Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-08-02
.FIREATCONEYISLAND
Loss WILL AMOUNT TO MORE
THAN 100000.
Lucky Shift of Wind Probably Saved
the Balance of Great Area-Destruc-
ton Of Park Great sight-Tongues
of Flames Leaped High Into the
Air-Luna Park Was Saved.

New York, July 3O.-Coney Island
was visited by a disastrous fire early
Sunday and seven blocks in the amuse-
ment zone were destroyed
The loss is estimated at more than
S1,O00,000. Tilyou's steeplechase
park and nearly a score of small
hotels were wiped out, and for time
the flames threatened the destruction
of Luna park and Dreamland great
homes of summer amusement, and the
scores of smaller places which fringe
the waters edge for a mile. A lucky
shift of the wind to seaward aided the
firemen and probably saved the whole
picturesque area.
The destruction of Steeplechase park
was spectacular sight. Tongues of
flames leaped hither and thiter lick
ing up the scenic railway, the razzle
dazzle, the dancing pavilion and the
horse racing railway. The steeple-
chase and the hotel and nearly a score
OF smaller wooden hotels which front
ed along the western side of the
park were soon blazing.
Fire Commissioner Lantry, seeing
that nothing could be saved in the
park, ordered that all efforts be con-
centrated on the east side of the !
flaming blocks, to keep the fire from
getting into the flimsy buildings in the !
BOwery, and thus making fire trail |
to Dreamland and Luna park The
fremen were massed at the entrance |
to the BOWery, and, although a Jap
anese skating rink, small dance hall |
and restaurant were destroyed there |
the fire was checked The wind had
in the meantime switched to the south |
and this favorable slant of the breeze
enabled the fire fighters to confne |
he fire to seven blocks.
The alarm of fire woke DOING Coney |
Stand with start, and in a few
minutes Surf avenue was damned with
excited freaks and frolickers, chorus
iris, snake charmers, animal trainers,
amusement empIoyes-aIl
he miscellaneous population of the is
and, in fact
inside the burning park all was ex-
itement and confusion among the two
core employees who slept in a house
ear the entrance. Carrying grips and
luggage, they sCurried to the street,
nd while the exodus was in progress.
cry went up that Sandora, the arm
9ss and legless man, who eats a doz-
meals day just to show that he
an do it without the aid of arms and
5gs, was missing. Selling baskets,
NO employees hurried back and found
andora wriggling along the floor to-
ard the door. The wonder" was
lied into a basket and through the
ames and smoke threatened to en-
ulf his rescuers, he was carried to
hotel, where he remarked that his
scape had been effected without the
ISIS of life or limb"
The hotels burned like finder and a
wv minutes sufiiced to wipe them out
lean.
One OF the first to escape from his
'dging place was francesca, fire eat {
When things are calm and placid {
eats and breathes it S
'rth again, all for a livelihood. Some
mes he is advertised to battle in {
'ngues of flames. But Sundays con- /
agration was too much even for t
francesca and he wisely gave way i
} the firemen. {
Arthur Lee, manager of SteepIechase 7
ark, speaking for Mr.. Tilyou, said l
lat the loss on the park, which was Ii
1mpletely destroyed, would reach ST. J
DO,OoO, and there was no insurance. {
me hotels destroyed were small l.
nd the property loss on them will not c
each more than 100000. Y
The police report three injured by l.
he fire.
Estimates of the total loss by the y
loW people are somewhat in excess
the figures set by the police and U
re departments, who say that $780, I,
~ would be a conservative estimate o
hn | q