The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-07-19
The Hotel Atlantic Burned
and Two Hundred and
Fifty Guests Driven
Out.
EVEN THEIR CLOTHING GONE.
The Firemen We're Slow but the
Thieves We're on Hand Rap
idly-An Old Landmark.
Special to the geraeu cftu Mann.


LONG BRANCH, July 10, l89o.-Twe
hundred and fifty guests. children and
nurses. were asleep in the Hotel Atlantic,
on Ocean avenue, when fire broke out in
tne building at ten minutes to three
O'Clock this morning.
proprietor M. I. Lustig and Clerk Uslitz
were aroused at that hour by the hotel
baker. They ran with all possible speed
rom one room to another and aroused
the guests. They did their best to pre-
vent panic, but most of the guests es-
capped from the house in their night
clothing.
Some of them stood huddled together
on the sidewalk until O'Clock. but many
were taken to adjoining hotels and cot
tages.
The work of saving the possessions of
the guests was quickly begun. but was
successful to only small extent. Many
OF the guests lost everything but their
night-clotes, and several lost money and
jewels.
Judge Henry NJ. Goldfogle of New York
hastened to the aid of his aged mother,
leaving lis valaables and clothing in his
diamonds, apparel and funds amounting
to 5000.
Miss Clara Cohen and Mrs. L. b. He'll
Wltz OF New York escaped initheir wrap
pers and lost all ther jewels and clothing.
Mrs. Hellwitz's loss amounts to fully
$500.
FLED IN THEIR NIGHTIEs.
These women had TO borrow wraps
from friends in cottages. Mrs. DR.. Cohen
and Mrs. Isaacson, of New York, saved
some OF their wearing apparel, but Mrs.
DIR. Feldman was unpresentahle in the
garments in which she escaped
Several children jumped from the ball
cony and were caught in the arms of
friends below. Not one of them was SER
iously hurt
The experience of Mrs. DR.. Feldman
was that of fully one-half o! the guests.
The fire originated in the bakery, in
the extreme end of the west wing of the
hotel. The baker lighted a fire little
after two O'Clock. The cause of the fire is
unknown, but Mr.. Lustig thinks that
spark was blown through a chink in the
chimney. setting fire to one of the beams
which rested against it. The flames
spread rapidly, and when Mr.. LusEig
was called the house was full of smoke.
SLOW FIREMEN.
Fer some reason the fire companies
were slow to get the alarm. Mrs. DIR.
Pemberton rang fifteen or twenty min
utes at the telephone before she could
arouse the Central station. 1t was $50
O'Clock when the fire alarm finally
aroused the people. TO make matters
worse. the hydrant, almost beneath the
caves of the hotel, was rendered useless
by mistake in turning the lever, and the
engine first to arrive was compelled to go
for water to another hydrant several hum
dred feet distant
From the bakery in the west wing the
fire spread quickly to the main rart Of
the hotel. The building was old and dry
az a tinder box. The roof of the west
wing was soon ablaze. and it was only
with the greatest difficulty that the fire
was confined to the main part of the hotel.
AS it was. that portion and the north and
south wings were SO completely drenched
by water that they can hardly be re-
paired
PARTLY INSURED.
1t is said the hotel was partly insured.
1t belonged to Percy Dobbins, of Dobbins
& Loeb. real estate dealers.
The clothing of the guests that was
brought from the burning building was
generally drenched with water and partly
destroyed. Some of the guests sat with
bed blankets about their shoulders upon
banks of wet clothing and trunks; some
went about stockingless, with their feet
in white canvas shoes; others were
pleading for some one to loan them q gar
ment, and their needs were quickly sup
piled. Wagons and stages ran up and
down the beach, carrying bareheaded aad
scantily clad women TO places OF safety.
Proprietor Lustig and Clerk Uslitz
saved only their underclothing. Thieves
were quickly on the scene, and it was
said that some of them made good hauls
of jewelrY and money. Budd Gugle
openly accused a fireman of ealing 500
in money and diamond ring. One fire.
man was found drunk and asleep, with
quantity Of silverware In his pockets.
Many arrests will be made.
An effort will be made to place the re-
snonsibility for the delay of the alarms
that were sent in.
OLD LANDMARK.
The Hotel Atlantic was an old land
mark 1t was built by Samuel Morris
fifty-years ago. and was once the chief re-
sort here of fashionable and wealthy
people. Mr. Morris, who was called Gov.
Morris. was known all over the Union,
and amassed fortune in the hotel, which
was originally called the Pavilion. Later
it was Kept for seven years by Henry
Rowland. He left it in 1888 and since
then it has had many ups aud downs
until last season when Mr. Lustig leased
it and had profitable season.