The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-11
MANY HOTELS IN ASHES.
Beach Front at Atlantic City, the
Famous Summer Resort, Is
Swept by Flames.
The PROPERTY LOSS is OVER $4,000
Most Disastrous Confagration Tint
Ever Visited the City-Fortunately
No Lives Were LOst-Fire Ragged
for Five Hours-Aid Sent from 9th
or Towns.

Atlantic City, N. j., April 4.-Twelve
hotels and more than score of small
buildings adjoining the board walk
which is built along the ocean edge
were destroyed Thursday by a fire
which swept the beach front for two
long blocks from Illinois avenue to
New York avenue. The loss, it is be-
1ieved, will exceed $75o,OO0. In this re-
spect the conflagration is the most dis
astrous that has ever visited this city.
The loss will be only partially COW
cred by insurance
No Lives Lost.
Fortunately no lives were sacrificed,
though probably dozen persons were
slightly injured and burned during the
progress of the fire. 1t was reported
early in the afternoon that six men
had persisted in the flames, but the
rumor was without foundation. The
origin of the fire is unknown, but is
said to have started in either Brady's
baths or the Tarlton hotel, which adj
joins the baths at Illinois avenue and
the board walk The city is guarded
by company of militia who were re-
quested by the municipal authorities
to aid the police in the prevention of
looting. About dozen men were ar
rested during the day for robbery. The
hotels destroyed and their estimated
losses are:
Hotels Destroyed.
The Luray and annex, the latter formerly
known as the Norwood. owned by j. S.
White & Son, sl25.00O: the New Holland.
Mrs. M. ]. Lee $4,000: Stratford, Arnold
w. Waldner, $4,000; Berkeley, Bew Broth
ers, $4,000; Bryn Mawr, j. & E. keffer, S25.-
COO; Stickney. Mrs. L. V. Stickney, $4,000
$4,000; Evard. James T. German, $4,000;
Rio Grande. ]. P. Fitzpatrick, $50 600; Mer-
vine. ]. Eels. $4,000: Academy hotel and
Academy of Music. Charles Fralinger, $685.,
600; Windsor. G. Jason Waters (partly de-
stroyed), s25, 0O0 Charles w. Keeler, who
conducted a drug store on the board walk
at Kentucky avenue. estimates his loss at
100000. ard Victor Freisinger. proprietor
of an art store at ST. James place and the
board walk. says his loss is $4,000 The
losses of others range from 5000 to $4,000
Flames Ragged Five Hours.
The fire was discovered shortly after
nine o'clock in the morning, and for
nearly five hours the flames ragged with
such violence as to threaten the city
with destruction. All of the burned
buildings We're frame structures, and
the flames, famed by strong west
wind, swept along the beach front with
amazing rapidity.
Wild Excitement.
During the progress of the fire the
widest excitement prevailed among
the guests of the hotels which later be-
came prey to the flames. With the ex-
ception of the Tarlton and the Bryn
Mawr all of the hostelries were open
for the season, and most of them were
fairly well filled. In most eases the
guests had sufficient time to pack til cir
trunks and grips, and those who did
not do this carried their personal eff
fects to places of safety in the best
manner possible under the circum-
stances. AT three o'clock the firemen
said there was no more danger.