Daily inter mountain., 1899-05-26
The Pleasure Resort at COney
Island Destroyed.
IHH LOSS IS VERY LARGE
The Fire Started simultaneously In
in Two Places at an early
Hour This Morning

New York, May ga fire which start
ed in the Bowery district of Coney Is
land about o'clock this (Friday) morn
ing, seems to have threatened the COM
plete destruction of the bathing pavil-
ions. restaurants and summer hotels and
small stores in that section. Of the island.
The Brooklyn police reserves have been
ordered out at o'clock this morning
the fire is not vet under control
Reports received by the Evening World
from Coney Island are to the effect that
two fires broke out simultaneously on
both ends of THE Bowery" about five
squares apart and close to the beach. The
places where the two fires originated were
both almost inaccessible for fire engines.
The fact that the fires broke out simul-
taneously and at places so difficult of ac-
cess on the part OF the tiremen is taken as
an indication that the fires were Of incen-
diary origin.
The police board of Greater New York
which has jurisdiction over Coney Is
land, located as it is in the borough of
Brooklyn, recently issued sweeping orders
insisting upon a rigid enforcement of the
law so far as Sunday saloons and concert
halls are concerned. Some think that cer-
tain residents of Coney Island may have
preferred to collect insurance money rath-
er than suffer the financial loss which
would have resulted from the carrying
into effect Of these orders from the city
authorities.
The fire swept along two Of the board
walks close to the beach, a veritable eye
lone Of flames, destroying concert halls,
summer gardens, saloons, small houses
and stores. THESE buildings were all con-
structed Of frame material and there
seemed to be nothing to check the pro-
gress of the flames.
The fire quickly found it's way into "The
Bowery proper" and at this hour (6 a.
n.y. it appears as though the entire Bow
cry district Of Coney Island was doomed.
There is only light breeze but the in
hammable nature of the materials used
IN the construction of the buildings on the
island makes the fighting of the fire ex-
tremely hard work. Coney Island has
only two small fire engines, and aid has
been summoned from all other sections of
Brooklyn. So far as known by the police
up to the present time. all Of the residents
of the island succeeded in making their
escape. One estimate of the value of the
property already destroyed is $150,000.
Fire started early today in Buschman's
pavilion, Coney Island, and spread rap
idly until seven blocks of frame build
ings had been destroyed. A conserva-
tive estimate of the loss is placed at
$3.50, 600. The police believe the fire was
Of incendiary origin. Deputy kirkpat-
rick of the fire department says he found
traces of kerosene on the boardwalk in
front of one of the burned buildings.
The rapidity of the fire was not to be
wondered at considering the character
of the buildings. In one house, after the
first puff Of smoke gave the first warn
ing, a large square filled with buildings
Of all sizes and character, utilized for
such purposes as photograph galleries,
saloons, dining rooms, dance halls, the
aters and the like, were in ruins.
When it dawned upon the firemen that
they had serious blaze on their hands
fire alarms were sounded. All reserve
engines came from Flatbush, Fort Ham,
ilton, Bath Beach, Sheepshead Bay, and
IA companies responded from Brooklyn.
The police department hurried down the
reserves from six precincts. On arriving
they at once set to fighting the fire sys-
tematically.
The heaviest losses fell on Mann's con-
cert garden, loss $4,000; Henderson's
dancing pavilion, bathing houses and
concert halls, 100000; Ezra Merrilrs
roller coasting plant, $4,000; Stauche's
darcinf navilliOO and hotal xQ, mn