The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-20
.|DLEWOOD LAID
WASTE By FLAMES
Entire Central Portion Of
Pleasure Resort Dcs-
troyed This Morning.
ANIMAL ARENAS
NARROW ESCAPE.
Blaze Started in Natatoriun,,
Where Family Were Sleeping,
but All Escaped Unhurt.
Work Of Rebuilding
Will Be Started {.
To-Day.

Famed by a stiff wind from the north-
save by the unavailing attacks of feeble
chemical engines, flames early this morn
ing laid in ashes the entire central por-
ton of lakewood. Richmond's chief pleas
ure resort entailing loss of $4,000. and
for a time threatening the Horse Show
building and Bostocls's Wild Animal
Arena, where hundreds of wild beasts
lay Gagged.
The angry flames progressed at 50
rapid n pace that 1t was only with the
greatest difficulty that any part OF the
many buildings constituting lakewood
We're saved. Everything that lay in their
path before they were prevented from
further progress was eaten up as with
devouring tongue.
Within five minutes after the fire origi-
mated 1t was beyond the control of
the lakewood brigade. which has only
two or three chemical apparatus at Its SER
vice, and the alarm was turned in to the
city department.. Nearly all the city's
engines were at once dispatched to the
scene, but only two or three were able
TO get to lakewood. the others being
stalled in tile deep mud OF Lombardy and
Broad Streets, whence they had to be
dragged by extra relays of horses. 1t was
reported tnat one engine and all the
horses had been turned over into a ditch,
but the runor seemed without foundation.
Origin Not Definitely Known.
How the fire originated could not be
discovered, but it is thought that !, might
have been due +? Il teefectiye electric
wire, or 10 a half-burned cigarette care.
lessiy thrown aside by some emplcye of
lakewood or the Hatch Carnival Com-
pany.
The fire originated in the rear part
of the natatorium, facing towards Elm
Street. and was first discovered by
Mrs. Louis Myers, wife OF Mr.. Loiis
Myers, who, with his wife and their
two children and his wife's parents,
lived upstairs. Mr.. Myers Immediately
rushed downstairs. and finding ths
eStinguish them by means of a chemi-
cal extinguisher. Mr.. n. B. ShultZ,
ticket manager for Bostock's and Mr..
Chalmcr. one of the lion trainers, dis
covered the fire about the same time,
and they, too. rushed forward with
chemical apparatus. But the fiercs
flames had got too much headway for
them possibly to effect any good, and
the alarm was turned in to the city
department.
BY the time two of the city engines
had arrived on the scene there was
nothing to do but to attempt to save
Bostock's Animal Show, and the rest
of the lakewood building lying to tho
north of the merry -gO-rOund.
The Bostock building was already burn
ing, and hundreds of street car employees.
lakewood employees and spectators, with
the flremen, proceeded to cut away tho
structure between the Bostock building
and the fire. They had hard work OF IT,
as the flames increased in intensity with
their progress, and the heat was so fierce
that tho work of saving the building and
animals was almost prevented.
Other Points Caught.
Meanwhile other points in tie vast
building were continually catching. and
lines OF hose had to be continually
changed to cover these. Before the ar
started in taking out the animals. and
a dozen or so cages. with the half-ter-
rtied beasts inside, were picked up bodily
and carried out.
Mr.. Myers got out with his family from
the burning natatorium. and attempted TO
drag out some OF his possessions.
Many things We're saved only to he
burned outside, however, as the flames
were too fierce for them to be carried
further. Everything within the burning
area was destroyed, and the fremen con-
tented themselves with trying TO save
those parts of the building only partially
ablazc. The lakewood office. lying ncul
the natatorium. was soon devoured and
everything in it, save an iron safe, which
contained all the papers of the company,
Tho resulting damage of the fire,
Messrs. Jake Wells and Andrew Pizzinl
stated last night, will amount to at leas,
$50, 900. The natatorium alone was pui
up at II cost of $4,000, and the othepiof-
fees and structures will amount to sew
eral times that
Would Have Shot Animals.
The structures destroyed were the
na,atorium, the tamakora, the chicken
gallery, the baseball game, the opces
and stock rooms and the soda
water fountain stands The big switch-
back or forest coaster. erected at
cost of $1,000, caught In several
places. as did tho merry go-round. hui
both We're finally saved from deseruc-
tion by the energetic work OF the
firemen.
Tho whole insurance on Lakewood
amounts to something between s5o,o0o
or 100000, and the losses incurred by
the fire last night Will be fully COW
cred.
When seen last night Mr.. Wolls SAID
that whenever he heard the fire bells
ring he always thought of lakewood. This
time his innate fear had proved 70 bt
correct, hut he took it calmly, despite
the losses and thp damage 1t Will do td
tile business, as lakewood was almost
ready to be opened 10 the~pubc for the
summer.
Mhen the flames had begun danserousl,
20 threaten the building IN which Boa
toclss animal show is quartcred, Managst
/ shin. tynyr.,a nrInrs tf tho lniniaII