Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-12
LOSS OF $1,000 IN
BALLPARk BLAZE
North Section of Bleachers and
Stretch of Fence Destroyed
Last Evening.
ITS ORIGIN is NOT KNOWN
Theory Is Fire Started From Cigar
or Cgaret Stump~Quick
Work Prevents Spread.

Hardly an hour had elapsed afteI
the last ardent and satisfied fan had
/ left the Rock Island baseball pain
yesterday before the north bleacheIs
were enveloped in flames and burned
to the ground. Caretaker Robert Shaw
completed his work at the park short
/ ly after O'Clock and had started for
/ home. He had gone two blocks when
his attention was called to flames at
the ball park. He FASTENED back and
found the entire north section burning.
The fire department had been sum-
moned and made a record run to the
grounds.
The fire had been communicated to
the south section of the bleachers and
had just burned the siding and was
beginning to creep along the siding
when the f1remen checked the blaze,
using two chemicals and their axes.
Their attention was then turned to
surrounding property, which had been
scorched by the excessive heat of the
| flames.
LAY 1.7O0 FEET OF HOSE
In order to secure a stream of water
with pressure enough to throw the
water 20 feet, it was necessary to lay
LOO feet of hose. Connection was
made at Fourteenth street and Six
teenth avenue, the closest water plug.
After the fire had been gotten under
control, one stream of course was am
pie.
10 he 70 No
public spirited association, fortune
favored the owners of the bail
park as we'll as the players, who
had valuable personal property in the
club house, which is but a short dis
lance from the bleachers. Ha.! there
been little more wind, and there was
plenty at that, and little delay in re-
Spouse to the summons by the fire
department, the entire park might
have been swept off the map. AS it
was, the old blea cheers and part of
the east fence were destroyed. There
is only conjecture as to the origin of
the blaze. Either a burning cigar,
cigaret or match had been thrown in
some refuse and it had smoldered till
the park was emptied. Then the pile
bleachers caught fire.
IMMEDIATE REPAIRS.
Early this morning a force of work.
men was busily engaged in erecting a
fence and so at 8 o'clock this after
noon, the park was again enclosed.
This evening at 1880, the stockhoid-
ers will meet in the New Harper and
will decide as to whether the bleach |
ers will be rebuilt or section added |
to the grandstand, and it is possible
nothing will be done this year as the
accommodations are ample for any or
binary occasion. The loss is in the
neighborhood of $1,000.
The destruction of the bleachers Is
a severe blow to the local association |
which has no surplus revenues to eX-
pend in replacing the destroyed por-
ton Inasmuch as the park was pro
vided originally by popular subscrip-
ton there is talk of raising fund
among the fans TO replace the accom-
modations destroyed.
The ball players. when they heard
that there was a fire at. the ball park,
lost no time in .hurrying there. They
were fearful that the club house was
ablaze and that their shoes, gloves and
other paraphernalia might be con-
Had this been the case, Rock
Island would have been handicapped
for a week or more by the players
loss
NEED OF MAINS EMPHASIZED.
The fire of last evening again en-
phasizes the need of the laying of wat
ermains in the south and west parts
Of town, but till the residents there
establish grades, 1t will be impossible
10 lay the mains There Is no fire !
protection there and should fire
break out when there is high wind, s
he entire section would undoubtedly
be swept away. Till the people get I
together and comply with the city or
finances in establishing grades and
petitions for the mains. the
section will be without ample protec-
ion.
The fire hose was stretched across
Twelfth street at Sixteenth avenue,
IND Oficer F. W. Herges who was [
to the park, stationed him
,elf at that point to turn back auto