The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-10-22
BURKE THEATER
MASS OF RUINS
Theater and Offices Above
It Quilted by Flames
This Morning.
FIRE CHIEF IS INJURED
While Fighting Flames Fire
Chief Swartz Falls Down
Blind Stairway.

Ere which started in the boiler
room of the Burke theater building in
the early hours Of the morning caused
damage which is estimated at over
100000 The theater interior was
cleaned out by the fire, and there was
nothing left there worth anything this
morning except the film, Johnny
Hines the Live Wire," which showed
last night, and the theater booth, The
Offices on the second floor directly over
the theater were ruined by smoke and
flames, but the Offices in the Isermann
building adjoining and the store of
Isermann Brothers were not damaged,
as the flames were prevented from do
ing further mischief by the timely
work of the firemen.
Chief Schwartz was injured while
fighting the fire when he. fell down a
blind stairway at the rear Of the
building, which he could not see on
account OF the thick smoke. Edward
Nelson, truckman for Company No. J.,
who lives Mt 215 Newell street, injured
knee-cap when he fell into the or
chestra pit. The injury was not seri-
Gus. He was taken to his home.
The discovery of the fire was made
by a fireman from his bedroom window
in the fremen's dormitory just over
the central engine house at 4:27 a. m.
From rear window he saw smoke,
and lifting the window and peering
out he perceived light as from flames
on the north side of Market Square.
He summoned Fire Chief John
Schwartz, who was on duty for the
night at the fire station. Assistant
Fire Chief Michael Jacobs, who had
the night off at his home, also Joined
the fire brigade.
1t was only a step across the square,
but the fire chief and his men discov-
cred that they had battle royal be-
fore them. The interior of the Burke
theater was raging hell of flames
and smoke, and the offices on the floor
directly above were just as bad, and
the smoke if anything worse.
The firemen found as soon as they
opened the door that the smoke this
time would be their worst enemy. They
could scarcely get into the building at
dAAg AOE bAAS SOlA0 OAONh VI oOOb ~*A%N
smoke which met them on the
threshold, and once within there was
more than one man who was nearly
overcome.
At the summons of Chief Schwartz,
all the fire companies in the city had
responded to the call, There we're
four engine companies and two truck
companies, and six lines of hose were
turned into the flame Quilted building.
Following the intrepid lead of their
chief, the men climbed the front stair
way and entered the offices over the
theater, although every move was a
precarious one.
Estimate Loss at 100000.
When Fire Chief Schwartz was in
iured, Assistant Fire Chief Jacobs re-
NAMED in charge of the fire fighters
and they continued their work until
ten o'clock. The real flames were
gone and cinder-like edifice remained
about eight O'clock when Office work
ers were pouring downtown to begin
the morning, but a few firemen re-
NAMED to hunt for secret malign lit
tie sparks in the walls upstairs, and
hours after eight o'clock.
The damages to the Burke building
was estimated at about 100000. This
included the loss within the theater, OF
seats, carpets, furnishings, the organ
and stage curtain, the loss of the the
alter building and the Offices upstairs
The offices that were damaged were
the large four-room suite of the Keno
sha Realty company, of which Arthur
] Schmitz is the present head, and
the offices of Frank Symmonds, attor
ney, and his daughter, Miss Phyllis
Symmonds, who is his secretary a:
we'll as a public stenographer.
In the law Office of Mr.. Symmonds
whole wall of law books had faller
down through a hole in the floor anc
made more fuel for flames. The row
of book shelves was along the wal
over the orchestra pit and the pit wa
over the boiler room, so that when thu
flames met the paper of the law office
It met an ally that must have been FOL
the time BEING well-nigh unholy. Civ
ing the fire its great burst. Mr.. Sym
monds said mat he had not estimated
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