The National tribune., 1907-03-28

Helicon Hall, Upton Sinclair's New
Utopia. where the snarls of housekeep-
ing were supposed to be untangled and
the female inmates disported them
selves in the free and untrammeled
bloomer costume, was burned to, the
ground early in the morning Of March
Is. One man was killed, several In
jured and nothing was saved, most OF
the inmates escaping in their night
clothing. Mr.. Sinclair rushed out In
his pajamas, and seeing there was not
q moment to lose ran back and alarm
ed the others. The building was valued
at $4,000 and the furniture. etc.. at
$4,000. There was an insurance OF
$4,000 on the latter. Mr.. Sinclair says
alive colony will soon take the place OF
the old, but there are stories of dis
satisfaction with the old regime, and 1t
Is probable that If a new colony is
started many of the old members will
not join it. Some very amusing stories
of the "goings on at Helicon Hall have
leaked out. While everything was per-
fectly proper in a way, yet unconven-
tona1ity, spelled with a very big q,
ruled the day. The babies. for they had
babies there, were allowed to run
every night for while before they were
put to bed, without a stitch of clothing
On them, turn handsprings, have pillow
fights, ETC., to get what was called their
''air bath" AS for the grown ups, they
certainly had an easy time Of 1t as far
as dressing up was concerned, for they
put their bloomers or bifurcated skirts
and sweaters on in the morning, and
kept them on till they retired at night.
Mr.. Sinclair dined in his brown cordu-
roy trousers, quite baggy at the knees,
like a workingman's, white flannel
shirt and flowing red necktie. When
in deep thought he would put his right
hand on his forehead and eat with his
fork in his left hand, but when he felt
like talking he was a very witty, easy,
delightful conversationalist. To anyone
with a sense of humor life in Helicon
Hall was a huge joke. The fun began
in the morning with the breakfast of
hominy, educator crackers and prunes
and lasted all day. The dinner was the
most fun, when all sorts of discussions
were started and carried on by all sorts
Of cranks. 1t was certainly no place
for the prim person of either sex, but
for the right person. as an experience,
not lasting too long, It was great fun.
e. H. Hartman, the railroad mag
nate, has taken lively interest in the
East Side boys of New York for a long
time. and has been President Of their
club, called the Boys Club" for 81
y
has been very generous to them in pro-
viding healthy recreations. thus keep
ing them away from the music halls,
etc. Every little while the boys give
an entertainment, and Mr.. Hartman
has never missed but one Of these. The
other night they gave Gilbert and Sulli-
vans 1.-The Gondoliers" at Sherrys, If
you please, and the Harrimans, Mr.. and
Mrs, were there in a front seat. Just
before the performance began Mr.. Har-
fiman went to buy a couple Of pro-
grams, and flshed out 81 bill for the
purpose. The program boy evidently
had no idea that Mr.. Hartman would
expect any change. but there he reck-
oned without his host, for while he was
slowly going thru pocket after pocket.
delaying as long as possible the painful
necessity Of returning the change, Mr..
Hartman stood quietly by, calmly WHIP
ting his eyeglasses, and stood thus till
the proper change was forthcoming.
Thomas Bailey A1drich. author OIL
eMartory Daw," Prudence Palfry" and
many charming poems, died in Boston
March 10. About a month ago Mr..
Aldrich, who was 70 years of age, had
IN operation performed from which hel