New-York tribune., 1896-12-28
DUNCAN ELLIOTTS LOSS.
HIS HOME ON THE SOUND DESTROYED
BY FIRE.
JULIAN POTTER 4 NEPHEW Or ihH
PAINFULLY HURT BY JUMPING FROM WIN
Dov-TuE sll.vERwARE AND SOME
PAINTINGS AND BRIC-A-BRAC
ONLY SAVED.

rh. handsome stone and wood house occupied
~ duncan Elliott on the grounds of the country
(,h,b ON Long Island Sound. about TWO mites
cast of West Chester Village. was Destroyer !o'
,ordav morning by fire that started IN inc cei'"i
near n large heater. Clarke. the pu'ei "''" -
ant bappened to go down into the cei'"i "'o"' ="
o'clock and discovered the flames near d mum
Der of barrels OF kerosene oil tha' heu 'e'e""'
been laid in for lighting purposes ne ian up
stairs and gave the alarm Miles, the ou''e'' Ia"
TO the house of the club about an eight" Vi
mile away. and a telephone alarm was sent III 10
the West Chester Police station. A second aidiih
was sent in in the same way soon alter"aio'
Tho frst brought two engine companies of the
regular New-York tiremen from West chester
Village and from Unionport. The second alarm
brought another engine from West Farms.
Mrs Elliott and her children were in their
cleaning rooms and Mr.. Elliott had gone to
church al the time the fire broke out. They were
forced 10 leave the building in their night robes
and take refuge at the home of w. g. Duncan. in
Throg's Neck. At the time the fire was dis
covered there were a number of people IN the
Westchester Country Club house. who ran to the
assistance of the Elliott family. Among them
were Pierrcpont Edwards Mr.. ard Mrs. G. Ellis.
Robert Potter James Nj. Waterbury and c. r.
Havermeyer.
The flames had got a good headway when the
Cnonport and West Chester engines arrived. but
the fire might have been got under control had
there been requisite water facilities. The near
est hydrant was 500 feet from the burning house.
and the hose required for this reach allowed only
one line to be stretched. The one stream was
played on the flames they spread toward the
front of the house but the oil in the cellar which
exploded when the fire reached 1t, was TOO much
for the small amount of water.
When the alarm of fire was given in the house
the whole household was thrown into panic
The servants ran to the front Of the house and
managed to save the silverware and some paint
ings and brc-a a-brac Almost everything else in
the house was lost
Julian Potter. brother Of f. c. Potter and
nephew Of Bishop Potter. visiting at the
house He found his exit through the hallway
cut off by smoke and jumped from his window
to the ground Mr.. Potter was rather seriously
hurt He was helped to the Country Club house.
where physicians attended him.
The house was destroyed. only few crumbng
stone walls here and there remaining. The Eli
oft household took quarters for the night at the
clubhouse and other places in the neighborhood
The total loss is placed by the police at Sooo0o
The house belonged to Duncan Marshall.
Mr. Elliott said that he could not estimate
his personal loss. he had no inventory OF his
possessions. The house was furnished hand-
eomely.
one Of the servants woman. taken from
a second-story window by Fireman Chelman.
Of Engine No g. who her with her mead
out OF the window shouting for assistance Inc
fire is supposed to have been caused by de-
fectve flue.