Evening star., 1931-04-06
One Volunteer Fireman Isl
Hurt in Fall From !
Ladder. !
BUILDING HAS NOT BEEN
IN USE FOR FOUR YEARS
Seven County Companies and One
From District Pour Eleven
Streams on Structure.
BY Stan Correspondent of Tn. Star.

BY Stan Correspondent of The Star.
CABIN JOHN PARK. Nd, April g.
The old Cabin John Bridge Hotel, rich
in historic lore and tradition, was
destroyed by fire early this morning.
The rambling old hostelry, which has
stood on its present site practically un-
changed since the days of the Civil
War, was once a favorite gathering
place for the elect Of Washington. Cabi-
net members, Congressman, diplomats
and social leaders of the National Capt.
tai formerly gathered there for eve
nings of entertainment in its spacious
ball room or It's elaborate gardens.
Front Portion Remains.
Only the front portion of the struc-
ture'S shell is standing today and that
will be Tazed shortly. Although the
hotel had not been in use for four years,
1t was completely furnished. many of
the pieces being antiques Of consider
able value Nothing was saved Mrs
William H. Bobinger, the present owner,
said the hotel was not insured. She
was unable to estimate the monetary
loss.
Built OF wood the building burned
fiercely and the glow could be seen as
far away as Washington and Chevy
Chase.
Seven Montgomery County fire de-
rartmsntS and No. 29 engine company
of the District Fire Department re-
sponded to the alarm. but when the
first Of them arrived the flames were
shooting high above the cupolas which
Surmounted the roof.
In the course of the fire fighting, one
of the firemen sustained a slight injury
He was Howard King of the Cabin John
Park Volunteer Fire Department. He
fell about Is feet from a ladder when
the pressure in the hose he was holding
became so great that he could not
maintain his foothold. His forehead
was cut Fellow firemen took him to
the office Of DR.. w. o. HUFF in Bethesda,
who took six stitches in the wound.
After treatment King returned to the
fire.
Cause Is Unknown.
There was no indication of the origin
Of the blaze. Although wired. the
electricity had been Cit of and the
place was not heated The theory ed-
yanced by the f1remen was that tramp
staying in the hotel accidentally set
fire to it.
The Bethesda Volunteer Fire Depart
nent, the first company to reach the
scene. was called at 2:45 O'Clock this
morning. Other departments respond
ing we're from Cabin John Park, Silver
Spring, Kensington Rockville, Chevy
Chase and Takoma Park At one time
II streams of water we're playing on the
flames.
Late this morning the ruins were still
smoulde'ing. An attempt was made to
dynamite the portion which remained
standing, but so ramshackle was the
structure that the explosives had little
effect
The hotel was built by Joseph
Bobinger. father of the late William
H. Bobinger, whose widow is the pres
cnt owner. Part of it was designed as
an exact reproduction of an old Ger
man tavern The elder Bobinger came
to this country from Alsace.
Had Imported Music Box.
It contained 40 rooms and a large
hsll room. To the rear was an elaborate
g9rden stretching to the Potomac
River. Just behind the main structure
was small cylindrical building in
which was housed the imported music
box, to the strains of which the pa
irons of the hotel danced.
The land on which the hotel stood
was part of an original grant by the
King of England to the second Lord
Baltimore. 1t was just west OF the
Cabin John Bridge.