The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-08
R|vERv|EW PARK
TO REMAIN OPEN
Burned Theater and Hotel Will BE
Rebuilt-Saturday Evening Fires
Cause 100000 Loss.

Notwithstanding the fire which laid
a large portion Of Riverview Park in
ruins, Saturday night. Milford Stern,
secretary and general manager OF the
Riverview Park Co., which operates
the amusement enterprise, says that
the park will remain open. The dane
ing pavilion and several Of the amuse-
ment devices are in working order
and were well patronized Sunday
night The crowd. In fact, was larger
than usual, many visiting the place
for q glimpse Of the ruins.
The walls OF the old brick hotel are
standing, but the interior Is destroyed,
while the site OF the former wooden
pavilion and theater building, immedi-
ately In the rear OF the hotel Is
strewn with charred timbers and
twisted girders, which present desc
late spectacle.
According to Manager Stern, the
walls OF the old hotel are to be torn
down and new hotel and theater
building erected on the site. The
buildings were owned by the Jacob
Beller estate and were under lease
The Riverview Park fire was the
second of two costly and spectacular
blazes that occurred Saturday even
ing. The first, which started at 5:45
o'clock in the afternoon, destroy
ed the five-story building at No.
100 Randolph-st.. owned by Rob-
ert Schulenburg and occupied by
the Brunswick k-Balke-Collender Co.,
the Cross Steam Laundry, the
Schulenburg Manufacturing Co. and
the Schmidt Picture Frame Co. The
last OF the fire engines was just leav-
ing the ruined structure about $3.50
when the alarm came in from River
view Park. 1t was strenuous night
for the fire laddies and the policemen.
Both blazes attracted great throngs OF
spectators. The combined loss Is up
wards OF 100000, about equally
divided between the two.
The loss on the Schulenburg build
ing is estimated at $4,000, covered
by insurance. Other losses here are
estimated as follows: Schulenburg
Manufacturing Co., manufacturers of
billiard tables, $4,000, covered by In
surance; Bruns wick Bake Collender
$4,000, covered by insurance;
Schmidt Picture Frame Co.. $4,000,
insurance, $4,000: Cross Steam Laun-
dry. $500, insured.
The laundry company kept it's GUS
toners work in fire box, so there
In no loss ON that score.
The fire started In pile OF boxes
and barrels In the rear Of the build
ing and gained rapid headway once
II got inside the building.
The Riverview park fire started in
canoe shelter underneath the stage
of the wooden theater and pavilion.
One story was that man who was
fixing his canoe, accidentally over
turned a lantern. The place was well
filled with patrons at the time, and
these, with those scattered through
the grounds, made up a crowd OF
about 10000.
The first inkling of danger was a
wreath Of smoke, issuing from one side
of the stage. Those sitting near the
rear OF the pavilion saw II, and quick
ly left the tables, to be followed by
Others as the smoke became more
noticeable. A waiter jumped on the
stage and urged patrons to keep cool
and take their time; that there was
no danger. His action probably avert
ed a panic. Before the last OF the
patrons had reached the doors, the
stage was in flames, and great sheet
of fire was sweeping across the floor:
Two or three minutes later the en-
tire structure was roaring furnace.
The total loss here was between
SIS, 900 and 100000. There was $15.-
600 insurance on the building. Other
property in the neighborhood was In
volved, the plant of the Lamot &
Steer Engine Co., short distance
below the park, being totally de-
stroyed with loss of between $1,000
and $4,000. The summer pavilion or
Shumway Bros, saloonkeepers at No.
147O Jefferson-ave., was also de-
stroyed.