The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-25
FLAMES In THE CASINO.
ST. AUGUsTINEs SWIMMING POOL
BADLY DAMAGED.


The Aloazsr Hotel Not Damaged in ths
Least and No Fright Caused Its
Guests-The LOSS Estimated at $780,
OoO-To Be Repaired by March.
Sr. AUGUSTINE, FLA, Jan. 24-At 1855
O'Clock this morning fire was discovered in
servants room on the upper floor Of the
beautiful Casino building and spread rap
idly around the northwest and southwest
sides of the top floor, which form rectan-
gle around the swimming pool. Therectan-
gle Is divided into sleeping rooms for help
and bachelors. The firesoon communicated
to the ball room ON the second floor. The
guests of the Alcazar quickly retired to
their rooms satisfied that they were not in
the slightest danger from fire, plunder or
unnecessary alarm, and all spoke in the
highest praise OF the tire-proof cons
dition of the hotel. The fire was
discovered between the ceiling and tile
covered roof by the watchmRn on his regu-
lar round. He saw a light in the porter's
room about the gas fixture and took hold OF
the fixture, when 1t fell with many feet Of
plaster. The aroused help tried to extin-
guish the flames. but, as they had doubtless
Jul upA boNcAtAA Anluuec1 tub WuQAo HOfbu
side Of the buildings top floor was en-
veloped In flames. The fire was confined TO
the ball room on the second floor of the
Casino unit II 1t fell to the frat, and the work
Of destruction continued until the south and
east wings were completely gutted above
the first story. The heavy concrete walls
withstood the heat finely.
THE BURNED BUILDING
The Casino was built by II. M. Flagler 80
the same time with the Alcazar, OF which
it is a part. and the Ponce de Leon. It was
opened by the fair for the benefit OF the
Alicia hospital of this city in March, 1856.
1t cost in the neighborhood of 100000. Its
magnihcence Is known 20 hundreds OF
thousands Of visitors. The Casino building
proper covers an area Of 200x300 feet The
ground floors are occupied as billiard
rooms and bowling alleys. The center IL
filled by an immense swimming pool. The
first floor is divided into two private swim
ming pools, sleeping rooms, bath rooms,
toilet and dressing rooms. Broad corridors
surround the Epool, which Is opened from
the ground floor to the roof, three stories
high. The interior about the pools is cova
cred by a skylight and is supported by cons
crete arches large and substantially built.
Six OF them are 20x40 and the two end ones
are 30x40 feet. These form the interior
walls about the immense swimming pool,
and Notwithstanding the great neat to
which they were subjected for three hours,
remain intact. As the water pipes ETC., Of
the Turkish and Russian baths are undis-
turbed, these baths can be put in complete
condition In about two weeks.
WORK WENT ON AS USUAL.
During the fire Steward Harvey Tomlin-
son and his forces supplied coffee to the
hremen. while the cooks were preparing
breakfast for the 200 guests OF the Alcazar
hotel, all Of whom sat down to breakfast at
the usual hour, and now that they realize
that at no time was there the slightest
grounds for fear. talked about the dreadful
loss to the magnihcence of the hotel plant.
Daylight shows that the walls Of concrete,
as planned by Mr.. FlaRler's architects,
form an absolute fire protection, and illus
trates that should fire break out in either
part Of the hotel it would be almost i'm
possible to consume more than the wing ats
tsched and removes all further fears of
either the Ponce de Leon or Alcazar being
destroyed by fire. They are fire-proof.
MacGuire. the builder, has large force OF
men clearing away the rubbish and re-
building begins tomorrow. The Casino
win be ready for the hospital fair next
March.
In no way whatever were the guests of
either the Alcazar, Ponce de Leon or Cor-
dova fnconvenienoed by the fire In the Ca
sino.
The loss Is about 100000.
The firemen worked manfully.