Evening star., 1921-11-27
PLAN STONE STRUCTURE

PLAN STONE STRUCTURE
Meeting Of Members Called for This
Week to Hear Recommends.
tions Of Board.
Plaus COR building a suitable new
home for tts Blue Etdge Rod and
Gun Club. to replace tho large frame
clubhouse near Harpers Ferry. w. Va.
which was destroyed by fire Saturday
evening a week ago, are being con-
sidered by the board of directors Of
the club. 1t is contemplated to con-
struct the new building Of stone. tile
or other freproof material.
The full membership of the club
will be called to q meeting early this
week. 1t is understood. at which time
the directors will report on the loss
incurred. and probably will recon-
mend a general outline Of procedure
for the work Of reconstruction.
The fact that rock and stone suit
able for building purposes are natu-
rally plentiful in that part of the
country Is influencing some members
to favor use OF this material for the
new home. 1t is said that stone
quarried from the hills nearby would
be more substantial from a construc-
other substances. Opinions are di-
vided on this point, however.
Directors Visit Scene.
II
ginia side of the Potomac river, was
visited Tuesday by the following
members Of the board Of directors: H.
D. Champion. who is president Of the
club; Charles E. Hood. who is secre-
tary; William c. Johnson. g. Thomas
Dunlop and DR.. w. g. Harlan. one of
F. Ham. the nth director: who was
at the fire, was unable to go. A GEN
eraf "post-mortem" Of the ruins was
taken, and 1t was noted that the i'm
posing clubhouse which had stood on
the tall blum overlooking the river
for a quarter OF acentury was a COM
plete loss. The spacious lawns and
shrubbery about the building were
scared, and even the ropes on flag
pole, some distance away, were
burned.
According to revised stories Of the
confiagration. several members of
the club. including Mr.. Ham. Alex
ander Britton. Albert e. Berry. John
L. Edwards, Charles G. Bell and John
Ia Newbold. were sitting at the dinner
table when a woman entered the
clubhouse crying "The house is afire!'
Running to the front of the building
the members saw that the roof was
ablaze and that the second story.
used for bedrooms. was filled with
smoke. Subsequent details have al
ready been published.
Hold 1npromptu Conference.
The directors. following the Are,
returned to Washington and held an
improfnptu conference at the resi-
dence Of Mr.. Britton. The meeting,
necessarily. was in the form of an
informal discussion of the probable
cause of the blaze and a resume of
club and by members.
Members are congratu1atink Mr..
Bfitton on his presence of mind in
saving the priced registry books. one
containing the names of innumerable
distinguished persons, who had been
the guests Of the club on special oc-
cAsions, and the other containing
records Of exceptional sporting feats
Of members, such as number and
description Of fish caught, game killed
or captured. etc. Mr.. Britton remem-
bered at the last minute to remove
2 new automobile to place Of safety.
Practically all of the valuable hunting
and fishing trophies, presented by
members, which adorned the walls
Of the main floor rooms. were re-
moved.
Names Of many high government Of
ficials are to be found in the registry
book. Uncle Joe" Cannon has prob
ably signed his name in the guest
column more times than any other
noted man. He has been a frequent
visitor at the club for years. Former
Vice President James s. Sherman and
Uncle Joe" were guests of Edward
]. StellwaEen on one occasion during
Mr.. Stellwagen's regime as president
Scene Of Many Meetings.. ..
The clubhouse on several dates has
club members and other organizations
among them the Gridiron Club and
, the District Of Columbia Lawyers As
sociation. Entertainment features OF
novel character have-made these gath
erings memorable in the clubs his.
tory. -
A random perusai Of the pages OF
the guest book reveals such names
as the following:
G. r. Macdonald. United States cor.
sui at Hamilton. Ontario; c. 8. Ham1fri
former assistant secretary Of the
Treasury; Gen. R. w. Batchelder, Gen
Walter Wyman, Senator Francis G
Newlands, Representative J. A. Hull
Of Iowa, Gen. r. H. Palmer, Justice
Job Barnard. Frank A. vanderlip
former Public Printer Frank w. Pal.
mer, Capt. Lansing H. Beach, chief Of
engineers; Judge G. c. Cole, Seth Shep.
pard, Senator Nathan B. Scott of WesI
Virginia, Senator Thomas n. Carter oi
Montana, Assistant Secretary Of thu
Interior Andrieus A, Jones (fiow Sen.
Joseph p. Tumulty, former Attorney
General T. W. Gregory, Speaker Gil.
lett. former Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury Jouett shouss. Chief Justice
Smyth. Justices Van Ofsdell, Siddons
Mccoy, Bailey and Hoehline, Senator
Walsh Of MAsSAchusettS, Senator
Gerry Of Rhode Island, Representa-.
tives Jesse Overstreet, indiana
Charles B. Lands, Indiana: william
H. Wiley. New Jersey; John w
Dwight, New York; Ernest W. Rob.
erts, Massachusetts,, ana E. H. Louden
slayer. New Jersey; former Commits
sloner Of Internal Revenue Johr
Yerkes. Senator r. j. Gamble Of Soutf
Dakota, Alton B. Parker. former presi.
Dental candidate; p. v. DeGraw, for.
mer fourth assistant postmaster gen.
oral; R.. ]. Tracewell, former con.
trollef OF the Treasury, and d long list
OF Others many OF whom are now de.
ceased.
IneofD0fated IN VSfxfnia.