New-York tribune., 1907-11-13
BIG HOTEL In RUINS.
FIRE LIGHTS UP Bay.
Staten Island WHhoat Eater to
SAFE the CastIetOR.

n
at St. George. Staten Island. overlooking the Up
per Bay. burned to the gronnd last evening.
causing loss estimated at 81 100000. One~half
of which represents the hotel and part of the rest
the estimated value of five large paintings. the
property of Bernard Kearns. president OF the
Central Brewing Company and the owner of the
hotel
Scores Of other houses in the vicinity caught
fire from the sparks. which were sent whirlins
for miles. but all were saved with the exception
of cottage owned by Kearns and occupied by
Dr. William Hollick. a member of the faculty OF
Columbia University.
The Staten Island police believe the fire was
the work of an incendlary. They say they have
a strong reason to support their theory
Hundreds Of spectators. who were attracted by
the glare of the burning building. were burned
by the sparks which were as large as walnuts
In some cases overcoats had to be thrown away
so badly were they burned All of the fire ap-
paratus on Staten Island was called to the scene
by Chief Callahan. It was entirely pOwerless TO
cope with the big blaze. which lighted up the
Upper Bay as far as the Statue Of Liberty and
furnished a beautiful spectacle. The fremen
could not get stream Of water strong enough TO
reach the building
A call was sent to New York and several fire
boats responded. as did a number OF tugs belong
ing to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Owing
to the distance Of the hotel from the waterfront
these boats were also unable 70 help. and the
fremen had TO stand by and watch the hotel
burn Bucket brigades were formed and they
helped much in saving the surrounding buildings.
The glare Of the flames in the sky was visible
for miles in every direction and particularly
bright across New York Bay and in Manhattan.
II was the cause Os much speculation along The
Great White Way" and many messages were re
ceived at the newspaper offices from as far north
as The Bronx 10 the location Of the fire Hun
dreds Of New Workers took the trip across the
bay simply TO the big fire. The police had
much trouble in handling the crowds. who In
| sisted on getting dangerously near the burning
building,
| CLOSED ON NOVEMBER 1
The Hotel CastIeton had been closed since Nca
vember 1. when it shut I'D for the season
winter force OF four. consisting OF William
Campbell and George Graves. watchmen. and
Mamie Dody and Bridget Mckinney. caretakers,
was in charge of the building. The hotel was
| opened last Friday night for lecture on Chris
| tian Science but was closed at the end OF the
lecture The servants were in the habit OF TAX
| ing their meals in house near the hotel. and
were there last night about $50 O'Clock. when
| the fire was discovered
| Mr.. Kearns is now on his way back from
| Europe. and his coachman, George Wills. has
| been staying the hotel According to his
/ story he was standing in the main entrance Of
I the hotel last night waiting for the rest OF the
| employees TO return from their meal. vilsn his
| attention was attracted by a glare in the south
end of the building He started to run to the
scene when he found that there was also
| blaze in the north end of the hotel and one in
/ the Office. He Immediately shouted for assist
| ance and turned in an alarm. which brought
| Chief Callahan and the fire apparatus at St
| George. Wills. in the mean time. had tried TO
put out the fire at the south end OF the build
| Ing with the fire extinguishers. but was unable
| to make any headway. Callahan on his arrival
saw that unless quick action was Ia IN the
hotel was doomed. and he sent in a general
alarm. which brought out the whole fire lighting
force of Staten Island. Chief Croker went over
to Staten Island on the third alarm
FIREMEN WITHOUT WATER
When they turned on the water the frenen
found that there was power the streams
hardly reaching TO the second story of the
building. which was four stories high. covered
| an acre of ground and contained four hundred
| rooms. Bucket brigades were formed by the
fremen but their efforts were fruitIess. and
their attention was turned To the surrounding
houses. Alongside Of the hotel. in St Marks
Place we're three houses and it was feared that
they were doomed. well row OF wooden
houses in Hamilton avenue and the large build
ing Of the Staten Island Academy. The roofs
| OF these buildings were covered with water.
In every case the firemen were successful in
preventing another outbreak. with the exception
| of the house occupied by DR.. Holck- This
house. which next to the burning building
caught fire and quickly burned TO the ground
Dr. Holck managing to save some of his fur
niture While the firemen and the volunteers
we're turning their attention 10 the surrounding
buildings the hotel burning fierceIy- About
$50 O'Clock there loud explosion in the
hotel. which caused the whole Of the front wall
| TO fall out with loud crash Luckily the po-
lice had forced the crowds back 10 a safe dis
tanCe and no one injured although several
of the policemen and firemen had TO run for
their lives. After the explosion the fire seemed
to die down. and gradually burned itself out
until there was nothing remaining Of the hotel
| except a snoldering heap OF ruins.
Several willow trees near by caught fire from
the, sparks. and IL was feared at one time that
these would be the of spreading the
flames. but they were taken care of BY the vol
| Unteers.
HIGH SCHOOL THREATENED
Across ST. Marks place from the front Of the
| hotel stands the Curtis High School For a
| time IL seemed as If the windows in it would
melt and let the fire into the rooms. but they
| simply cracked Firemen patroled the floors
armed with chemical extinguishers and put out
| several small fires that started from the heat.
| The school will be all right for use this MORN
| ing. having sustained practically no damage
Lieutenant John Smith, in command Of the
Staten Island Detective Bureau. was early on
the scene. and after hearing WiIIs's story put
/ his whole force at work 10 discover II possible