The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-28
ST. THOMAS CHURCH
BURNED LAST night
THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED
ABOUT 1880 O'CLOCK.
REAL CAUSE NOT KNOWN
ONE OF THE FINEST CHURCH
EDIFTCES IN THE CTTY-LOsS
Is $4,000 OR MORE.

Madison people awoke this morn
ing to find St. Thomas Catholic
church, one of the finest public build
ings in the city, a mass of ruins by
fire.
The usual church services were
held in the building yesterday and
last evening, everything apparently
~janitor left the church about $50.
o'clock, after the evening service.
An hour later a fire alarm was turn
ed in, the rear of the church, which
is situated at the corner of VanEpps
avenue and Fourth street NV, being
ablaze. The fire at first seemed to
be confined to the and portion
of the church in which the priests
vestments are kept and where also
the altar is situated. The fire de-
partment soon reached the scene of
the fire with chemical engine and
other apparatus and a fight to save
the structure was commenced, and
for a time it seemed the firemen
Hould NC ouNSCooluI' Dul olO"As II
persistently the blaze crept upward
into the large wooden roof covering
the superstructure and slowly burn
ed its way through the roofing from
west to east, finally reaching the tall
steeple at the front, standing lis feet
in height, which for a time withstood
the destroying element, but finally
fell with a crash to the sidewalk in
front of the structure. The roof hav-
ing gradually fallen in as the flames
progressed, nothing was now LEFT of
the beautiful st. Thomas church but
the four standing brick walls and a
portion of the brick base of the splre.
The magnificent interior furnish
ings of the church, beautiful altar,
pipe organ, statues, pews, etc, are a
total loss. The value of the furnish
ings destroyed are estimated to ex-
coed $4,000. The superstructure
was built at a cost of $4,000, MAX
ing the entire loss $4,000. Insur-
ance to the amount of $4,000 was
carried on the building.
How the fire originated is a mat
ter of conjecture. The heating plant
was of the hot air system, comprising
three furnaces, situated at intervals
in the basement, one at the rear. 1t
can only be inferred that the fire
startedfrom this rear furnace, but un-
der what circumstances can only be
conjectured, Father T. A. Flynn said
this morning. He also stated that
when the fire was first discovered the
furnaces seemed to be in their normal
~condition.
1t is the greatest fire loss Madison
has suffered for many years, and re-
marks made by people today indicat
ed that the loss of the beautiful
church edifice is felt almost as a per
sonal one by the citizens of Madison
The corner stone of st. Thomas
church was laid in the early summe
Of 1904 and the structure vas bull
during that summe and the follow
ing winter and dedicated in The
spring of 1905. The church edifict
} so unhappily destroyed was the pride
and the Joy of Mgr. T. A. Flynn, WHIT
for 81 years has ministered to The
people of this parish and whose la
bors to accomplish the building of th'
magnificent structure had been untir
ing for the many years preceding 1T
accomplishment.
That the church edifice will be re
built is assured, but whether or no
the standing walls can be utilized re
mains to be determined from examin
alton by competent builders.