The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-09
TOTALLY
DESTROYED.
House of PawtuCket Boat
Club Burned EarlyLast
Evening.
The Entire Loss OCCaSiOned Is
About $4,5OO and is Partial
ly Insured.
TWO FAMOUS BOATS BURNED.
The Fire Was Probable Incendlary-C Club Of
ficials Offer Reward For Conviction
Steps Will Be Taken to Rebuild.

Last evening at $3.50 o'clock the boat
house and its contents, belonging to the
Pawtucket Boat Club and Athletic Asso-
citation, located near the foot of School
street, were totally destroyed by fire, and
caused by an incendiary.
The flames were discovered by young
man who was crossing the Division street
bridge. He Immediately ran to No. fire
station and gave still alarm, and it was
not until the firemen arrived In response
to this call that an alarm was struck from
box q, at Pond and Prospect streets.
When the firemen arrived the fire was
burning rapidly and they saw there was
no hope of saving the building or con-
tents, but two lines of hose were put on
the flames and subdued the flames some
what. The fact that the fire could only
be reached from two sides of the building
was another thing against the task. The
alarm was sounded at 5:35 and at 8 o'clock
the roof and sides of the building fell in
and a few minutes later the house was
mass of ruins. The reflection of the flames
on the sky and water made grand scene
and hundreds Of people attracted by the
sight lined the banks on the west side of
the river and the elevation above the river
on the east side.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but
every indication points to the hand Of an
incendiary. The house was locked and
there was no fire in the building, not even
a stove to make one in, and the building
being entirely for summer usewas not
provided with a chimney. The building
was a two-story and attic wooden struc-
ture. On the lower floor the working,
rowing and pleasure boats owned by the
club and the private boats belonging to
mem bers were kept. The second floor was
finished off with sitting room, locker
rooms and bathroom. The sitting room,
which was used for meetings of the club
during the summer season. was handsome
ly furnished in heavy oak. 1t has been
the custom to keep the clubs trophies
and banners on exhibition in this room,
but taking warning from a former fire the
banners were removed at the close of the
season, and thus were saved. Nearly all
the members Of the club were on the scene
of the fire before 6 o'clock, and the house
committee Immediately held a meeting
and decided to offer a reward of 500 for
the apprehension Of the person or persons
who caused the fire, and this action will
be confirmed at the first meeting of the
lub.
The loss on boats, oars, furniture and
various boating paraphernalia, including
the boat house will amount to about
$4700. The net loss will be about $1,000 as
the club has insurance for about $500.
The loss to the members aside from this
will be heavy. AS nearly as could be as
certained last evening the private boats
lost are as follows: Canoe, A. L. Henry;
canoe, Frank G. Holmes; pleasure boat,
Arthur r. Sweet; cedar shells, George j.
Kirby; other shells owned by members;
shell, Edward F. Scholze; shell, +. p.
Tobie, Jr.; cedar shell and an alminum
shell, f. G. Appley. But one of these was in
surcd and that was the property of Mr..
Scholze.
The boats lost by Mr.. Appley are both
famous for trips the owner has made in
them. The cedar shell was the one in
which the owner made two trips to New
York, rounding Point Judith In safety on
both occasions; the other was the noted
aluminium shell in which Mr.. Appley
made his famous trip to the Columbian
Exposition at Chicago in 1898, via the
Hudson river and the lakes. In the house
were 16 shells and boats belonging to the
club and classified as follows Two double
scull shells, four single open working
boats, one four cared gig, three single
shells, two Whitehall pleasure boats, two
Fulton pleasure boats, one st. Lawrence
skin and one double-end outrigger.
The records of the club previous to its
incorporation were in the boat house and
were destroyed, but the records of the club
since that time were in the possession of
the secretary, Edward p. Tobie, Jr. The
general sentiment of the members appears
to be in favor Of Immediately rebuilding.
The Pawtucket Boat Club was organized
in 1874. The progress of the club was 80
rapid that in 1879 the house was pulled
down and new and handsome, well ap-
pointed structure took It's place. The
house was completed I'm time for the ia
nous Hop Bitters race and it will be re-
membered ct this time Ross defeated Han
lon and won the worlds championship.
The worlds amateur championship was
won at the same time by Frank T.. Holmes,
a member Of the club. On Jan. 10, 1893,
this house was destroyed by fire with q
heavy loss 10 the club, I'm which all the
handsome banners were DESTROYED.
The present house was erected i'm the
spring and summer Of 1883. Soon after It's
completion Holmes and Appley were dis
qualified by the National Association OF
Amateur Oarsmen and II took the club ten
years to get Holmes reinstated. II was al