Crystal Theater

209-211 South Main

Fire Swept Theater But Crowd Escaped

Pianist Helped Calm Audience at Crystal

Total Loss Near $20,000

Gutted A Motion Picture House Last Night

Smoke Caused Heavy Loss to Adjoining
Businesses - No One Was Injured - Gas
May Have Been Leaking - Will Reopen the Show.

["Ottawa Herald," 01 Mar 1917]
    While fire was sweeping from the front to back of the Crystal theater at 209-211 Main street last night Harry Mapes, a pianist, sat at his instrument and played until a crowd of about 250 men, women and children safely escaped.  The heat great intense around the piano but Mapes remained there until he just had time with the assistance of others, to push the piano outside.

    The Crystal was completely gutted by the flames.  The Ottawa Shoe Repairing company, the E. H. Tipton jewelry store and the G. H. Dixon sewing machine agency also lost heavily.

    Smoke caused more or less damage to the Pleasant-Judd Clothes shop over 213 Main, the C. F. Lamb Undertaking company at 213 Main, the Security State bank at 207 Main and various offices and other quarters over these buildings.

    The complete loss, to buildings and contents, probably will amount to $20,000 or more.  The Crystal was insured for $2,800.  The investment was about $7,000, the management stated.

    Flames on Platform.

    The fire started in the Crystal theater, centering on a raised platform just inside the entrance.  The ironclad operator's booth was situated on this platform.

    It was just at the beginning of the second show, about 9 o'clock, and Roy Stoffer, the operator, was changing films.  One reel was practically run off.

    People in the audience heard a sound and there was a flash on the screen as the picture disappeared.  Somebody looked back towards the booth and saw flames starting up from the platform.

Calmed the Crowd.

    "Fire!" a man shouted.

    Women began to scream.  There was a pushing toward the doors.  Mapes, the pianist, gave a loud rumbling sound on the keys, hurried tot he back doors, threw them out and returned to his piano.  He played as he never played before.

    "Just take your time, people," Mapes called time and again as his fingers flew over the keys.

    Audience Was Orderly.

    Lee Phares, a former fire chief, directed many people through a north door into a blind alley from which they passed into the alley in the rear and then helped fight the fire.

    there was no falling down or scrambling, members of the audience said.  At first there was some commotion but the crowds became assured by the music and the call of Mapes and other men.  Two or three men held the crowd from jamming the north aisle at one time.  Within a few minutes the theater was emptied.

Show Not Full.

    There was some apprehension about a little girl at one time but she was found by relatives.  Many persons said it was almost miraculous that everyone escaped injury.

    It was fortunate that it occurred at the second show," said W. A. Millington, proprietor of the Crystal.  "there might have been loss of life at the crowded first show."

Flames Moved Rapidly.

    Soon after the fire was discovered it spread to the ceiling and walls.  The platform had lattice work trimmings.  This was very inflammable and went up in flames at once.

    Sweeping to the rear of the building, the flames ate through ceiling, burned off the paint on the walls, and consumed he screen and the trimmings in the rear.

    All seats in the center sections for about half way from the entrance were burned and only the  twisted, blackened iron frames remained this morning.  All other equipment was soaked with water.

    The Crystal had a seating capacity of about 580.  It was a little more than a third full when the fire broke out.

Cause Not Determined.

    Mr. Millington said this afternoon that from the character of the fire he believed there had been a gas leak which was ignited, possibly from a cigar or match.  Men frequently laid cigars upon the raised platform as they entered the show, he said.

    G. L. DeWald, secretary of the fire department, said the fire officials had not determined the cause and characterized it as "unknown."  No cause was given in the report on file at the headquarters.

    Roy Stoffer, the operator, stated there was no explosion of the films and that the fire started outside the booth.

Helped Quiet the Crowd.

    W. H. Church was sitting about midway in the theater when he heard a puff and there was a flash on the screen.  he turned and saw fire shooting up from the platform around the operator's booth.

    "Somebody shouted 'Fire,' "said Mr. Church.  The people began crowding into the aisles.  There was not much commotion.  Everybody moved easily. I stood up and cautioned some who were crowding to take their time."

Used an Extinguisher.

    Lee Phares, a former chief of the fire department was one of those who attempted to put out the flames.  he secured a fire extinguisher that was inside the building and ran up to the platform.

Directed People Out.

    Howard McGee was another who cautioned the people, crowding in the aisles, to take their time.  He and others helped Harry Mapes, the pianist, to carry that instrument out.

    William Gilliland said he thought he heard a puff as if a film had broken.  He saw fire on the north side of the booth upon the platform.

Gas May Have Leaked.

    Occupants of adjoining quarters had been smelling gas for several days, it was said this morning, and this theory was advanced as the cause for the rapid sweeping progress of the flames.

    Indications of a possible explosion of a small quantity of gas were found in the Security State bank this morning.  Several sheets of the metal ceiling were loosened and hanging down.

Shoe Shop Big Loser.

    The Ottawa Shoe Repairing company, owned by L. H. Walker and James Lyons, was one of the heaviest losers outside the Crystal.  Expensive machinery, a large amount of leather and other supplies and about 150 pairs of shoes, belonging to various persons who had left them for repairs, were destroyed or badly damaged.  Their loss is about $3,00, they estimated this morning, and they carried only $800 insurance.  Very little was rescued because the smoke and heat became too severe.

Moved Stock Out.

    E. H. Tipton, a jeweler, sustained a loss to his fixtures by smoke and water.  he could not estimate the damage.  neither could G. H. Dixon of the Signer Sewing Machine company.  One machine was damaged.  Most of the contents of the room these two occupied was taken out.

Was Pickrell Building.

    The building occupied by the Crystal is owned by Mrs. W. T. Pickrell.  It is a 2-story brick structure, erected in 1885.  It is insured for $9,000 and this will cover all loss, D. E. Pickrell said this morning.  The lower section is badly gutted and the new front to the Crystal is ruined.

    Miss Marie Duffy's photograph studio in rear rooms over the Crystal was damaged extensively by smoke and water.

Offices Were Smoked.

    Fire did not reach the offices on the second floor.  All were permeated, however, with dense smoke.  Water affected some slightly.  J. E. Shinn, abstractor; W. S. Clark, insurance; B. L. Rowland, real estate and insurance; E. S. Lynch, insurance and Fraternal Aid secretary; Justice of the Peace J. M. Edmundson and V. C. Robb, publisher of the Guardian, occupy rooms on the second floor.  Loss by smoke was sustained by each.  These range from $25 to $50, it was estimated this morning.

Clothing Store Damaged.

    the Pleasant-Judd Clothes shop was not affected by water or fire but great clouds of smoke filled their second floor store.  The loss from smoke, Mr. Pleasant estimated this morning, is about $2,0000, covered by insurance.

Picture Stock Injured.

    C. F. Lamb of the Lamb Undertaking company said the stock of pictures and picture frames is practically ruined by smoke.  No water entered the building.  Smoke filled the store.  All loss is covered by insurance.

    Over the Security State bank the Moose have club rooms on the second floor and lodge rooms on the third.  Their quarters were filled with smoke.

    Some smoke spread even to other buildings nearby but no serious damage was sustained.

    The building at 213 Main street is owned by Mrs. J. B. DeFord, now in San Diego, Cal.  Mrs. G. D. Buchanan, now in Jacksonville, Fla; owns the Security bank building at 207 Main street.  She is a sister of Mrs. C. M. Vincent and Mrs. Belle Alex of this city.

To Restore the Crystal.

    "the greatest loss is that we will be closed for several weeks," said Mr. Millington fo the Crystal today.  "We hope to have the losses adjusted and the theater rebuilt in about two months.  The theater will be restored and will be a better one than before."