Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-27
AUDITORIUM IS
BLACKENED RUIN
Fire Causes Loss of $4,000, PART
ly Covered by Insurance

Sales was safe, While there at the
opera house. he said, he was arrested
and taken into custody by an officer.
He was asked II he had any theory
concerning the fire, but said he had
none. When be left the building, ac-
cording to his statement there we're
no evidences o. fire, and he had no
solution OF otfer.
Sales Talks.
The story told BY Sales sounds dif-
ferently. and Ia many instances is In
direct contradiction to that told by
spaulding. sales represented that
he had some work to do and 1t was
with a view of finishing early this
morning so that he could go up the
lake on one of the boats, that he went
with spauldlng and stayed at the
auditorium last night instead OF go
Ing to his home spaulding. he said.
had told him hat he had permission
from Manager Reeve OF the show
company to sleep in the building.
They entered through the window, he
said. and slept In the property room.
There was no bed IN this room, and
they used canvas for the purpose.
They had no blankets, and he put on
pair of oyeralls over his other
clothes TO keep him warm. and
spaulding slept in his working
clothes, which he had used yesterday
while posting some bills. Between
the hours Of and I, according 70 his
story. spAulding arose and said he
was going down town to get drink.
spaulding III a match, he said, to find
the electric light, and then went to
the dressing room below and changed
his clothes Prior TO leaving the
building he turned the electric light
on over the stage, and then he heard
him leave the building shortly af-
ter his departure, he said, he thought
he smelled something burning and
when he made an investigation he
saw that the stage was enyeloped in
flames, and then he rushed out over
the stage and out through the front
door of the house lie was asked II
he did not know that there was
hose In the place, and why he did not
put II into operation against the fire.
and he stated that he knew nothing
about how to operate Il, After leav-
ing the house, he stated, he went to
his home. When asked why he did
not give an alarm concerning the fire
he replied that he did not see any one
about to whom he could give II. His
answer to the question as to what
prompted him to leave the fire be-
hind aud so to his home without at
tempting to stop Il was that he want
ed TO go home and take of the over
alls that he had put on In the even
ing before retiring. He was asked II
he were able to account for the fire
and gave Il as his opinion that Il
started from match which Spauld-
ing lit IN making search for the
electric light He explained that
there was an opening between the
walls all around the room. and that
in sweeping and cleaning II up all
the trash was thrown down this open
ing. He gave II as hie opinion that
the match which Spaulding threw
away must have dropped into this
opening and ignited the matter To-
Gated between The walls. That was
his theory concerning the FIRE. he
said, and that unless II occurred 10
that manner he was unable to give
an explanation of IL.
Losses and Insurance.
The main building Of the Auditor
ilm was erected In the fall OF the year
Of 1903 at cost OF $4,000. The
heating plant cost $4,000 and other
improvements brought the value mp
to about $4,000 II was construct
ed by stock company composed OF
the Odd Fellows. MasOns and Knights
OF Pythias lodges. and their mem
beers. The Odd Fellows owned. It Is
estimated. about 50, goo In stock and
are the heaviest losers The Frater-
nal hall association carried an In.
surance on the building amounting
to $1,000 and the furnishings were
insured by the Joint Lodge Trustees
at $500. The various lodges occupy
Ing the upper portion OF the build
ing as a hail. not only lost their
paraphernalia. but many lost the
lodge records. The loss OF the