should
be done. Yoerk was putting up his lad
ders this afternoon.
The greatest damage to the Interior of
the church Is in a small room under the
small dome at the northeast corner OF
the building. A stone Weighing probably
200 pounds crashed through the dome,
made a ragged rent In the wood ceiline
of the room and shattered into kindlins
wood a table that stood In the centre of
the room. Three of the study chairs were
wrecked and several small pictures that
had been on the table. Today the splinters
of the table were piled with broken chairs
at one end of the room and the carpet
was covered with rubber blankets. The
little room Is a wreck.
A stone weighing Mt least 400 pounds
crashed through the valley at the base
of the big dome and the tower and landed
on two pews near the rail of the balcony,
crushing the pews into a shapeless mass.
The few people permitted inside the build
ing today said it was a miracle. In their
opinion, that the big stone did not crash
through the floor of the balcony down into
the auditorium.
Betwee 6 and Z o'clock many people
stood on the north sidewalk of Fulton
street and in Broad street watching Louis
York, the steeplejack, at work on the out
side of the tower. He went like a cat along
projecting stones to the tall pillars, and
when he came to one Of the latter he clunq
to 1t with arms and legs until he got oD/ the
opposite side of it. After running his ropes
out of one of the high and narrow openings
In the north side Of the tower. he crepi
back around the pillars and on the narrow
stones to a large opening on the south side
of the tower, where he entered the tower
again.
Arthur Cassler, the assistant Janitor, wal
the only person in the building when the
lightning struck 1t. He was standing In
the parIor when the shock came and was
rendered unconscious fors a few minutes
He quickly recovered from the Shock.
Several large stones were hurled by the
lightning bolt down into Fulton street anc
three struck at the Broad street corner
FORTUNATELY no persons were on the side
walk Of either street, for ut the time the
rain was pouring down in torrents. The
top Of a delivery wagon standing near the
church was struck by the lightning and
wrecked and the horse ran down Broad
street. People in a Broad street car pass
ing felt the effects of the electric current
very much and the women passengers were
frightened.
Eight years ago Peddic Church was
struck by lightning. A piece of the stone
maltese cross forming the pinnacle of the
tower was cut off and a few stones were
loosened. But at least thirty stones, 1t wa:
4aIu.. .raVa torn ont and 1nous.,,