The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-18
FLAMES And BANK ROBBERY.
IF ROBBERS SET FIRE, 1T SERVED
ONLY TO DRIVE THEN OFF.
Three Hotels AT Rockaway Beach, the Hoe
tel waldorf, the Columbia and the
STANLEY, and Several Smaller Buildings
Rurnea-LoSs Estimated at $3.50 900,


STANLEY. and Several Smaller Buildings
Rurnet-Loss Estimated at $4,000
Three hotels Of fair size and seven smaller
structures were destroyed by fire early
yesterday morning in West Aryerne, Rocka-
way Beach. and at about the same time
an effort was made to enter the Rockaway
Branch of the Bank OF Long Island at
Boulevard and Pleasant avenue, four blocks
from the scene Of the fire. The attempted
burglary was a bungling affair, attempted
by some one wearing hobnailed shoes and
having no knowledge Of how to force
door knife and sorewdriver appear
to have been the implements used.
The fire started some tme between $50
and o'clock in the basement OF the
Hotel Waldorf II is believed that when
the fire started the attempt was being
made upon the bank, and that the
burglars we're men seen running from the
general direction OF the bank and fire by
men who were among the first to start Tor
the scene.
The attempt on the bank could not have
been made after the fire was discovered
for until it was mastered the bank was
brilliantly illuminated by the fire, and men
were passing back and forth until day
light. An attempt was made TO force a
heavy door. Then an effort was made
to take out large pane Of plate glass IN
a window The burglar hacked at the
putty and Scared the adjoining WOOD
with knife He knew nothing. the ponce
say. of taking out large panes OF glass; for
he began cutting at the top instead OF the
lower edge. In the door which it was sought
to force were two panes OF glass when
might have been taken out more easily
than the large pane tackled.
Police Captain Kreushen said he dld not
believe the fire and attempted burg AIRY
had any connection except that the nre
by lighting up the bank building may have
driven the burglars away
Mrs. John Schraeder. who lives near
the bank saw two men standing near IL
when she arose on hearing the fire alarm.
She wondered they did not go toward the
fire They finally went away in the OPP
posite direction. Frank Milan, clerk In
the bank, running to the fire saw man
wearing an overcoat running from the
direction Of the bank. John Winsiow saw
a man without an overcoat also running
away from the bank These men, prob
ably the same two seen by Mrs. Schraeder,
were going away from the fire as well az
from the bank and the others were running
toward the bank having to pass 1t on their
way to the fire.
The fire is supposed 10 have started
from spontaneous combustion. The Wal
dorf was being reprinted, and In the
basement the painters had paints ana on
stored 1t was in this part OF the hotel
where the fire started.
Directly back of the Waldorf was a large
cottage, and this was buring in few min
utes An adjoining cottage on Kelley
avenue was tackled by the fire and the
tiremen at about the same time. The hre
not only won. but drove It's lighters BACK
and itself eaped across Kelley avenue 70
two cottages on the far side. On these the
hremen made stand and in that direction
the fire travelled no further.
On the Brandeth avenue side, next TO the
hotel building stood a cafe and bowling alley.
This was only one story high and mas pIiok
walls II was Quilted, and a cottage just
beyond was destroyed. An adjoining cot
tage was badly damaged. The fire then
was at it's height. lot Of bathing houses
| near the Waldorf caught and burned.
| For a time 1t looked as II the fire would
| be confined to tho Waldorf and the SUR
| rounding buildings. but sparks carried
on the wind set fire 10 the Hotel Stanley,
| two blocks away. That endangered the
| Hotel Columbia and a score OF other build
igs close by.
Not long afterward tho tower OF the
| Hotel Columbia was on fire, and 1T and the
shanty were rapidly destroyed. 1t was
! n little after 4:30 when the walls Of the
| Columbia finally caved in and the danger
was over. In the meantime over fifty
small fires were extinguished by the fire.
men on the roofs and sides OF cottages in
the neighborhood.
None Of the burned buildings was oocu-
! pied except by caretaker The loss ia
estimated at upward OF quarter OF a
million. principally on the three hotels and
| their furnishings. All the buildings had
! been erected within ten years.
The Waldorf and two Of the cottages
burned were owned by Timothy Kelley
Of Manhattan He also owned the cafe
and bowling alleys and the bathing houses
adjoining the hotel. The other TWO cot
tages destroyed were owned by man
man named Newman Of Brooklyn. Mr..
Keiley's loss will not be far from 500 600.
| The heaviest loser by the fire is Herman G..
Mertens, who owned the Columbia and
the Stanley and their furnishings His
loss is said to be in the neighbOrhood OF
$4,000. He was about to improve the
Stanley at an expense Of SIS 900. The
bathing houses at the Columbia and Stanley
we're owned by Ernest Oohs OF Brooklyn,
n brewer Other losers ara A. La Grange,
lessee Of the Columbia, now at Palm Beach;
Weiss 4 Inglessi. lessees OF the Waldorf,
now conducting hotel at Lakewood and
r. STANLEY, who had the lease Of the Stanley.
The owners OF cottages damaged by the fire
l xitl ipga from 10 Ar