Evening journal., 1904-04-02
MYSTERIOUS BLAZE
DESTROYS THE OLD
GORDON HEIGHTS CLUB
Two Tall Chinneys All
That Mark Site of Once
Handsome Building on
Delaware Shore
Two Women Injured
During the Progress of
the Fire-RaiIroad Men
Fight Blaze

Fire Of peculiar origin destroyed the
Gordon Heights Hotel, formerly club
house, early this morning. But two
chimneys now mark the spot where the
,aautiful hotel stood yesterday. Two
omen were injured and a big watch
log almost burned to death.
II. J. Creveling, the tenant was
awakened by a rumbling noise early
this morning. He sat up and listened.
Not hearing it again he lay down and
prepared to go to sleep. Then crash
was heard over his head. Running to
the door that leads to the top floor of
the building he threw it open. He was
almost hurled from his feet by the
rush of smoke and flames. Hastily
running to another room where his wife
and daughter were sleeping he awak-
ened them.
Would Have Moved Today.
The whole upper floor was burning.
The family. which was going to move
today to this city had much of their
furniture packed up on the first floor.
They began removing II. They had
hardly started when locomotive came
screaming down the track. The rail-
road men working at Edge Moor dis
covered the fire before the inmates of
the house and came to their aid. They
were great help in saving the furni-
ture Of the tenant and the handsome
tapestry and furniture of the hotel
In her haste to get down stairs with
several articles Mrs. Sarah Creveling
wife of the tenant, fell down the steps
She was so badly bruised and cut that
Il was necessary to remove her 10 the
home Of Harry Armstrong, across the
railroad tracks and call a physician.
Mrs. Poniecka, Of No. 1900 West
Fourth street. was the other victim
She was to have occupied the hote
today and went there last night will
some Of her belongings. She was at
tempting to remove them when she
fell. breaking her arm.
Following his master into the burn
ing building, Duke. the big Great Dane
watch dog was so badly burned that he
may go blind. The shaggy hair was
scorched from his body and big hole:
burned in his sides and on his head.
Origin a,Mystery.
Mystery surrounds the origin of the
fire which burned every particle o.
wood work about the hotel and lef
but two chimneys standing to mark th'
spot where the picturesque house Will
its wide verandas stood yesterday.
The fire started in the corner room
I'm the third story of the building an'
burned downward. AS the family wa
to move today there was no fire in an.
4 part of the house. Both the owner
and the tenant of the property are a
a loss to account for the fire.
Some of the handsome furniture ant
bric-a-brac Of the steamboat compan,
was destroyed. Among which wer
two buffalo heads valued at $500, tw
china closets at SIS each and $40
sideboard.
No Estimate Of Loss.
Captain Horace Wilson. of the VIII
mington Steamboat Company, the own
ers of the building, when seen thi
morning stated it was impossible t
estimate the loss intelligently. at tina
time and as the park is insured as
whole he could not tell the proportion
ate part. Of the hotel.
The building was erected in 1888 b
Charles Haines and Michael B. An
drews. of Philadelphia, and was con
Quoted as the Gordon Heights Club
house for sosne time until it was ac
quired by the Wilmington Steamboa
Company and surrounded by othe
buildings of the park. After that tim
1t was used as a hotel until the par
scheme was abandoned.