The evening world., 1903-05-27
FIRE ISLAND
HOTEL BURNED
Flames Destroy the Big Struc-
ture by the Sea Owned by the
Sire Brothers, with All Its
Contents.
SHIPS BRING IN THE NEWS

The Fire Island Hotel. built by the
Sire brothers, OF New York, was burned
to the ground this morning at 4.@
o'clock. This Is the second time the
hotel on the island has been burned
within Ave years. The first hotel was
owned by the State at the time 1t was
destroyed. having been bought by GOV
Flower for the isolation OF cholera pa
tients.
The hotel destroyed to-day was a
long. low structure built entirely OF
wood and surrounded by spacious veran-
das. 1t contained a large entertainment
hall used for theatricals and dances and
was modern in all Its appointments.
The fire was discovered by the OBJ
servers at the island, VINO saw 1t while
on the watch for ships. At that time
It was not yet daylight and the blaze
had not gained much Roadway. BY the
time the men in the observatory had
reached the place 1t was burning fierce
", and 1t was seen that the chances
were all In favor of the building being
n total loss. The fire evidently had
started in the paint h under the
structure and spread to all parts OF 1t,
running along the beams OF the hoor-
ting and breaking through to the nrst
floor in q dozen places.
watchman Was Overcome.
Tn che hotel at the time was a watch
man and caretaker, ]. A. Bailey. He was
rescued by the men from the ooserve-
tory, who dragged him from the build
ing. He was almost overcome py
smoke.
There being no fire apparatus on the
island. nothing could be done to save
the place, and in two hours 1t was a
smouldering pile of ashes.
The cottage Of Mr.. Sire is a short dis
lance from the hotel, 1t was
thought this, too, would go; but a ia
vorable turn OF the wind v 1t. VI
the hotel nothing was left standing save
4 few outhouses. All the contents OF
the hotel were burned, the blaze being
no fierce that every attempt to carry
out furniture had to be abandoned
The hotel was opened last season. 1t
was built by the Sires and leased to
a. A. Hoerle, Of Midland, ". ]. Dobie
a. Cnnn had made all preparations to
open .tc place this season. The hotel
would have been ready for business In
about thirty days, the date of the OPEN
ing having been announced for June Is.
On site of Old Hotel.
The hotel replaced the one destroyed
Ave years ago and was built practically
upon the same site. 1t was near the sea.
vet near enough to the South Bay to be
connected by a board walk to the dock
OF the boat hat ran from Babylon.
About II on all sides was a waste OF
sand and marsh grass, and all walks
about the place were Of boards. When
the sea was. high the water washed
under n about them. and the hotel
was considered one of the picture spots
of the coast. 1t was near Havemeyer'a
Point on the low ridge OF sand that sep
arates the ocean from the Great South
Bay and close by the famous Waway-
anda Club, which was a little to the
west OF It.
While the wind had much to do with
the saving of the Sire cottage, q bucket
brigade composed of the six men in the
observatory had a great deal more.
When they saw that the hotel was
dnomed they formed a line and for more
thar an hour dashed water over the
threatened cottage. .
When the fire vas at Its height 1t
could be seen far out to sea and ships
passing the island reported the place on
IRE When they reached Sandy Hook.
One of the sire brothers estimated
the loss at $3.50, COO, OH which there Is a
small- insurance.