Church and Parsonage Burned To Ground
A disastrous fire Friday night did much damage

Loss will aggregate $20000 - Insurance $5000 -- fire supposed to have been caused by an overheated furnace -- firemen did effective work.
McKean County Miner 12/29/1904

One of the most destructive fires that has occurred in this borough in year happened last Friday night an as result two of Smethport’s imposing buildings are a pile of ruins.

About 1 o’clock flames were discovered coming from St. Elizabeth’s church and an alarm was immediately turned in. The firemen responded promptly and when hey reached the scene the interior of t he building was a mass of flames and hope of saving the church was futile.

Work was then centered on the parsonage and with two streams at play it looked as if the firemen would save this building and undoubtedly would had not the burning steeple fallen towards the parsonage and so near that under the extreme heat the firemen could not wok before it was afire. The residence of Dr. J. C. Brown was in danger but the heavy rain that was falling at the time kept the roof wet and by hard work the firemen succeeded in confining the flames to the parsonage.

The loss was large and is estimated at $20,000 with an insurance of $5,000. The fire is supposed to have been caused by an overheated furnace. While much valuable property was saved still the greater portion of the church and house hold goods were burned. The chalice, vestments, some linen and candlesticks were all that was rescued from the burning church. In saving the brass candlesticks, Chief of Police M. J. Welch was badly burned on the right hand. We understand that Rev. Cosgrove sustained a heavy personal loss and one that will be hard to recover.

The loss of the church and parsonage is a sad and severe blow to the congregation and priest of St. Elizabeth’s and one that will be hard to being, but already plans are being perfected toward the erection of new and more substantial buildings. The ire coming as it did just before the Christmas festival made it look for a time as if services in commemoration of Christ’s birth would have to be abandoned but the management of the Lyceum theatre very generously doubted the use of that building and services were held there at 10:30 Christmas Morning.

The fire department handled the fire in an admirable manner. They responded early to the alarm and worked hard, saving a more general fire by their effective labor. Much credit is to be given Deputy Sheriff Bert McAllister for the excellent way in which the conflagration was managed. He was one of the first on the scene and directed the work of the firemen in his true veteran style.