Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-07
RIAWATnA CLUB WIPED OUT
j. Polk, Colored, Once O. Soldier,
Perished in Flames.
WiRooski OhIcer Had Difficulty in
Accusing Other Inmates who bare.
~ Misunderstanding Burn.
ed except Cpsh Rcgister

Never again Will the dusky bellies Of
Winooski and their ebony escorts from
Fort Ethan Allen prance about the floor
or the liiawatha club to the tune OF
Aiexanders Ragtine Band" A fire
which was discovered in the famous"
clubhouse early Thursday morning total
~ destroyed the building. entailing n
loss OF about 5000 One man, j. Polk,
colored
Tho fire was first discovered by Off
Ger George Horton while he was near
tho depot. He Immediately turned i'm
the alarm from box IA at the corner Of
Main and East Allen streets. This was
about $3.50 o'clock. He then went to the
burning building and raped with much
force on the door in an endeavor TO
arouse the sleeping Initiates. Hts efforts
seemed to he without avail and all this
tim" the fire was gaining Roadway
Tho officer proceeded to break ono Of
the windows and the crash oe the glass
q woke the inmates who were told to
hustle out. They made their escape just
in time as soon this end Of the building
was mass OF flames. The men were
Elliot Bruce and LaRoy. All they
saved from the building was the cash
REGISTER WHICH contained only IL sInHI
amount OF change. They made nm at
tempt to draw out one of the pianos.
but the hea, was too great and they
had to abandon It.
The origin of the fire cannot he learn
ed. When Manager Sam Dobbins closeu
the club rooms az about one o'clock
| Thursday morning everything was APP
parcntly all right. Mr.. DobHns did not
ina of kn ftva ffar
time O'Clock Thursday morning when he
came on the street. NE fire was in
the room above where the men were
sleeping and probably was burning for
some time before an Alarm was sent in
as tine blaze when first noticed by Off
Ger Horton was shooting high into the
air. The hour was a very inopportune
one for t'rc as the volunteer men of
,he department are hard workers and
thew experienced some difficulty in get
ting out. They We're a bit tardy in get
ting 10 the fire. but after their arrival
they did excellent work IN preventing the
spre al of the flames to nearby wooden
buildings.
! The auto truck from the Burlington fire
department responded to a telephone call
as did the hose wagon from station three
ia Burlington. BY this time there were
five streams playing on the building. Two
were from the Burlington department.
The Porter Screen company laid about
| thousand feet Of hose. but they did not
throw any water. Two explosions oc-
| CURED in the front Of the building and
one near the rear. Soon afterwards the
| roof fell In and narrow escapes from in
jury to the fremen were experienced
| when the chimney came tumbling to the
| ground. The explosion near the rear
threw Pipeman Frank Pari2o to the
ground but he was uninjured. The cause
OF the explosion at the rear is accounted
for rs being bottles of vichv, while the
ones at the front is ascrbcd to cartridges.
EVERYTHING WAS BURNED.
The building and all its contents are Q
total loss. there being only portions of the
oharred walls left standing. The building
was owned by l.. W. Ravlin and W. r.
Chambers and their loss is set at about
5000. partly covered by Insurance. The
club lost something over Sl.~" with no
insurance. This los includes two pianos
valued at 500 Only Si remained to be
paid upon them by the club.
The club house was situated at the rear
Of the east end of the Winooski block
sheds at the rear of the block by road
way lust wide enough to allow the pas
sage of a team These buildings were
scorched. Several times SOME of the
sheds caught fire In one of them A. g.
Lavisne. the undertaken, had his aulbu-
'ahce wagon pe' this was removed "''h-
OUT damage IN ms ou''nine AIS" were
several mattresses 'he properly " 'he
I6e int,
W. " Reynolds COMPANY "hicn were
managed -" WATER aHiouhtns |" ABOUT
$40 The rorn'ce on the WinooSKi block
'""ght hre put this was soon "Nuh-
sNished by man Nh" hao "l'oa access
10 Inc roof anu snlothered the ire with
snow. The sparks werc T'ing high IN all
directions ana " X nae not b"eh Tor inc
heavy snow ON the roofs OF n"arn' pniio-
ings the flames would nave probaoiy
spread. The other sheds near ne danger
line We're the barn Of DR.. j y teAth III
,