Show EASTER BLAZE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHICAGO CHI-CAGO CATCHES FIRE 1nnlc Follows Among the Eighteen Hundred Worshippers and I Vas n Miracle That None Was Killed CHICAGO April Eighteen hundred hun-dred people were in the seats and aisles of the Second Baptist church Morgan and Monroe streets last night and Rev Dr W M Lawrence pastor of the venerable and historic place of worship wor-ship was in the midst of an eloquent sermon when I was noticed by I few in the congregation that the ceiling was on fire Before a word could be said however a blazing brand fell among the flowers which surrounded the pulpit Instantly there was a rush for the door Despite the assurance of the pastor that there was no danger the worshippers worship-pers did not pause Again did the pa tor cry out I you will resume your seats I will finish my sermon but as he uttered the last word the hyacinths at his side caught another blazing brand and then the great chandelier with and its 105 lights tottered to one side A SHEET OF FLAME rolled over the pastors head The terrified ter-rified worshippers waited no further counsel They stormed through the aisles over the pews and were wedged in a struggling mass at the doors Organist Or-ganist Howard Wells now attempted to quell the panic The voice of the pastor was lost in the tumult but the great roar of the organ could be heard Its melody however had no effect A woman who lay upon the threshhold was being trampled upon when Patrolman Patrol-man Woolsey dragged her upon the steps She was taken away bleeding and in a swoon by friends who were summoned Using force in some instances and calling to the people to take their time the policeman fought his way into the auditorium where he picked up three other women who had fainted When the tumult was at its height Captain George Cressey marched the boys brigade down the aisles and ordered or-dered them to save the flowers and pulpit chairs Then the beautiful Easter Eas-ter decorations were I TORN FROM THE ALTAR and following them came the pulpit itself leaving the pale but calmfaced pastor still standing in a downpour of glowing embers and Organist Wells running his fingers over the keyboard in a thundering rendition of the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers Sexton Allison had not been unmindful unmind-ful of his charge during all this panic When the worshippers arose and stormed the doors he ran to the balcony bal-cony climbed a ladder which led to the attic and fighting his way through the heavy smoke reached the big burn er and the flames that were rapidly making their way to the roof He was accompanied by David Murray When the fireman cashed up before the hundreds of frightened people who still filled the streets and dragged their leads of hose through Easter lilies palms and hyacinths to the gallery gal-lery one man blackened stripped of coat and vest and so badly burned i that he could scarcely clutch the rounds of the ladder came down from aloft I was the sexton The fire is out boys he gasped out for he was all but suffocated by smoke Sexton Allison said that the fire was undoubtedly caused by a leak in the big gas pipes which supplied the chandeliers I chan-deliers The injuries of those hurt in the stampede are not serious |