The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-16
HELICON BURNS.
Home of Upton Sinclair's Colony
Destroyed by Fire.
Author of "The Jungle Hurt
i'm Work of Rescue.
ONE MAN LOST LIFE.
A Number of Occupants Injured
i'll Making Their Escape.
One Woman Climbed Rope 90
Feet to Sound Alarm.

Englewood, n. J., March 16.-By
the burning of HeIicon hall, the home
of the Upton Sinclair cooperative col
ony today, one man, Lester Briggs, a
carpenter of Providence, r. l., was
killed and eight of the colonists were
injured in jumping from windows.
Mrs. Grace MCGOWAN Cooke, a we'll
known writer of short stories is be-
lieved to have suffered fatal injuries
and her sister, Miss Alice MCGOWAN,
also a writer and Miss Leonie Fechten-
berg were badly injured.
The financial loss is estimated at
$4,000. F'ifty-four members of the
colony and workers employed by them
occupied the building which was
three story structure located on a hill
school. An explosion of gas which oc-
Cured on the main floor started the
fire about dawn. AS there were no
fire escapes and exit by stairways was
cut off by fire, the colonists, including
men, women and children, jumped
from the windows. The men who were
first to go, attempted to catch the wo
men and children in blankets, used as
fire nets, but Mrs. Cooke, Miss Nc
Gowan and some of the others were
coping in their fall
A number of the colonists escaped
by ropes, or by jumping only a short
distance from the roof of porch.
Those most seriously injured were ia
ken to Englewood hospital. The
building was totally destroyed.
Lester Briggs of Providence, r. l.,
community carpenter, was on the third
floor. His escape was cut off by smoke
and he was burned to death.
Five persons injured by jumping
from windows were taken to the hos
pital. They are:
Miss Helen Knowles, assistant house
keeper at HelicOn hall burned about
the face and injured internally.
Mrs. Grace McGowen Cooke, the writer
of short stories, bruised and PROBABLY
injured internally.
Miss Alice MCGOWAN, back injured
and suffering. from shock.
James McNif. burned about face and
neck.
Miss Leonie Fichtenberg, burned on
face and body and suffering from shock.
. Mrs. Henrietta D. Kimball, illustrator.
suffering from shock. taken to hospital.
William Montague. professor of
physiology at Columbia university,
face and back injured by jumping, at
Englewood hospital.
Miss Edith Summers, private secre-
tary to Mr.. Sinclair. suffering from
shock. at Englewood hospital.
Lester Briggs, who occupied a room
on the third floor, was awakened by
Miss Margaret Hoag, writer Miss
Hoag jumped from a window, but it is
believed that Briggs was blinded by
smoke and was unable to find his way
out. -
Prof. Montague, and Miss Alice Nc
Gowan Were injured by striking
a gainst a coping in their jump from
the windows Miss AIcGowan's condi- |
ton is critical ana Miss F'ichtenberg'
injuries are serious. Both are in the
hospital.
Mr. Sinclair suffered cuts from
broken glass but assisted in holding |
the blankets as fire nets while the 9TH |
ers jumped into them.
Mrs A. C. Noyes. who was the |
house manager, and who had apart |
ments on the first floor, was the first
to discover the danger. The fire had
come so near her door that she had !
no time to dress but fed clad only in |
her night robe to the latticed tower |
ing the bell rope. 1t was gone. so she |
climbed up hand over hand so feet te /
the top, where she rang the alarm.
Some of the members of the colony, |
in anticipation Of fire, had provided |
themselves with improvised fire escapes |
or rope which were used to good adj /
vantage in lowering some of the chill |
dren and women from the windows. |
Those who were not injured walked |
barefooted through the snow to nearby |
where they were cared for.
On investigation it appeared that the |
explosion was the result of leaking gas. |
The Sinclair cooperative colony was |
established last October and included a
number of educators and men and wo
men engaged in literary pursuits.
The cooperative servant plan was
adopted the meals being served in
common in large dining room.