The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-04
Little Left But Ashes in Track
Of Atlantic City Fire.
Grand Piano Found Standing in
a Foot of Mud.
Is ST LII A MYSTERY.
Origin of the Fire Has Not Been
Ascertained.
Work of Rebuilding Will Be
Begun at Once.

Atlantic City. n J., April 4.-The
beach front between New York and
Illinois avenues today presents a scene
Of utter ruin and desolation. OF the
many fine hotels which We're situated IN
the district visited by yesterdays con-
hagration, there remain standing the
unhurned portion of the Windsor hotel
at the board walk and Illinois avenue
and the charred framework Of the RIO
Grande hotel on New York avenue
Between these two structres lies a
blackened waste scarcely stick being
left to identify any one of the numer-
Gus buildings destroyed by the fire.
The shell of the Academy of Music re-
mains standing, and this is notable as
the theater was the only brick building
in the burned area.
All through the night the beach. the
board walk and avenues near the scene
of the fire were patrolled by the Morris
guards and company L Of the National
guards. During the day the soldiers
We're relieved from duty. the police
force of the city being adequate to
handle the crowds which visited the
scene Of the conflagratiOn.
While great sympathy is generally
expressed for the sufferers by the nres
the impression prevails that the dis
astrous visitation viii not be without
good results, as il has opened the way
to improvements which it is conceded
were a necessity The municipal au-
thOrities We're the first to begin the
work Of rebuilding, and today, pur-
suant to the action of the city council
last night, a force of WOrkmen was put
TO work repairing the board walk. A
carload of planks which were to have
been used in renovating another section
were utilized to reconstruct the burned
portion.
Many articles of bric-a-brac and
household furniture which were not de-
stroyed in the fire were lost or broken
in transit to places of safety. The
beach and vacant lots in the vicinity of
the IRE are strcWn with tables crock
cry, beddina kitchen utensils and rugs
end on New 7 ork avenue a grand piallo
stands alone in about a foot of mud.
The police and fire departments are
still unable to discover the origin of the
fire At police headquarters today it
was stated that after a careful inves-
tigation the authorities were of the
opinion that the fire had started in the
rear Of the Tarlton hotel, but whether
1t originated from the explosion of q
gasoline stove or an overheated kitchen
range, they were unable to say. There
IS also theory that crossed electric
wires started the fire.
The hotels destroyed and their esti-
mated losses are.
The Luray and Annex, the latter for
merry AAloWu as LIe NOrWOOGs owned DV
=. 3. Wnlte and son. Sl25,0O0; the New
Holland, Mrs. M. j. Lee. $50 900; STRAIT
ford, Arnold Waldner, $40 600; Berkley
Bew Brothers, $4,000; Bryan Mawr, T.
and e. keefer, S25,00O; Stickney, Mrs.
L. I. Stickney $4,000; Evard, James T.
German, $4,000; Rio Grande. J. p Kill
patrick, $4,000; Mervine j. Eels, $40 600;
Academy Hotel and Academy of Music,
Charles Frahnger. $25 600; Windsor. C.
Jason Waters, partly destroyed, SOS, 600.
Charles W. Keeler, who conducted a
drug store on the board walk at Ken
lucky avenue, estimates his loss at $780,
600 and Victor F'reisinger. proprietor Of
an art store at St. James place and the
board walk. says his loss is 0OO
Other victims whose losses range from
$1,000 to SO 900 are
James A. Brady. bath house: David
John druggist; Nabass & Kazzar. Orien-
tai goods; Haines, florist; Shimamura K
Co, Japanese novelties; Ching Hop
Hing, Chinese novelties; John r. FIett,
art store; Partridge & Richardson, mil
llnery and drygoods; Women's exchange;
H. Z. Quinn, hair dresser: M Mover &
Bro, 5ewelry; Richard Binder, barber
In addition to the foregoing there were
numerous other smaller booths and sew
eral cottages on minor thoroughfares in
the rear Of the board walk, which were
either partially or entirely destroyed
Incoming trains today brought
rhrongs of visitors who spent most of
the day at the scene of the fire The
crowds became so great during the day
that it was decided to continue the
militia on police duty until tonight.
Cnlef OF Police Eldridge has received
numerous complaints of lost baggage.
and the police are kept busy endeavor-
ing to trace the missing trunks and
Inc insurance underwriters maintain
that their estimate Of the loss last night
is correct, but the victims assert Ii It
TINS estimate refers merely to the
realty loss. Many of them claim to
carry no insurance, and those that are
insured say the damage to personaI
property and stock viii greatly Increase
the total loss.