1989_12 The Daily Collegian December 1989

              Page 2    Mondav, December 4, 1989
The Daily Collegian \
(
sOpiniono
What kind of apathetic readership
:$q w.e,J}Cive on this campus. Do you
'know what usualiy goes in this space?
Letters-you know-READER RESPONSE.
But we didn't have any so we had to put
some stupid words here so that there
wouldn't be a blank void in the page.
So if you want to avoid reading a bunch
of meaningless words placed in a lovely
one-point box which is about four inches
by two columns large; get off your lazy
butts and write to us.
FOR THE RECORD
It is the policy of this paper to strive to maintain the
highest degree of accuracy in its reporting.
However, errors will inevitably occur due to the high
volume of material being handled each day.
Significant errors can be brought to our attention by
calling 294-2486.
You may also write to:
The Daily Collegian
Keats Campus Bldg.
California State University. Fresno
Fresno. CA 93740-0042.
READER  RESPONSE
to The Daily Collegian is welcome. Please send letters
of 250 words or less to:
The Dally Collegian
Keats Campus Bldg.
California State University. Fresno
Fresno. CA 93740-0042.
Letters must be signed by the author and list a phone number
for verification.
WaUKelleys FOG©
ow *m. ««<+**"] '■ , £„,*■*»** wot.
«**■ My «*■ on rr?
By Doyle & Stenwckev
See ya later,
smoky gator
Marcus Musacchio
Party down at the Alligator
Club. Always a hot time for all;
now the best place in town to pick
up agood piece of ash.
The ail-too-trendy, much-too-
upscale restaurant and bar
mysteriously self-combusted last
week and will be closed
indefinitely.
" I admit I've always held a
certain bit of animosity for the
club, which seems to cater to
professional men in flashy suits
out to land giddy young worsen in
tiny skirts.
Of course I wouldn't object to a
nearby bar where scantily clad
professional women pick up poor
college boys in baggy shorts and
sweat-shirts, but what I've always
dreamed of lor the comer of
Barstow and Cedar was a dark,
neighborhood bar, a friendly
place where I could stop in for a
beer and throw darts with the
regulars on my way home from
school.
So you know how upset I was
when the Alligator Club caught
fire last week. Flames consumed
the interior of the building,
rendering it structurally un¬
sound, but leaving enough of the
outer skin to supply alligator
boots and handbags to all the
pooryuppie diners who now have
to hoof it up to Shaw Avenue to
throw their money away on weak
drinks.
Then yesterday, after sneaking
under the yellow fire line that
wraps around the remains of
Fresno's newest Bar and Grilled. I
caught a glimpse of the gator's
innards.
I was awe-struck. It was just
like in my dreams. A perfect dive,
and so close to campus.
The attic, where the fire
supposedly started, was ex¬
tensively damaged along with the
ceiling and roof supports. But this
shouldn't pose an unavoidable
obstacle to the owners, who may
havebeenwaitingfortheroofto    |
fall in since being entangled in
legal battles from the time trft
club opened In 1986.
The bar/restaurant area itself
suffered only minor damage. The
walls are stained from smoke and
water. Alight film of ashes covers
the place, and occasional bits of
singed wood lend a much needed
post-WWH European flavor to the
club that once suffered from being
'just too neat."
No doubt, the place will cash in
on a big insurance claim and be
rebuilt to its former, stodgy form.
But If It were up to me, I wouldn [
change a thing: smoke-stained
walls, shattered windows — even a
hanging celling. What a place this
could be.
I can see it now. soot-faced       *
waitresses serving giant pitchers .
to students, some sill tag on
singed bar stools, others leaning
on broken support bcnms.
Enthusiastic students ignore the
rising black cloud behind t he D J
and gig wildly arouncl the ash-
laden dance floor. The menus,
torn pieces of singed cardboard
designed tomatch the current      '
decor, would offer nothtng but hot
buffalo-wings and coid beer.
The back of the newmenus
would tell of the mysterious fire
that turned the Alligator Club
into Hell's Watering Hole. The fire
was apparently set between 7 and
7:30 p.m. Sunday. Nov. 2G. 1989.
Luckily the club had closed early
that afternoon as it had every
Sunday for the past cou pie of
months because of slow business.
Investigators said th^e blaze
could have been contained by the
building's sprinkler system, but it
had been turned off. The alarm
system had also been turned off.
investigators found it strange
that the fire was set in the evening
rather than at one or two in the
morning and said that they had
evidence to believe that the
arsonist had been inside the
building for some time. But no
evidence of forced entry to the
building was ever found.
According to the menu, the
owners of the club became
tacreasingry frustrated with
insinuations that the fire was an
insidejob. and eventually went
insane. They abandoned the
building and opened a country-
western bar in theTower District,
See you later. Club Alligator.
Welcome to Hell's Watering Hole.
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
Editor in Chid.-.Michael S. Green
Minaging Edilor. Kelly O'Neill
New Edilor Aljn Loe
Copy Edilor. Daindl Alexander
Spom Edilor.
Gnphki Editor.
Photo Edkor....-  Tbor Swifi
Staff Artist JimeiMvque*
 ...Amitnii Hendrix
Staff Writers: Deborah A. Loreazen. Bah Corbo, Soaene* InfantcJr.,
Darren Bamett, Johanna Munoz, Todd Hah, Cynthia D. Bax ter. Lija Wyiie. Zarina ZiBBbro.
SpomWriien: Q>riiBt»am,PaninIopea.JaaiiferKniae, Qm1ta*kmm
Photographen: Mint Mtrko, Terry Man. David Tdfcr
Busmen Manger George Huchesoo
Advertising Manager.. _......,Miuy Kantian
Ad Production Manager Darcy Knighl
Advertising Reprcjenmivej: Rk* Bole.. George 'lutcheion,
Tony Martin, Ron Mann, Shirley Mdnuth, Us* McKamcy.
MLjuaa^pMf ■Art* —