Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-11-21
CLUB HOUSE BURNED.
Lake Champlain Yacht Club Now
Without Home.
Origin of the Fire in Doubt-Insurance
Only Partially Covers the Loss But
Structure Will Probably be
Rebuilt.

The Lake Champlain Yacht Club house
on the dock at che foot of COLLEGE erect
was destroyed by fire Friday morning.
still alarm at about 3 clock in the af-
t.rnoon again called the chemical engin.
to the scent. The blaze, which had been
supposed completely subdued in the morn
ing, broke out afresh among the standing
faiters of the building. 1t was eKt.n-
guished with little effort.
All that now remains of the impo sing
structure is a bare framework OF char
red timber surrounding heap of tuhs
land supporting what remains OF the roof
Here ana there in the Charred pile a.c
portions of the interior furnishings wich
were not completely annimilated. W hat
was once II bicycle is now contained in a
mass OF tangled iron partially melted AMI
run together. The splendid brass cannon
used in iring stlutes is IL shapeess mass
Of melted metal. The work of thu fire
was complete.
Nothing certain has been ascertained con-
corning the origin of the ire. Am ny
the theories advanced Is the suppositiun
that some of the young men who frequent
the place may have left lighted gaso-
line stove or thrown Il lighted cigar, cigar
cite or match into some ignitaDlr Sob
stance. The club house was formally
| closed for the season on Novcmber lst
! but every day it was necessary for some
OF the members or their stewards to outor
the building. There was some ruuur of
an iuccndi1ry origin but this theory is
not considered tcnHbe by the club mem
Icrs, nasmuch as the perpetrators of any
such act would not choose such au UNI
propitious hour for the commission Of the
deeds.
John Donahuc, spc oLal policeman, who's
beat lies between the Booth yards and the
Rutland railroad freight depot, states that
he has occasion to pass the scene of the
fire every half hour during the ni-ht.
| lie is positive no light appeared in the
! club house Thursday evening.
| Attorney V. \. Billiard, who was at the
! depot at the time, states that he saw what
/ rcsemblod Il blaze through the window
OF the club mouse, south of the m"ml crs
entrance, bcfOr" an alarm was sounded.
Some Of the lab0rors engaged in tho CON
struction of the hreaitvHter aver that they
not only saw smoke issuing from lh-
building several minutes before the In.
but that they heard a distinct "Nplusi II
There was some delay about rinsiuG the
alarm, owing to the inability of those who
saw the hrc to lind an alarm box. once
sounded, the lire department Responded
quickly and inside of a few minutes
streams were playing on the blaze. Many
efforts were made to enter the building
to save some of the furnishings. with on
~ partial success The lrcmen succeeded
in dragging out the life boats belonging
to the steamer Reindeer. which We're stor-
entrance.
With wind conditions favorable. the In.
gained a speedy Roadway. Owing 20 TIN
narrow space on the sides Of the huillinE
it WAS impossible to fight the fire from
the west side where It seemed to rag"
the worst The futilitN of all forts ON the
llrt of tho fremen to save the building it
self became at once manifest AM
their efforts were largely directed at SAY
ing all the adjoining property. The steam e.
er Reindeer. which lay at her moorinb ,
just south of the club house, was tow' /
to "A safe place by the small government
launch used in the construction of TO-
brcakWatcr. Many Of the younger m u.-
hers Of the Cluh assisted in cutting aV p
the cables which bound tina several fl is
ana boat houses and succeeded In hnat Z
tn, IN to Il safe distance. Owing t" Nh =
quantity Of burning debris which Was
carried away by the wind. the lun. cr
firms tool, the prccaution to station o.
cral mon among the lumber Wl,S 10 ore e.
vent any threatened spread of tn" hr' in
this section.
The fro. which started shortly after
hulf past seven o'clock, had cpmW.t od
most of its destructive work bF ii D"
O'Clock. The fremcn withdrew from th'
scene ut about II 30 Owing to tn" loca-
ton Of the building on the eNtrcm" end
OF the pier and the ready ACCESS OF air i"
it under the dock, but n brief Sp1c" al
tln' Wa required loi LIS tpHlI'I''' ~
struction.
Much personal property belonging To
the yacht club members was consume
Many had awaited themselves OF the op-
portunitY to store away Sp'tfS ~iul7'
tackle and other yacht IUrmS SINGS
Among TN" heaviest losers ~ "'I -
= rchdmh1ult, one OF tn mouse 7',Wa'"S'
Mr. Archamhault had twelve r"wuoatS
valued at over SJu0, stored IN tl' hulid'i'S
Much Of the rigging of the steamer E"lh-
deer had been stored IN inc IAlEe TO IN al
the south side. About all OF inns prop, II y
which consisted mainly OF M boats d"'
chairs and seats, life plcS' rN"rS, otc' We
destroyed. None OF the clup property w"
saved.
Tie club nous" was erected At " cost "'
about $,(p and its furnishings lncrrr"' th'
loss ny several hundred dollars IN" In
suraucc on tn BUILDING was Loo auI Wa
placed IN tn AGENCY oil . '' Il Is va
Iartioliy dara.od, were insured for $3.50