Morning journal and courier., 1892-09-21
NEWS By TELEGRAPH.
From All Quarters.
ROCKAWAY DESTROYED.
A Woman Perishes in the
ConAagration.
The GRAND ARMY's PROCESSION.
Conveying Mrs. Harrison to
Washington.
MUTUAL TRUST COMPANY HEARING.
Trying to End the Granite
Cutters Strike.
MUTUAL TRUST COMPANY HEARING,
DESTROYED BY FIRE.

A Famous Summer Resort Laid In
Ruins-The Fire Starts In ., cMu-
scum Buildfng-Brave Effort to
Rescue a Woman-Firemen Power.
less to Prevent the Spread OF the
COnfagration-One Life Lost-The
Cause Unknown.
RocKAwAY BEACH, Sept 20.-The largest
contiagration that has ever occurred on the
Long Island coast destroyed over one hun
bred frame buildings oday and left about
100 acres a mass of ruins.
The main portion of this famous old
summer resort has been completely wiped
out. The burned district includes both
sides of Seaside avenue from the Long Isl
and railroad track and about half mile
north from Seaside avenue. The fire broke
out at about 1850 this afternoon In the
Seaside Museum on Seaside avenue, close
to the beach. The flames were first seen
bursting through the lower floor of the
museum building. John Cornish, the pro
prietor, was the first to see them. The
building was a large frame structure
erected many years ago and was filed
with curiosities. Its floors, walls and
partitions were as dry as finder from age,
and before any one realized the danger that
threatened the flames had run along the
floor and up the sides of the building into
the second story. Cornish made an effort
to rescue a woman employe on the second
floor. Cornish's cries were heard by John
Barnes, owner of a roller coasting slide
near. Having tied q handkerchief over
his nose and mouth Barnes rushed into the
building, which was now on fire from top
to bottom, and having hastily obtained the
probable location of the woman in the
building, he made for that point and called
her name. He got no response and as the
flames were rapidly advancing upon him
he was obliged to leave the woman to her
fate.
Seaman's hotel, which adioined the mu-
scum, caught fire, and within five minutes
after the flames broke out the fire was roar
ing on both sides of the avenue, and
famed by the wind began to eat its way
in all directions. In quick succession the
flames attacked the other hotels along tho
beach and on both sides of Seaside avenue
The scene was a magnificent one as flames
shot high into the air. The Rockaway de-
partment worked bravely, but its efforts
were handicapped by scarcity of water.
Hooks and axes were used and buildings
WclO toAA oo"A AZ OLA OAtCCbAOAo. dlu WAC
summoned by telephone and telegraph
from Rookaway, Woodhaven, Ozone park,
Inwood. Long Island City and Jamaica.
Each of these places responded, and soon
almost score Of fire companies were on
the scene. Much of the most effective
work of the day was done by the steamer
sent from Long Island City by Mayor
Gleason. 1t was the only one on the
ground, and succeeded in checking the
flames in the comparatively small area that
could be reached by it's streams. Owing
to the lateness of the season there were
very few inmates in the hotels.
How the flames started is unknown.
Many believe that the fire was the work of
incendiaries, while others think the flames
resulted from carelessness or spontsn eous
combustion.
Mrs. Phillips, as far as ia known, was the
only person who lost her life. A number
of men received severe burns while fight
ing the flames. James Peters and several
others were trying to pull down building
with chain. The chain parted and the
hook caught Peters in the eye and dragged
the ball from the socket.
Mrs. Phillips, the dead woman, was fifty
years old. She leaves a husband and eight
children. It is unlikely that her remains
will be recoved, as the museum and its
contents were reduced to ashes.
The estimate of the total loss varies.
Some place it at over $4,000 others
do not believe the total will reach $500, 200