The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-14
FIRE SCORCHES
HARMONIC HALL
Blaze Causes Loss of $5,000-Head
Waiter Stars By Brave Rescue
of Cat.

Fire, supposed TO have been caused
by the short-circuiting of electric wires
or an overheated coal stove, broke out
in the northwest corner OF the base
ment OF the Harmonic building, Cen
ter-st. and Grand River-ave. east,
shortly after il o'clock Wednesday
morning, causing damage, estimated
by G. F. Pehr, president of the Har-
monte association, at about $5,OOO.
The blaze was confined TO the base
ment The smoke, however. filled the
entire building, giving the crowd or
spectators the impression that the
whole structure was burning. An ex-
animation of the upper floors, after
the firemen quit working, showed that
no damage had been done TO them.
AS a matter Of fact, the club Will
scarcely be put TO any inconvience
because of the fire. President Behr
told The Times that the banquet sched-
uled TO be given by the employees OF
the department of public works in
honor OF their chief. Commissioner
Haarer, in the club building, TO night
would take place as If nothing had
happened.
THE food, which the chef was pre-
pairing for the banquet, is destroyed"
said President Behr, but he'll cook
more and have everything in readiness
for the banquet"
In the portion OF the basement
where the fire started were the store
rooms for the delicatessen goods and
stock of cigars. All these articles
were destroyed by water and smoke.
The fire had a bad look when the
regular firemen for the district ar
rived, and Fire Chief Frederick sent
in second alarm, bringing much ad-
ditional fire equipment to the scene.
The extra help was not needed, how
ever. although the fire needed lot
of fighting, raging furiously for while
In its limited quarters.
Chris Gasser, head waiter In the
Harmonic. is of the opinion that a
stove in the basement, used to heat
water for the kitchen caused the fire.
He went into the basement to inves-
tigate the cause of smoke which was
coming upstairs, and was driven back
by the dense clouds which met him
when he opened the door leading 10
the compartment In which the stove
was located. On the other hand, Hen
ry Lieber, porter, declares that he
was in the basement when the fire
broke out, and that he heard a sound,
similar % that of a revolver shot just
before the flames broke out. He thinks
the crack was caused by the crossing
of electric wires.
Gasser was the real hero of the fire
When all the occupants OF the build
ine were I'm the street, ifter the dis
covery of the blaze, Miss Augusta
Stanke, sister OF the steward, implor-
ed Gasser 10 return 10 the interior OF
the burning building for her pet cat.
"Tootie, which she has had for a
number of years. "Tootie" was sleep
ing, blissfully ignorant OF the fire, on
couch i'm a room in one OF the upper
floors. Gasser was game. RE straight
way entered the smoke-filled structure,
not knowing just what progress the
fiji had made, and CROPPED his way TO
tabby. Several times he thought the
smoke would drive him back, but he
went ahead with logged determine
tion. Finally he got his hands on
"Tootie" and bravely carried him TO
the arms of Miss Stanke. She was
Overt at the saving of her pet.