European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 27, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 c the stars and stripes monday january 27, 1992 a firefighter makes his Way through the rubble after a fire destroyed a priceless music collection in Burbank Calif. Irreplaceable music collection destroyed in California Blaze by the los Angeles times Burbank Calif. A priceless manuscripts of works by Puccini Chopin and other composers including scores signed by Beethoven and Mozart were destroyed in a fire that gutted a building where rare Memorabilia of the music world was being preserved. Losses in the fire which broke out late Friday night at the Ledger foundation were estimated at $7.5 million to the building and collection. The collection had been amassed during 40 years by two patrons of opera. A my god i would venture to guess it is the most valuable irreplaceable collection of material on performing arts in Southern California a said a stunned Ernest Fleischmann executive director of the los Angeles philharmonic. The cause of the fire was under investigation although an arson team from the Burbank fire and police departments was on the scene saturday. Among the items in the 20,000-Square-foot aluminium and Glass building which still soldered saturday morning were every new York metropolitan opera program dating to 1884, and letters and other documents written by composer Richard Wagner Tenor Enrico Caruso and Chicago up1 a american atheists Are challenging an Illinois Law that requires children in elementary school to pledge allegiance to a one nation under  Rob Sherman director of the Northern Illinois chapter of the american atheists appeared at a hearing before the . Court of appeals on Friday. He told reporters he had instructed his 9-year-old son not to recite the pledge of allegiance which begins classes each school Day. A a in be instructed Ricky not to participate in the Cere Miami apr Jose Ferrer the renowned stage and screen actor who won an Oscar for his role As Cyrano de Bergerac in 1950, died sunday at the age of 73, Ferrer who made his reputation As a classical actor with his 1946 Broadway Triumph in the title role of Cyrano died at doctors Hospital in Coral Gables a Hospital official said on condition of anonymity. Halliwell a film goers companion put Ferrers age at 83, As do other Hollywood references but who s who lists his age at 73. A i shared the most important part of my life with him and 1 will miss him very much a said Rosemary Cloo other prominent figures in music history. A a it a the cremation of the history of my life along with that of my associate Lawrence Deutsch a said foundation owner Lloyd e. Rigler 79, who with Deutsch had amassed the collection Over four decades. Also destroyed in the fire were Deutsche sashes which had been kept in the building. Deutsch died in 1977, a the was buried in the building he helped create a Rigler said. Ledger foundation executives said the extent of damage to the collection would not be known for Days although one official said a it looks like a total  the collection was so Large that the foundation said it was difficult to list what was housed in the landmark building designed by a student of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Although not personally penned by the composers some manuscripts and scores were signed by them. Rigler and Deutsch founders of Adolphus ltd., producers of Adolphus meat Tenderizer have been generous patrons of the opera in los Angeles and new York since the Early 1950s. The fire also destroyed the history of their company. Ever the fourth grader at Riley school in Arlington Heights acknowledged that he still said the pledge with his classmates despite his fathers orders. A i say it but in a not saying the a under god part a Ricky said. Sherman said it embarrassed his son not to say the pledge which a showed How much coercion there was in the classroom to say god  an attorney for Wheeling township elementary school District 21 said the state Law did not violate the constitutions guarantees of Freedom of religion. The Federal appeals court is expected to give its opinion in three months to a year. Ney Ferrers fourth wife who was married to him from 1953 to 1967. Bom in Santurce puerto Rico he earned a bachelors degree at Princeton University and began his career As an assistant stage manager in 1935. Ferrer appeared As Iago opposite Paul Robeson a Othello in 1943, and won Tony awards for Best dramatic actor in 1947 and 1952. He played Dauphin to Ingrid bergmans Joan of arc in the 1948 film appeared in and directed several television movies and miniseries and acted in the science fiction film  flee Blaze at firehouse in Indiana from wire reports Marietta ind. A members of the Marietta Volunteer fire department not Only had to flee a fire in their own firehouse but they had to break Down the door to do it. Authorities said the electrically controlled door of the firehouse could not be opened As the Blaze burned and firefighters had to drive one of their vehicles through it to escape. The fire began about 7 30 . Friday. It appeared to have started close to an Oil Furnace officials said. One firefighter was taken to major Hospital in Shelbyville but the nature of his injuries was not immediately  exec wins suit new York a american airlines was ordered to pay $7 million for discriminating against a former executive who claimed she was not considered for a top management Job that went to a Man with less experience. A jury in new York state court on Friday added $2.5 million in punitive damages to the $4.5 million already awarded to Barbara Sogg. The jury held several american executives including chairman Robert Crandall personally liable. No breakdown was available of now much each executive was ordered to pay. Sogg 53, who stopped climbing the corporate ladder after undergoing heart surgery contended she was denied promotion based on sex age and disability. American based in fort Worth Texas said it would  wreck kills 3 Kentwood la. A an Amtrak train collided with a car and threw it 100 feet killing a woman and two children Friday. The Accident occurred near Kentwood about 60 Miles North of new Orleans said Tangipahoa Parish sheriffs Deputy Chuck Reed. The automobile apparently had crossed the tracks in front of the train. The victims were a 34-year-old woman her 1 i year old daughter and a 10-year-old Niece. The woman a 17-year-old Nephew was in stable condition at a Hospital Reed said. No injuries were reported on the train the City of new Orleans which was headed to Chicago from new  suspect denied bail san Francisco a Federal appeals court panel overturned a lower court judge s order that granted bail to one of the defendants in the nations largest heroin bust. By a 2-1 vote the judges agreed Friday with . Justice department arguments that Kelly Chen was too great a flight risk. . District judge Vaughn Walker announced the bail agreement Jan. 8, but ruled it would not go into effect until Jan. 20 to give authorities time to Appeal. Under the agreement Chen would have had to Post $1 million surrender her three children a passports and report daily to a designated government agent. Chen is one of five people charged with smuggling a half ton of a China White heroin into the Ort of Oakland. The others charged Are Chen husband Mike his brother and sister in Law Jim and Lucy Chen and i Yuen Shing. The five Are expected to go to trial May 4. Thunderbird Davis Dies St. Paul Minn a blues Singer James a thunderbird Quot Davis collapsed and died during a performance Friday night. He was 53. Davis had Sung a few songs at the Blue Saloon when he collapsed. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. Davis who was from Louisiana was known for his renditions of songs by . Hill and Otis Rush. He had enjoyed a resurgence in popularity since the late 1980s. Atheists fight Illinois pledge Law menial condemnation of atheism Quot Sherman said. How actor Jose Ferrer Dies at 73