The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-10
CHURCHMEN OUT
 TO FIGHT FIRE North Branford Congregational Church Totally Destroyed
 Just Before the
 Service.
EDIFICE WAS BUILT IN 1880
Loss Will he st2.00O, With Insurance of S3. 3.500-Adioining Chapel Saved by Work and
 Wind.
Special te tho Journnl-Couricr,,


 North Branford, Feb. Fire that was discovered by the janitor when he arrived to ring the first bell for ser vice this morning completely destroyed the Congregational church in this place and resulted in property loss of about s1200o Andrew Russell the janitor, built a fire in the furnace in the base ment of the church yesterday in prep aration for use to-day and early this morning went over to the house of wor- ship and stirred ID the fire so as to bring up the heat Then he went homo. About 9:S0 he returned to ring the first bell for service and going through the church noticed smoke curling up about the pulpit which is located over the spot where the furnace is situated.
 Russell first thought of ringing the bell as an alarm but realizing that the people would confound that with the ordinary church call he abandoned the idea. and went over to the house of Deacon S D. Bartlett who lives about 300 feet from the church. The two tel ephoned to the nearest members of the congregation and in about half an hour nearly one hundred fire fighters were on the scene.
 But the blaze had not been idle and in a quarter of an hour had gone through the entire structure so that it was like burning furnace. It was i'm possible to save the main structure as lt was built entirely of wood. so ef- forts were concentrated upon the saw Ing of the chapel which adjoins it on the northeast. There was a very high wind blowing from the northeast at tho time of the fire and while this made the fire harder to fight it helped in say ing the chapel and the latter escaped without loss. A bucket brigade went to work and remained at the scene until the fire was out despite the zero wealth CT and the biting wind
 The church which was destroyed was a frame building erected August II, iS30 Ii was fifty by seventy-five feet and was very firmly built. It was con sldered q land marx in the town and Its loss will he severaly felt outside of the congregation. The church was built almost entirely by the efforts of the members of the congregation Many of them donated the material and the heavy pine timbers were brought hy OK team from Mddetown by tho work of members also It had a tower about i50 feet high which re- maned standing for a long time but finally fell out into the road without doing any damage. The parish which used this edifice was established in 1727 The present pastor of the church is hey. F. l.. Wisner. He was present yesterday and acted throughout the fire in one of the bucket brigades Several persons also came out from Branford and gave their services including chiei Hammerly of the department in that town. The church had a membership of l50
 Among the furnishings which wer, lost were new cabinet organ and en. tire new recarpeting which was laid 2 short time ago. The piano which was located on the main floor and most oi the pulpit furnishings were also safel, taken out. The pulpit furniture was given to the church in 1902 at the time of the l15th anniversary of the church
 No decision has yet been made in rc. fard to the rebuilding of the structure The parish has a fund handed doN1 from many years back for the work of the parish but this cann,t be used fol rebuilding and SO the building will have to be paid for by subscription The. joss will he fully sl2,0oo and tC meet this there Is an insurance of only sS,50o
 Service was held this evening in th' chapel of tho church.