Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-16
Flames in tho Well-Known New
York Resort.
GREAT DAMAGE DONEON THE EAST side
Occupants of Houses Driven From
Their Homes.
HORSES FATALLY BURNED

NEW YORK, May 1G.-Fire started at 4
o'clock this morning in one of the wooden
buildings in the inclosure known as Jones'
Woods. at Avenue A and 6Sth street. Be
fore 1t had been extinguished the flames
spread over four blocks, between 9th and
list streets, Avenue A and the East river.
Over 100000 damage was done. The sud-
den changing of the wind caused the fire
to spread when the firemen thought they
had 1t under control.
Policeman Nash discovered flames and
smoke coming from the roof of the dancing
pavilion in Jones' Woods about 200 feet
from the river Twenty minutes after the
discovery of the flames the enormous dane
ing pavilion, the two tiers of seats and
galleries were a mass of flames. There was
stff southwest wind blowing, which car
ried the flames toward the river with re-
markable rapidity, and the buildings. COM
posed OF wood throughout, burned like
tinder. The flames spread across a wooden
bridge over 69th street, and caught the
wooden building of Washington Park,
which occupies the entire block between
9th and 10th streets.
third and fourth alarm were sent in.
Suddenly the wind changed, and turned
the flames toward Avenue A. Like a streak
the fire seemed to clutch the himsy build
ings. and In five minutes the great wooden
towers at the entrance of the park on
Avenue A were burning, together with the
line OF buildings along 6Sth street The
buildings on the north side of 9th street
next caught fire. Here the fire burned so
rapidly that Captain vedder's men, who
were at work on the street. were driven
back on run from the flames. The build
ings ieil SO rapidly around the engine sta
toned in the street that the men were COM
PEELED to desert 1t, having barely time to
unhitch and get the horses out of danger.
Inc engine was buried beneath he ruins
and crushed and twisted out of all shape. 1t
Is an historic engine, which has been in the
department Tor twenty-four years. and has
Deen rebuilt several times. 1t Is known as
the Silver King" The flames first caught
.,n,, .ne stable and two-story dwellings of Pat
rick Dean on the north side of 67th street
near the river. Dean is a milkman and
mad thirty horses In a stable near his house.
he and his family got out Of the house and
ESCAPED ny boat to place Of safety. The
horses were burned.
The Fires Awful Rush.
Down toward the avenue the fire rushed
nerceiy' ana the firemen were powerless to
combat 1t. Next to Deans house the two
story brick dwelling of Michael Boland was
reduced to ashes within ten minutes after
the flames reached it,
Fifteen horses which were in an ad,oi,,,,
stable were burned to death
John Carrolls two-story house was tho
children We're dragged out of their house NV
leave t'N.SA--S A'oe .Seut 70
A few minutes later the house, with the
slaple N the rear, fell with a deafening
crash, and the flames plunged on 10 The ~t,ac,
story brick house Of James Ffnnan naxt
uoor; f1nnan Is a horse dealer He kad
W. Iohn morses p IN MS stable: they were burned
1onh Rays two-story brick dwelling. with
a stable In the rear, was entirely consnmad
"A truckman lived in the next building. a
.wo-story building. He had a stable in the
rear, In which there were several horses
Inc house and stable were Consumed and
the horses were burned to DEATH
Kate Duffy occupied the next house Tn
~, tne rear OF her house Charles Moony lived
IN frame house, and in the rear of his
place was the blacksmith shop of Seidentry
& Schultz. None of these people had time
TO save any of their household goods. Mrs.
DuIy made an effort to do SO, but a portion
of the roof fell and she rushed out into the
street. ~
The corner lot at avenue and 6Sth street
Is occupied by the stone works of B. A. e.
u. N. Williams. 1t Is an immense plant and
one OF the best equipped in America They
have now in preparation stone for some of
the largest and most expensive buildings in
the city. Their works will be a total loss.
All their finely carved stone was cracked
and rendered useless. Two hundred and
nifty men are thrown out of work in this es-
tablishment.
Sixty-eighth street between avenue A and
the river was crowded with trucks belong
ing to the residents of the block There
were 1o0 trucks, and when the flames had
traversed them all that was left was a mass
of tangled iron and burned wood. The fire
had also extended along the river front
toward the south and caught the old Scher-
merhorn mansion that has stood In 9th
street near the river for seventy-five years
The flames literally leaped across eth
street and clutched this house.
The mansion was saved after being fairly
deluged with water.
The flames rushed northward, and seemed
beyond control of the 200 fire fighters. The
buildings in the two picnic grounds were
wiped out completely, including the ''Old
Homestead" The family of the owner, j.
+. Schultheisger. had a narrow escape
They were awakened by a night watchman
after the flames had made flaming torch
of the tower near by. Enormous crowds
watched the fire.
The damage is estimated at 1921 900 in
all; Sl3lWO being done to property outside
OF the park. ]. #. Schultheisger owner and
manager of the pleas gardens estimates