The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-08-29


large amount of regalia and other
inflammable material belonging to the
organiza tor. When the superintend
ent of the young .Tempiars arrived at
the church yesterday, she found
number Of them assembled in the attic
and it is thought that some of them
either dropped match there, which
in some way became ignited, or lighted
one which was carelessly disposed of.
According to some. the fact that
only girls were present at the meeting
discredits this theory. However, it is
given color by the fact that a slight
blaze was discovered in this attic Oh
a previous occasion shortly after hse
juveniles had been playing there.
They were then instructed not h
again enter the attic.
Yesterdays fire was discovered by
F. w. Hoon a painter employed by j.
H. Stockwell. At the time, Mr.. Hocm
was in his room in the south SIDE
of the Pleasant Home lodging house
which is adjacent to the church. Hear
ing a cracking Loise he investigated
am was startled to see flames and
smoke rising from the church roof. He
ran from his room into the hall where
he met Ray Allan whom he told of the
fire. Allen ran for the nearest fire
alarm.
Department Does Good Work.
Both departments responded in rec
ord time. Chief Metz was the first.
On the scene Rushing to the attic of
the church, he opened the door leading
into the gable. This he discovered ITO
be seething mass of flame.
BY this time equipment was on
hand. Wishing to prevent any dam
age of the interior of the church by
water, the chief ordered up the chem
icals. After the contents of two tanks
of chemical had been thrown into the
attic, it was seen that more heroic
measures would be necessary
The fire had started in the north
corner of the gable and had spread to
the north and over the main auditori-
UNI of the church and was then burn
ing between the ceiling and shingles.
Three lines of hose We're connected.
this much difficulty was experienced
as the roof was covered with moss
which made it slippery Had it not
been for adjacent buildings some of
the fire men would have had a tsl
fall for they slipped a number of
times, sliding down the roof and
against the adjoining building.
Once the firemen gained the roof,
the battle was half over. With their
axes they tore off shingles and through
the aperture thus made, drenched
every crevice.
Furniture Damaged.
Immediately upon the fire being
discovered small army of men. wo-
men and children began the work of
removing furniture and equipment
from the burning building. The piano
and small organ were carried to the
Mcbride barn across the street, sing
ing books and the books from Rev.
ThOmpsOn's library were taken to the
parsonage. The large organ wins
moved out as far as the front en-
trance. AS it was then seen that
Chief Metz and his men had the fire
under control, the organ was not
moved further. In moving, it was at
lowed to fall on its side in pool of
water on the church floor and was
somewhat damaged. The extent of its
damage is not known, but it was dry
and of sound appearance this morn
ing. Rev. Thompson's library wDs
considerably scorched and damaged
il. the rough handling it received.
At the time of the fire both Rev.
and Mrs. Thompson were away from
home and did not learn of the fire I'M
til their return after it had beer eX-
tinguished
A number of firemen who were sent
up on the roof sustained a few scratch
es and tore their clothing badly in
tobogganing dowr. the slippery incline.
But lit is an i'll wind that blows no
good" says an old saw, and such
seems the case in this instance, for a
local tailor was seen this morning
carrying a large bundle of uniforms
from the vicinity of the fire depart
ment, all of which were in bad state
Of repair.