Fenton Baptist Seminary | Fenton Historical Society and The A. J. Phillips Museum fb
Fenton Baptist Seminary | Fenton Historical Society and The A. J. Phillips Museum fb
The Fenton Baptist Seminary sustained serious fire damage in 1899, and it turns out we have several pictures of that.
Burns Fuller documented the blaze. "The fire started in the kitchen, and could've easily been confined, but the local chief of the fire department would not let his men go into the interior, believing it to be too hazardous."
"To prove how wrong he was, the 200 or more employees of the A.J. Phillips Factory went en masse to the fire. They formed a line of men going up the front steps into the building, each man taking a piece of furniture and returning down the steps to the lawn."
"Hundreds of pieces were saved. The men also led or carried many of the aged ministers and wives to safety."
Thank goodness for the quick thinking and courage of the Phillips employees!
Fuller also noted, "In spite of being gutted, the 18 - 24 inch stone walls withstood the heat to the degree that new construction went about without replacing the walls."
We have three different angles on the blaze, and the last shot really shows how much they were able to save. Enjoy!
Original source can be found here.
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