The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-28
Fire Breaks Out Under the Stage
Of Olympia Music Hall.
TWO HOTELS ARE DESTROYED.
Bathing Pavilion and Bath Houses Also
Burusd- Soldiers Assist In Removing
Furniture 10 Place Of Safety

New York. April 2s-The principal part
of South Beach. Staten Island. was swept
last night by fire which destroyed prop
erty valued at 100000 and sent up vol
ume OF fame the glow OF which was
plainly seen from all over Manhattan and
Brooklyn.
The fire started at o'clock and inside
of two hours. when II was under control.
IL had destroyed $500 feet OF property
fronting on the beach. including the two
biggest hotels of the place, and partly
burning two other hotels, a scenic railway
and a number OF bath houses.
\ The fire was discovered under the stage
in the Olympia Hotel and concert hall, a
2h-story frame building. The hotel had
been closed during the winter and Albert
Herganham, who rented II, started a few
days ago 10 put it in readiness for the
summer season.
The property was owned by Frederick
Bachman. the brewer. Herganham and
his wife and two women employees were
I'm the hotel part Of the building. Hergan-
ham saw flames belching from under
meath the stage OF the concert hall. This
had not been opened at all and he declar-
ed that the fire must, therefore, have been
OF incendlary origin.
The fire spread with great rapldity up
soon enveloped the concert hall One OF
the servants who was asleep I'm a room
on the second floor escaped In her night
clothes.
The fire spread east and west 10 the
adjoining buildings. also constructed OF
wood. and as there were few people on
the beach, and the firemen OF the Edge
water department were from two 10 four
miles away, the fire had undisputed
headway.
Next To the Olympia on the east was
the Aquarama Scenic Railway, which was
built last year at the cost OF slS.0 .0sO. This
soon was afire and in a short time moth
ing remained but the ruins and John
Gebhardt's hotel next TO IL was also burn
ing. To the west OF the Olympia and ad-
Joining the concert hall was the Waldorf
hotel, the second largest on the beach.
This was also owned by Brewer Bach
mann. Charles Walsh, who has charge OF
the hotel, and his family were in the
building.
They had Just enough time TO save some
OF the furniture when the fire burst
through from the concert hall and seized
the hotel This was destroyed almost az
quickly as the Olympia. A 6o0-foot bath
ing pavilion. belonging TO the Waldorf ho-
| tel. was burned as were n number of bath
houses attached to the Olympia.
The fire next caught Mrs. Gertrude
destroyed when the Edgewater fire de-
partment arrived Prior 10 that a squad
of soldiers from Fort Wadsworth had
been saving furniture from the burned
buildings.
As result of their efforts the mead
ows back OF the fire-swept section were
Uttered with furniture from the hotels
When the fire started light southwest
wind was blowing. The fire had almost
scorched the Glenmore hotel when the
wind shifted to the northeast toward Mrs.
Miller's hotel. This compelled the fro
fighters 10 concentrate all their efforts L
this point. The wind again shifted TO the
southwest. making the firemen take an
other tack, but by that time they had the
blaze we'll In their grasp. At midnight the
fire was under control
The damage Is estimated as follows:
Olympia hotel. $4,000; Waldorf hotel, $50
600; Mrs. Miller's hotel. 5000; Aquarama
Scenic Railway, $4,000. A pier belonging
10 the Henry Ockerhauser estate and a
few smaller buildings were also burned.
Yesterday was one OF the so-called open
ings OF the season at South Beach.
When the New York fire department
learned OF the fire the freboat Kophsr
Mills was sent TO help the Staten Island
fremen.