Hardly a countryman living in the part of Chicago known as Merigold, or Novy Tabor (New Tabor), was able to enjoy peaceful sleep last night. There was too much excitement there, caused, as it was, by a conflagration in which the building of the Sokol Tabor Slovanske Lipy at 13th Street and Karlov Avenue (formerly 41st Avenue) burned down. The report of the fire spread rapidly throughout the district and soon the scene was filled with large crowds of people who came....together with many Sokols to see the end of that monument of unselfish Sokol work....

Among those witnessing the fire was also the head of the Sokol Tabor Slovanske Lipy, Mr. Frant. Ort, who, in company with a number of other members of the organization, was trying to save at least the most valuable documents, souvenirs and other items pertaining to the history and activities of the organization.

But their efforts were in vain....Not even the historic flag sent to America with the first Sokol expedition from Prague, richly embroidered by Plzen [in Bohemia] ladies....could be saved. All apparatus, a large Sokol library, large cabinets containing the records and other property of a number of various Bohemian associations which held their meetings in the Sokol building--everything was burned, and the oldest and foremost national property of Merigold Bohemians is nothing but a heap of ashes, from which a dusky skeleton reaches with its arms to the sky.

A definite opinion seems to prevail as to the cause of the fire. Most likely it was carelessness--whose, of course, it is difficult to determine. A Sokol squad had its drill in the gymnasium last night, and there was a meeting of some association on the second floor. The drill ended shortly after ten o'clock, Instructor Josef Pokorny left shortly thereafter, while a number of members of the squad remained in the locker room and around the showers. After their departure, about half past ten, the men upstairs smelled smoke, and when the odor grew stronger, a part of the group, together with the caretaker of the 3building, Mr. Florian Holek, ran down looking for the source of the smoke. They found it soon. The gymnasium was already filled with it, and they saw flames also at one side of the stage, the side where the dressing room is located. Realizing that nothing could be done any more without firemen's help, they called for it and soon three fire engines arrived.....

After fighting the flames for more than an hour, they saw there was nothing to be done about the Sokol building itself, and turned their attention to the immediate neighborhood, saving at least the frame house of a tailor, Mr. Sulc, which was catching fire in several places.....

The loss....is considerable. The value of the building is estimated at $18,000, the value of the library, some $3,000, and the property was not insured for more than eight to ten thousand dollars. In the total amount of the damage, the cost of foodstuffs and other stock in Mr. Holek's restaurant must be included. The restaurant was on the first floor of the building and was richly 4stocked. Thus the total loss should be estimated as being over $20,000.

The building of the Sokol Tabor Slovanske Lipy was a frame house with the lower part of the walls constructed of stone. It stood on two building lots, 125 feet long, and was built by Sokol Tabor in 1902. The decision to build it was made in the Sokol's memorable meeting of September 5, 1901, which, from four offers submitted to its consideration, selected the lowest one, of $8,000 sent in by Mr. Malecha.....

Sokol Tabor was founded December 14, 1890.....

About a year ago, it merged with the Sokol Slovanska Lipa, which moved all its property to the building which has just burned down. This included valuable and unique documents pertaining to the early life of Chicago Bohemians. These cannot possibly be replaced.....

The financial loss, what with the insurance and the well-known Sokol generosity, will soon be forgotten, but the loss of documents going back to the historic times of our first settlers in this city cannot be either made good or forgotten.