Imperial Valley press., 1921-09-20
8 BUILDINGS
DESTROYED
IN MORNING
BLAZE.
Fire Breaks Out in Boston
Grill and Spreads Rapidly
to Adjoining Buildings. Ell
CentrO Fire Department
Helps Fight Flames.

Fire said to have started either
from defective wiring or from gaso-
line burner attached to coffee urn
in the Boston Grill, Imperial, last
night destroyed three buildings to-
gether with most Of their contents
entailing q loss approximating $780,
900.
The buildings burned were the Doug.
las Building, on the first floor OF
which were the Merchants National
Bank, Water Company Ma. II, Nc
Christy 4 Robinett Soft Drink and
News stand and Sam Mack's Barber
Shop; on the second floor We're the
law offices of Harry M. Dyke, who
is now in Pasadena, the Y. M. G. A.
Club rooms and the Masonic and
Eastern Star Lodge rooms.
Next door to the Peterson Building
or the Douglas Building as it is now
known were c. A. Bartletts Pool Hall,
vacant store room and the Boston
Grill, all of which were burned.
1t is stated on good authority that
the Douglas building will be rebuilt.
c.. A. Barret said this morning that
he would positively rebuild as soon
as it was possible to get the insur-
ance adjusted.
The Masonic order sustains heavy
loss in the damage done to lodge re-
gala. The law library of Harry
Dyke was badly damaged as was al
SO the club rooms of the Y.M.C.A.
The fire wall Of the Douglas Build
ing held, and according to firemen
was the one thing that saved the en-
tire block from destruction. The re-
cords of the Farmers and Merchants
National Bank were removed by Pres
ident Marc Wilkins to the offices of
the First National Bank. Aside from
being badly water soaked the room in
which the bank was located was not
otherwise damaged.
The Farmers and Merchants Ma
tional Bank opened as usual for busi-
ness this morning, while l.. j. Thomas
and the other tenants of the building
found temporary quarters in near by
offices.
The fire alarm was turned in at
/: :55 by Miss Lillian Adds, private
secretary to j. A. Harris, who was
driving by in Studebaker Coupe
Failing to find a fire alarm box she
drove to the telephone office and in
her excitement forgot to stop before
ahe had driven over the street curb
and through the plate glass windows
of the company's offices. The
counter in the outside office, was
moved about Is feet by the impact
Notwithstanding the alarm was given
and the Imperial Fire Department
began to fight the blaze.
At 2:15 Ell Centre was asked tt
help fight the flames. A trouble
cali was sounded after permission
had been secured from Councilman
S. E. Bragg to take the fire engine
from the city. Bragg ran all the
way from his home and jumped OF
the truck just as it was leaving the
station on it's run to Imperial.
The FL Centro Fire Boys responded
nobly to the call, and within an houl
and half after their arrival at thu
fire the flames We're well under con
tsOl.
Power wires We're cut and danger
from falling cables was thus elimi
mated The Holton Power Conn
pany had crew of men on the job a
2:3O SO that by 8 o'clock this morn
ing the city of Imperial was receiv
ing it's regular electrical service.
1t is understood that the losses
.,,o,o ,>,oot;col1 l1xy coyarad hy insurance