The home and mechanical musical instrument collection of Bob and
Carol Fine was destroyed last week in the fire which swept through
the mountains north of San Bernardino, California.  Only a few of
the large instruments and some smaller musical boxes were removed
to safety.

Yesterday restorer Dana Johnson and his wife helped the Fines to sift
through the remains and begin a list for the household insurance claim.
They pulled the cast iron piano frames of several orchestrions from the
ashes in hope that someone else might use them.

Bob held up a rather large, scorched bar of metal that hadn't twisted
from the heat.  "What's this?"

Dana examined it carefully and then asked, "Did you have a Deagan
Unafone?"  Bob nodded, "I did..."

The Fines wish to thank their friends all over the country for the
messages of condolence and sympathy.  Carol told me that Rosanna Harris
already mailed them a replacement MBSI membership directory so she can
reconstruct their address book.  She plans to get another computer soon
and resume email contact.

Within a few days they will move from the motel into a rented house and
they would like to keep in touch with all.  Write to

  Bob and Carol Fine
  530 Manzanita Road
  Redlands, CA 92373
  tel.: 1-909-335-5459

Robbie Rhodes
Etiwanda, Calif. (also briefly threatened by the fires)