New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-20
HOTEL GUESTS FRIGHTENED
FIRE NEAR THE BRIGHTON BEACH
CAUSES EXCITEMENT

The Brighton Beach Hotel and the verandas and
promenade facing the were crowded last night
when great excitement caused by a cry OF
Fire" There was scurrying in all directions. and
nearly all OF the guests who were inside the house
made hasty exits Smoke and flames were soon
seen issuing from the large bakery in the rear OF
the hotel and guests and visitors crowded around
that place and watched the blaze. The employees
OF the hotel who have been carefully trained In hre
service, formed themselves into brigade
There are about one hundred and twenty regis
tered guests in the hotel. Az soon as the hotel
clerk heard that there n fire he smashed the
little glass cage which covers the fire alarm, and
this all the fire bells In the house ringing. The
guests In the upper part OF the hotel rushed pell
nell down the stairs their clothes and vauables
in their arms and they were greatly relieved TO find
that there no fire in the main part Of the
hoto
There about fifteen hundred people In the
music hall when the alarm sounded, and there
would have been panic II the means of egress
had not been easy. 1t took only few seconds to
clear the music hail. and this was accomplished
before the lights went out. The fire had worked its
way quickly to the engine room. and soon the
electric lights were burned out and az soon az this
took place the lights In the hotel and around the
grounds went out
1t was at first supposed that the FIRE had started
In the kitchen. but later II found that IL had
started In the bakery the engine room. which Is
just under the bakery. The bakery and engine
room are under the part of the hotel. on the
Coney Island side. and soon the fire was 10
Gated the efforts of the fighters were directed 10
keeping It away from the hotel proper. General
Superintendent Ira Mccormick. OF the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Railroad, which is financially In
terested in the hotel on the second hoor OF
the hotel when the fire bell in his room began 10
catter furiously. without stopping for his hat he
rushed downstairs and ran to the place on the
main floor where the hose Is arranged for ready use
With the assistance OF the hotel employees ne
soon had the water on and then half a dozen hre
extinguishers were brought into use. An alarm
was sent to Coney Island for assistance, and an
engine came from there in time TO do good "orK.
The chambermaids and hotel employees worked
with a great deal OF coolness and efficiency uhdef
the direction Of Superintendent Mccormick ana IL
was owing to the fact that the fire broke out ~
an early hour and that prompt work was done that
the hotel was kept from burning. 1t was found
that the boiler and engine room had suffered the
most Superintendent Mccormick said last night
that 81 800 would cover the loss.
The loss OF the lights was the most serious OF
all" said he to n Tribune reporter. I'VE shall
work at them tonight until they are in running
order again. and by tomorrow night visitors will
never know that fire took place The boiler IS
burned so badly that II cannot be used. and II
necessary we shall run a locomotive down here
IN the morning and furnish steam tomorrow night
for the dvnamos with that The switchboard OF
the electric-light plant is not damaged, and the
kitchen IA not hurt at all There will he no In
terruption in business. 1t pretty close shave
and we are lucky that the fire did not break out
al later hour OF the night. As II was, every one
seemed eager to help fight the flames and We gave
the fire no chance"