The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-17
HELICON HALL
 IS DESTROYED Home of Upton Sinclair s
 Colony. EIGHT coLoNlsTs INJURED Mrs. Mary MeGowan Cook Receives
 Probably Fatal Hurts.
Early Morning Fire Brought Liferarx People at Ensrewood in Haste From Beds to Leap
 to safety.

Englewood, N. J ,. March 1s.--Isy tha burning of Helicon Hall. home of tha Upton Sinclair's Cooperative GofnnY today. one man. Lester Briggs, q car- penter of Providence, R. l.. was killed and eight of tho coionists were in- Jured in jumping from windows.
 Mrs. Grace McGowan Cooke. a we'll known writer of short stories, Is be- lieved to have suffered fatal inJurieN and her sister, Miss Alice McGowan. also a writer, and Miss Leonie Frtxeh~ enberg. is badly injured,
 Financial loss estimated at $35.004. Fifty-five members of the colony and workers employed by them occupied a building which was a three-story struc~ ture located on E hill top and formoriy used as a school for boys. An explo~ sion of gas which occurred on the main floor started the fire about dawa today. As there was no fire csrapaM and exit by tho stairways was cut oIE by fire. the cuIonists. including mem. women and children, Jumped from windows. The mon. who were first tg go, attempted to catch the women add children in blankets and fire nets. but Mrs. Cooke. Miss McGowan and soma of the others were badly injured hY striking against. a coping in their fall A number of the colonists escaped by ropes or by jumping only short dist- ance from the roof of porch. Those most seriously injured wero taken fo Englewood Hospital The building wAM totally destroyed
 The Sinclair Co-Operati9e colonx was established last October. and ti4+ cluded a number of educators and fnem and women engaged in literary pur+ suits. The cooperative servant plan was adopted. the meals being served in common in large dining room Some of the members Of the colones in anticipation Of fire. had provided themseIves with improyIsed fire es capes of rope which were used to @epa advantage. Those who were not ilsA Jured walked barefooted through tha snow to nearby cottages. where thay were cared for,
 On investigation. 1t appears that tho explosion was the result Of leaking gas.
 Lester Briggs. who occupied d room on the top floor, was awakened by Mgza AfarEarAt lfoag, q writer Miss Hoax Jumped from window. bat li ls bes liessSi that Brfage was bliuded bs smoke and was unable 0 ind his wa out
 Professor Montague and Miss Anios McGowan, were injured by striking against a coping in their jump from the windows. Miss McGowan's condi- tion is critical and Miss Eichtenhurs injuries are serious. Both are in tlae hospital MT. Sinclair suffered eufA from broken glass but assisted in hold- ing the blankets las fire nets while the others jumped into them
 Mrs. A. c. Moves, who was the house manager. and who had aparx~ ments on the first floor was the firsk to discover the danger The fire had come so near her door that she had no time to dress herself, clad only In her night robe went to the lattlced tower. not far from The main building. seek ing the bell rope. It was gone. eho climbed up hand over hand fifty feeh to the top. where she seized the rope and rang the alarm.