The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-06-23
Fire Destroys Salmon Creek
 Country Club
Spectacular Blaze Takes Famous S75,C00 AL
 dskd ShowpIdee


 Tn spectacular fire which drew onlookers in hundreds of cars and taxis, the $75,000 Salmon Creek Country Club burned to the ground early last evening. Only two chimneys and some worthless rubble mark the site of thousands of gay evenings and many family dinner. Last night was to have been an unusally good evening. Instead of the usual staff of eight or ten, Pro- prietor Tom George had a crew of IS.
 All preparations had been com- pleted and places set for 200 din- ners Members of the National Fed eration of Federal Employees and their guests were arriving in pro- cession of cars and buses. It was 7:30. and the big dinner was scheduled for o'clock. Linnie Lempke was cooking orders for pri- vate parties, too.
 Fire flashed out over the big fry stove, seeming to come from the attic. Efforts to extinguish it fail- ed, and the club was quickly clear ed of it's early customers.
 Flames Eat Night Spot No one was hurt, according to Tom George, who had to watch the , big night-spot eaten hy flames. just after complete cleaning and over- haul in anticipation. of a profitable 1 tourist season.
 There goes everything I ever had" said George, "all going up in smoke. It means I'm through"
 Tn an instant, though, his black despair turned to grim determine ton.
 I'll not be licked.' he sad. "Ill open a hot dog stand or some thing"
 According to George, there was $20,0 insurance on the building. He was inclined to estimate his loss at $200,000. Nothing was saved from the picturesque showplace except a few crude tables. Fire Boys To Scene Responding to 2-9 emergency alarm shortly after 7.30, city fire- men volunteered to fight the out of-town blaze. and arrived about 7.50,
 They quickly put lines out and got water from the creek. but the blaze was roaring through the kitchen wing and oil tank, and flames were licking their way into the main wing and the Rendez- vous Room. Already. it was out of control
 Even from the road, the sharp chatter of breaking glass and dish- es could be heard.
 Pillows 0f black smoke drifted out over the highway and the channel.
 Cruel bright flames swirled through the L-shaped building, darting first toward the dining room. then to the other wing
 The huge pine tree in the angle of the building caught fire and added new sound of sputterink.
 Under sprays of water, the smoke changed in color, now black, now gray, now white.
 Hundreds of persons stood around in the drizzling rain, speeches., as the flames worked relentlessly to the inevitable destruction of fa- nous Alaskan landmark
 Tom George had bought out oth- CTS in the Country Club corpora tion. and said he owned about 75 per cent of the business.
 Mrs. Joe George. whose husband was part owner with his brother, wept unashamedly.
 Staff members to whom the club was almost 3 second home watched in a daze.
 Tom George loaded his help into a station wagon and sent them to town with remark classic under the circumstances Come to the office in the morning to get paid"
 He urged Carl, the relief cook. to go into town.
 ."Oh, I'll stay" said Carl T hadn't expected to get home this