The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-04-01
Flames . Had Gained Much Roadway
Before Discovered and Structure
Saved by Eremen's Good Work.
CONTENTS OF PLAYHOUSE LOST
Guests Have Difficulty in Leaving
Burning Building, so Intense Was
= Smoke Partially Insured.

total at least $4,000, was caused by
fire in the three-story brick struc-
ture of the Brinkman hotel and
theater this morning. The flames
had gained much Roadway when dis
covered and. smoke had spread to
every part of the large building be-
fore the alarm was sent in. J. e.
Bunker, owner of~the bus line, was
the first person to notice the fire,
the; night clerks attention not hav-
ing been attracted by the smoke.
While it would seem probable that
the fire originated in the furnace
room,: the flames first reaching the
orchestra pit and flooring directly
above, this theory is discredited by
the statement of Fred Brinkman,
owner, that no fire had been kept
during the night.
Hotel Fills With Smoke.
So rapidly did the hotel fill with
,suffocating: smoke that the thirty
guests had difficulty III reaching safe
'ty, one man, Joe Oaks, sliding from
a third floor window on a fire-rope,
provided in every room of the hotel
for just such a purpose. John CHS
colin, 80 years of age, father of Mrs.
Brinkman, was one of the first to
leave the building. Every guest was
quickly notified of the fire.
Firemen Work Brilliantly.
Five minutes after the fire truck
had left the department hall three
lines of hose were throwing large
streams of water on the flames, and
a few minutes later Garry Brennan
arrived on the scene with the fire
team, two more lines being pressed
into service. The firemen worked
brilliantly and by we'll managed
fight kept the flames in the rear of
the building on the stage and in the
orchestra pit. Once the fire reached
the floor of the second story, it be-
ing necessary to rip portion of the
cornice work from the ceiling, but
the firemen by quick work put the
flame out, only small hole being
burned in the floor. That the en-
tire building did not burn is a mira
Gle and the members of the depart
ment are entitled to unlimited praise.
Theater is Wreck.
The theater, with it's seating ca
pacity for 400, is a wreck, the seen
cry, valued at $4,000, being total
loss, while every seat is damaged by
heat, water and smoke. The orches-
ira pit was completely burned away.
The orchestra-piano, purchased
several years ago at cost of $500,
crashed through the floor to the base
ment as. the flames Slapped the
strength of the tioor-beams, and one
piano in the orchestra pit, purchased
at cost of $3.50 was destroyed, and
another on the stage, costing 1915,
is damaged beyond repair.
Partially Covered.
While the contents of the theater
were valued at $4,000, insurance Of
only $4,000 was carried. On the
building itself $4,000 insurance was
carried. The furniture and bedding
in every one of the rooms of the
hotel is much damaged by the heavy
black smoke. The oil paintings of
the scenery, and the varnish on the
seats and furniture of the theater
contributed a choking smoke and 50
suffocating was it in the interior of
the building that the fremen toiled
with difficulty. . 81 WIKI .$.ss5s
The alarm was turned in at 4:4O
this morning and in two hours and a
half the flames had been ex-
tinguished. 81 as.2,: IS f 1
Damage May Reach $12, 600
Inventory of the damage done
CONTINUED on Page 81 es'tse.ftf