The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-15
"IDLESSE" RUINED BY FIRE.
cor. CRUGER's SUMNER NOME Al
BAYViILE BURNED DOWN

souvenirs Destroyeds with Many Pslnt-
ings and Much Bric-s-Brac and = Great
DesI OF the Furnishings Of the Hous.-A
Long aud Gallant Fieht Against Heavy
Odds-CoI. Cruger IL slightly Hart.
Col. 8. Van RENSSELAER, Cruger's country
house on his estate Idesse Farm. in Bayville.
on the north shore OF Long Island was de-
stroyed by fire early Yesterday mornings
The fire was first discovered about 9 o'clock.
The Colonel and Mrs. CruRer. assisted by their
servants. fought the flames for more than an
hour. until they wero driven away by the in
tense heat The greater part OF the valuable
furnishings in the place were destroyed with
the building.
Col Crugcr and his wife lost their entire
wardrobe Mrs. CruEer fed from tho house at
tired in only her night dress and gown she
had thrown loosely over her shoulders and a
pair Of slippers In his anxiety to save his
property Col Crueer neglected to finish dress.
ing himself until too late. His costume con-
sisted OF his night shirt, a dressing gown an
overcoat, and a pair OF dressing SLIPPERS.
When they LETT for their city residence yes
terday Col. CruRer still wore his nightshirt 1t
was hidden beneath an old waistcoat over
which was thrown an antique frotk coat His
heavy fur-trimmel greatcnat and hnndker-
chief about his neck in lieu Of collar COM
plBIeO MS lnpTONlNfI OuliIls illb ittl WeE6
encased in a new pair OF shoes which were
purchased in the village following the fire.
Mrs. Crugers toilet consisted OF her night
dress n waist sho borrowed from one OF the
servants n skirt that came from the same
source. and a worn travelling coat The boots
abe wore belonged to the cook and the bonnet
was the property Of her maid.
Col Ward. who had been n guest in the
house. left on an earlier train with like linz
tied wardrobe.
The origin OF the FIRE Is unknown. A few
minutes before u o'clock Mrs. Cruger. whose
sleeping apartments were in the northeast end
OF tho building. was aroused from her sleep by
muflled noise along the floor. She fanced
It sounded like some person creeping cau-
tiously along in the darkness. Burglars were
her first thought. She got UP and looked
around.
Nothing was visible to excite her apprehen-
sion and she returned to bed again. Soon the
sound was renewed and became stronger.
This time she lit the lamp when she got out OF
bed and proceeded to make an investigation.
There had been a fire in the CRATE In her room
and the embers were dyin: out as she ap-
preached the fireplace.
Her attention was attracted by thin streak
OF smoke that was curling out between chnks
in the floor and the chimney. She made
second exam nation to satisfy herself that she
was not mistaken. But the smoke continued
to come curling IN through the cracks. and It
flashed across her mind that the place was
anWEe, ;;,o,, ,r,,,,n ;, ,,.o -,
rushed out o, her room and Gcrosst the hail and
aroused her husband. Tie Colonel sprHng up.
and throwing on his dressing gown and pok.
inG his feet into pair Of clippers ran into
Mrs Crucer's room. Already the smoke was
beginning to I'LL the room. Hastily throwing
on her gown, Mrs. Cruger hurried into the SER
wants apartments and aroused them.
Mnli
lotte, two conc hmen, and ak female servants.
They were all hurried out to help fight the
the farm hands aud other men who lived u out
the place. No attention was paid to getting
OF savlng his PROPERTY.
In the construction o; the house the Colonel
ping the progress OF a IRE should one occur
Firmly believing that he coul cut the fire
With will ssast UH by his meme wsp s g wSfS
also took part in the battle for their home.
At the alarm help came pouring in from all
directions. Among tho first on the scene was
Capt Edwin Toss OF the Colonel's steam yacht
the Allegro; Ho lives on the grounds, and
clothes and. grabbing an axe. made for the
burning mansion. In the mean time the Col
field OF operation was Mrs Cruger's sleeping
rooms.
II" hacked several bic holes in the floor. and
UP and kept dousing the blaze with water
sS Tes fire fire
iaeiisteiy Under Mrs. ,Crusers apartmeP.s.
was driven out by the heat and smoke.
The fire got Letwcen the partitin ms. which
almost unseen Tor about an hour when it sud
denly burst forth with great fury driving the
was SoWr Irons Se and wi bS
deemed; but the fght was still kept uP ,,..,
hurried up 10 render assistance. But the wa
ter supply was short, Tho tank on. tho roof
gave out and then the breeze died down, and
the wiEdmi!l which pumped water for one sec-
ti2n q; tho house stopped running. A bucket
layers and water was passed up from the cls-
tern, but all to no purnose;
In the mcap time Mrs. CruRer directed her
Efforts and those OF sOmr of the servants
towa:d SAVING the plate and the valuable por-
west nd Of the house. The plate was locked
up IN safe and hauled out.
luaule portraits. among others those OF
Philip Livingston. sgner Of the Declaration
Of lndel endencc and his wife n former Mss
and great. great. c randmotier Of Col CruGer;
e,pertrait =! Mayor Crdger, ono OF the early
and Mrs CruGer were snatched from the walls
and carried outside.
library or the music room. Several large
pieces # statuary that stood in the hall we're
taken out, although one OF the pieces suffered
Mrs truger. who writes under the name of
Julien Gordon. made frantic efforts TO save
her manuscripts and souvenirs OF her literary
work that were left in her room. But they
were destIoyed early In the progress Of tho
flames. The dining loom furniture. which
was rare and costly, was all saved, although
some OF the pieces are badly damaged.
From piaz2as and windows men tossed out
aud carried away anything and everything
they could lay hands on. They kept at II until
finally the whole structure was lost In a sheet
OF flame.
4 hook and ladder company from Locust
nnalley arrived TOO late TO render any service;
Glen Cove, several miles away When IL
reached ldlesse the place was in ruins.
seen from tho sound the blazing structure
presented magnificent sUectarle as the red
tongues OF Ire dar eli skywuTd. Great columns |
OF sm okc cooled laZllY over the dpsoate land
scare like storm clouds; About IL O'Clock the |
FIRE burned itself ont. All that was left above
ground then were the skeleton brick chimneys
that stood out boldly against the winter SKY.
The Rescued property was carried into tho
OLD CruEer residence on tho grounds whore
the Colonel made his HON" for any years ne
fore building the burned structure. Only after
the flames wore far heTond control did tho
Colonel or Mrs. Cruger take a thought about
them selves. They suddenly realized then that