New York, NY Metropolitan Rowing Club Fire, Sept 1898

FIRE AT A CLUB BOATHOUSE.

Oarsmen on the Harlem Help Metropolitans to Save Their Craft.

Great excitement was caused along the Harlem river yesterday in the vicinity of One Hundred and Thirty-second Street by a fire which partially destroyed the clubhouse of the Metropolitan Rowing Club.

Charles Evans, the janitor of the club, was working about the float shortly after 10 o'clock when he noticed smoke issuing from the second floor, and on investigating found one of the lockers ablaze. He promptly turned in an alarm, but when the engines arrived the entire roof of the place was on fire and the sparks were flying over the houses of the Nassau, Wyanoke, and Gramercy Boat Clubs near by.

To these the firemen give most of their attention. Finally the fire was extinguished without having ignited any of the other houses. The river was crowded with oarsmen when the fire started. They hurried ashore and helped the club members to save forty-six boats tied to the float and in the boathouse. Several of the boats, however, including the club's new four-oared shell, were badly damaged in their hasty removal.

The New York Times, New York, NY 12 Sept 1898
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!