The Washington herald., 1907-03-17

Englewood. n. j., March IS - Mem
bers of Upton Sinclair's Helcon Hall
home colony tonight are even more
mystified as TO the origin OF the fire
which destroyed the building occupied
by the socialistic colony Of the author Of
The Jungle" than they were this morn
ing after the flames had eaten up the
house, and it appeared that the fire had
resulted from the explosion of the steam
boilers. Search of the ruins showed the
boilers as perfect as they we're two days
ago. theory has been advanced that
the fire started from an explosion Of es-
Gaping gas from the lighting pipes This
is discredited by members Of the colony.
The FIRE is thought TO have started in
the organ gallery at the south end Of
the building. and this has given rise to
a theory that a little gas remaining in
the pipes Of the organ exploded and set
fire 20 the fretwork Of the gallery and
the great staircase near by
The story Of one Of the colonists to-
night supports this theory.
''I was awakened" he said, by three
mufEed reports, much like revolver shots.
lay Lalf-dozing for a moment, wonder
ing what 1t was when I heard ii crack
ling sound as Of FIRE. I arose, looked out
Of my door. and saw a glow OF fire around
the staircase The interior court was
tiIled with smoke. and by this time I
could hear the shouts Of others as they
discovered the fire. I turned to get some
clothing. and when looked out again
IN about a minute. the whole place was
mass % flames and I was cut of from
the stairway
Climbs Ont on Porch.
The place was Ike an inferno. and
without saving a thing. I climbed out
of the window onto the porch. and from
there to the ground.
The explosions occurred near the
| organ. and l think il must have been
that some gas remained in the pipes. It
Ill occurred with such incredible swift
ness that [ had no time 20 even gather
up what few yaluables l had in my
room"
The death list OF one, Lester Briggs, "a
carpenter at the colony, tonight, seems
/ likely 70 be increased by the turn for the
worse Of Mrs Grace MacgOwan Cook,
well known IS "a writer. who jumped from
a window on the second floor Physi-
clans al the hospital believe Mrs. Cook
/ received injuries TO her spine which may
prove fatal.
Others in the hospital are Miss Alice
/ Mscgowan, also a writer; Lena Fichten-
/ berg, James McNin, engineer; Helen
! Cook. twelve years old. and Katherine
/ Cook. age seven-MTs. Cooks daughters
Awakens the Children.
Mrs. Upton Sinclair. who WIS sleeping
/ in the tower. ran through the flaming
stairway at the risk Of her life. to the
ground floor, where the dormitory of the
/ fourteen children Of the colony was To-
Gated. She awakened them, and, while
I the flames we're eating through the walls.
/ every moment making escape more diff
cult. handed the children, one by one,
/ out Of the window
Tonight the eoTonists are without cloth
ing, and many of them have no ready
money 70 secure new outhts.
People of Englewood have come, to their
/ aid. and this little town. settled almost
entirely by mtllionatres, is now entertain
/ ms In It's homes many socialists Most of
the colOnists could not get TO New York
TO draw money from the banks before
closing hours to-day. and. as most of
them had TO escape without even saving
their pocketbo0Ks. they VIII be penniless
until Monday.
Upton Sinclair said tonight that he had
not decided on any plans for the future.
He owns the land on which now stands
the ruins OF Helicon Hail. and whether
4 he will build another building for the
I colony or let this be the spectacular end
/ Of a spectacular experiment IN settling
1 living problems is yet TO be seen.