New-York tribune., 1907-07-30
LONG BEACH In ASHES
RIG HOTEL BURNS DOWN
No Lircs Lost IN Fire-McCarren
and Reynolds did Rescue Work.

Aan7e and smoke that drove nearly nine hun
dred guests 10 the beach half clothed and
thankful TO escape with their lives. Less than
half score were injured at all badly. but few
eaved much from the blazing pile of finder
There were several instances of cowardice
noticed on the part of some of the men, and
many Of those who were not actually guilty Of
,owardsce stood about out Of reach of the blaze
with folded arms criticising the work of the
sraUtr force Of fire fighters. George Camp the
y-atchman who found the fire. which started on
The fourth floor OF the west wing, said he turned
the nose on one Of the skukers. who then de-
ridod to go TO work.
The hotel was a mass of smouldering ruins
ryo hours after the fire started. at 5:15 o'clock
Eahind il the Long Beach social Of the Long
Island Railroad rec uced TO twisted iron and
ashes while dozen freight cars on a siding
shared the same fate. Just to the east of the
hotel The Long Beach church. where all de-
nominations used to hold services was COM
pletelv wiped cut and the first of the twenty
Two cottages. occupied by a. D. Chapman. went
also.
Those seriously hurt We're:
.sr1Es Bella h- searnstress. leg broken internally
injured in jurIirs from window St Johns Hospital
DEvANxE. N W guest; slight injury to spine
GOLDEN. Albert. burns.
PAFrE Paul guest. No. 2e7 Broadway; injured in
,ernaliy -. Johns Hospital Long Island City.
SMITH Frank carpenter shoulder dislooated by falling
WALL James. waiter; hur, in falling from ladder.
WILLIAMS Percy, waiter broken by falling trunk
Ex-senator Reynolds said last night that work
on a new and finer hotel would begin at once.
load Of lumber for the beginning of new
boardwalk was sent down TO the beach in the
afternoon, and the construction OF the new
hotel viii begin next week. II will be a fire.
proof reinforced concrete structure, and will
be ready next June. II had been planned to
tear down the old hotel at the end of next sea-
SON and the fire will simply hasten matters.
according TO Mr.. Reynolds
The fire started in the west end of the hotel.
There were rumors and stories Of all kinds as
10 its origin. W. J. Quinn. the manager, had no
idea what the cause was. He had been too busy
looking after his guests to try TO find out and
had little idea that there any chance of do
ing so later. He seemed 10 be about right IN
that too
one story was that a woman started the
trouble by upsetting a lamp she had lighted TO
MED by every one who had a chance to know
the facts. The defective insulation theory that
is always advanced at mysterious fires seemed
10 have little to recommend it 1t was explained
that there was no electric current at the time
Of the fire, as il is cut off at daylight every
Rivers the master of ceremonies,
who was up when the fire started and out OF his
room before il had spread far, tried the lights
and found that none would work. and Mr.. Quinn
reported similar experience.
FLAMES SUDDENLY ADVANCE.
When the fire started the wind was blowing
briskly from the ocean. and for half an hour the
blaze did not spread beyond the middle Of the
hotel. This gave the guests in the eastern end
q mistaken impression Of security, and most or
them, al least most OF those who We're not
TOO panic stricken, took time to dress, thinking
ra,- v1a pf frnp IA their
possessions But the wind shifted suddenly
from south 10 east, there was a wild leap cf
fame and in less than minute the fire was
pouring out Of the windows toward the church
and cottages at the east end. 1t was in thls
sudden outburst Of fame that some were In
iured. and it was at this time that Senator
Patrick H McCarren and ex-senator Reynolds.
two of the chief stockholders in the hotel,
showed their courage and coolness in directing
the work Of rescue and the attempts 10 matt
the flames.
Cottage No. was in a hopeless condition in a
few moments and for time there seemed little
hope Of saving any Of Ithe cottages, which
stretched in long row along the beach. There
was no water. the blaze at the hotel having
cut Of the pipes. and there had not been enough
pressure in the hotel pipes to do any good The
fremen, who had been summoned from ROCK
Vile Centre R0ckaway and WoOdmere, had not
arrived and every one began to move trunks
ard other belongings out Of the cottages
Cottage No. 2 which was occupied by william
Nephew King was saved by the GOODNESS and
good sense Of CvrlIle Carreau jr, whose family
vas in Cottage Il He found a brick and
tile salt water main and broke into II. Then
he organized a bucket brigade among the spec
tators and while they poured water on the
blazing boardwalk between Cottage ] and the
threatened cottage. soaked blankets with water
and hung them along the sides Of the cottage
When the boardwalk fire was out. sparks from
the ruin Of the first cottage We're still threaten
ing but the buckets were turned against the |
wall and the fireTnen, who came up while the |
amateurs were still fighting had little left TO do
SCORES OF TRUNKS LOOTED.
While The fra was still blazing the Iooting Of
scores Of trunks was in full swing. For time |
there was no one who had time 10 stop it. and
one woman who was said 10 look like an Italian |
loaded FIVE trunks a cart and drove merrily |
away Presently, however, Justice Archie wal |
IacE appeared in automobile from Freeport- |
The hremen weren't so busy then, and as they |
mad Official looking badges Of various dates since
ne Revolution they began TO arrest every one |
VINO wasn't personally known TO some one In !
authority and search them for stolen property. |
Mere 4 lot Of innocent victims, and this !
Ast \ s.ly included Colonel NJ. Clarence Padden. !
he water register. He had been to get some |
Provisions for his family I'm one of the cottages,
aid was trying 10 get back. He mad 10 go past |
Ue hotel 10 get there. and this was against the |
rules. Judge Archie" was going 10 arrest him. |
'ut wiser counsel prevailed ana calamity was |
aveited
Five negroes and Greek. walters or bell |
Boys at the hotel were caught In the net. and |
Nhen searched property Of ali sorts was found |
va them One bell boy had about $1,000 worth !
" 1e"ery. ard the others had all done fairly |
'4- Cnc Old woman who was employed about !
eIe h"tci collected about a hundred spoons and |
PikS She tnouf!t the hotel was through with |
Sl- sail nd fclt hot 81 <