Blaze First Observed at 3:10 a.m. From Parsonage. $10,000. on Edifice With Organ and Furniture and Addition – Adjoining Dwellings Damaged Slightly, Saved by Firemen – Historic Edifice in Methodist United Church of Canada.
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A heavy loss from the viewpoint of intrinsic, historical and spiritual values was suffered by the Town of Devon and the United Church congregation of that town by the destruction by fire early this morning of Gibson Memorial Church. An alarm was given at about 3:10 a.m. by Mrs. A.G. Pentz, wife of Rev. A.G. Pentz, pastor of the church, and the destruction was complete in about three hours. The church officials appraised the value of the building alone at $10.000. actual value not counting the organ, furniture and other church equipment. The replacement value of this edifice would be much higher in that the building destroyed was an old one and specifications, materials and labour today are in excess of those at the time of the construction. The replacement value of the organ is estimated at $5,000. and the furniture several additional thousands. The financial loss to the congregation is a severe one in that total insurance on the property is $6,700. Though origin of the blaze is uncertain, its outbreak in the basement over the furnace indicates that a defect of some kind developed in the heating plant. At its discovery by Mrs. Pentz and at about the same time by Harry Tucker, a resident of Gibson Street, volumes of smoke were issuing from the building. In a matter of minutes the fire had spread through the basement and was bursting out in the organ-lift of the main auditorium. Nothing Could Be RecoveredThe rapid spread of the fire and the dense volume of smoke made it impossible to enter the building and so no articles of furniture could be removed. Five Hose-lines NeededThe Devon Fire Department responded quickly to the alarm and laid 1,700 feet of hose in five lines under the direction of Fire Chief Herbert Estabrooks and Assistant Chief Gerald Ashfield. Fire Chief Estabrooks this morning had praise for the night operators of the New Brunswick Telephone Company who rang the members of the fire department individually and informed them of the fire. The mill whistle of York Flooring Mills was also sounding the alarm. Nearby Houses Saved Efforts were successfully directed toward protecting the houses nearby. One of these is the residence , east of the church on Gibson Street, owned by Mrs. J.B. Killeen of Fredericton and occupied by Harry Tucker in one apartment and by Hugh Galen in the other. Paul Killeen, son of Mrs. Killeen, hastened to the scene and took one of the hse lines in to close quarters to save the house. In doing so he received burns on his face. On the west side of the church is the house owned and occupied by Mrs. Murray Crawford and her son, Percy. This house received blistered paint and broken windows from the heat of the blaze, but was otherwise undamaged. Removed to HospitalMiss Edith Crawford, daughter of Mrs. Murray Crawford, who has been a patient at her home for some weeks was removed to Victoria Public Hospital and today was reported to have suffered no harm from the experience. Fredericton Aided Heavy property loss to adjoining buildings was avoided by
successful efforts of the fire-fighters to control the blaze. The mechanical equipment of
the Fredericton Fire Department went to the scene and gave assistance with its chemical
apparatus.
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Board Meeting Last Night The last use made of church property was the holding of an official board meeting there last night. The meeting rose at about 9:30 p.m. Historical Data In 1979 plans were conceived by the Methodist congregation in Devon for the building of the church which was destroyed this morning.The lot on which it was erecetd was donated by Robert and Joswph Macklin. Alexander Gibson, Sr. donated the lumber and, with the 3eception of about $100.00 contributed by various people, paid all other expenses of the building so that it was free of debt when it was completed and ready for use. The church takes its name from its benefactor, having been named in his memory. Dedicated in 1881 The dedication of the churh took place on July 17, 1881. Rev. J.S. Allen was the pastor at the time. Taking part in the dedication ceremony was Rev. D.D. Currie and Rev. E. Evans. The official records of the building in the possession of Rev. Mr. Pentz sert forth that it was twive threatened with fire and both times spared. Escaped Great Gibson Fire The great Gibson fire which practically destroyed the village which grew inot part of the Town of Deven swept through all buildings but the Methodist church and a house on the adjoinung lot. That was in the year 1893. In 1924 a fire broke out in a small vestry located in the rear of the church evidently started by a spark from an overheated pipe. The spark caught in a book on a pew in that portion of the church, burned the pew almost in half, and then went out as mysteriously as it had started. Enlarged in 1920 In 1920 the church was raised, the earth excavated underneath, and a basement constructed.The organ in use up to the time of the fire was purchased about ten years ago. Last year the debt of $1,000. outstanding against the instrument was cleared off. Twenty Pasters During the time it was in service, the church had 20 different pastors; one of whom who served two terms separated by several years. The names of the pastors are as follows: 1881, Rev. J.S. Allen; 1882, Rev. W.W. Brewer;1883, Rev. J. A. Clark; 1884, Rev. J. Seller; 1887, Rev. Howard Sprague; 1888, Rev. C.H. Paisley; 1889, Rev. J.S. Phinney ; 1892, Rev. Isaac Howie; 1985, Rev. J. Seller; 1897, Rev. E.C. Turner; 1902, Rev. J. Crisp; 1906, Rev. J.B. Currie; 1908, Rev. Thomas Stebbings; 1912, Rev. C. Flemmington; 1916, Rev. A .D. McLeod; 1920, Rev. H.D. Thomas; 1921, Rev. F.A. Wightman; 1925, Rev. J.B. Gough; 1926, Rev. Harry Burns; 1933, Rev. W.A. Burge and, in 1938, Rev. A.G. Pentz, the present pastor. Temporary Quarters Arrangements for temporary quarters in which to hold services will be considered as soon as the Trustees and Official Board can meet, it is understood. Firemen Worked Well Opinion among residents of Devon who witnessed the fire was to the effect that the work of the fire-fighters was highly commendable. One building, that owned by Mrs. Killeen and occupied by Mr. Tucker and Mr. Galen is separated by only about ten feet of yard space from the church. All surrounding buildings, like the church itself, are of wood construction.
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