Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-29
MANY LIVES LOST
IN NEW YORK FIRE
BIazes Break Out Around the
Big City.
SCORE DIE IN A TENEMENT
Long Beach Hotel Is Wholly De-
stroyed.
ALL CONEY ISLAND THREATENED
Steamship Comes Into Her Dock on
Fire-Steeplechase Park Is
SCORE DIE IN A TENEMENT
ILL CONEY ISLAND THREATENED

Fires ranged in and around New
York yesterday. There was dis
astrOus blaze in tenement house
in the city, where twenty people
died and fifteen were injured.
Coney Island was threatened on
Sunday, great damage being done
Steeplechase Park was totally de-
stroyed, Long Beach Hotel was
burned this morning, and the
steamship Hamilton OF the Old Do
lnlnlon line came into her dock on
fire, causing loss of about SIS 900.
There was an explosion preceding
the tenement house fire, and it is
thought that it was caused by a
Black Hand bomb.
NEW YORK. July 29-shocking loss Of
human life and destruction of property
worth more than 81 100000 were caused by
fire in New York and it's immediate vicinity
In the twenty-four hours ended at o'clock
this morning. Twenty persons are dead
and fifteen suffering from serious injury
as result of the burning of history
double tenement in Chrystie street, and
heavy financial loss resulted from the de-
Btruetion of the Long Beach Hotel at Long
Beach today and the Steeplechase Park
and other property at Coney Island yester-
day. In addition. the steamship Hamilton
Of the Old Dominion Line. came into port
yesterday with part of her hold ablaze. The
Hamilton was at her deck before any of
the passengers knew there a fire on
board The flames were extinguished after
about $4,000 damage had been done
The explosion of bomb placed, the
police believe, by agents of the Black
Hand in an Italian grocery store on Chrys-
tie street started the fire which swept
through the teeming Italian tenement and
destroyed the lives of a score of people and
injured fifteen others. The noise Of the
explosion caused a panic In the densely
populated district. The police say that
many persisted In the flames fearing to es-
cape to the streets. where they believed
death awaited them from the dreaded
Black Hand. second explosion from a.
kerosene tank followed, and the whole
lower floor was a mass of flames from
blazing OIL The fire shot up the stairways
cutting off all escape from those in the
bedrooms above Many rushed to the fire
escapes, which became clogged with
frightened people. The house was filled
with dense smoke, and the flames rushing
upstairs, drove the half-crazed people to-
ward the roof. The flames killed many as
they were about to be rescued from the
roof while others were overcome by smoke
There were many heroic rescues by firemen
The bodies of the dead were found in all
manner of places. Four women were dis
covered dead in a closet, where they had
rushed to hide from the flames which found
them out. The body of woman was found
lying over child as though she had tried
10 protect 1t from the flames. Five bodies
were found crowded around one doorway
OIL the top floor showing that they had
been struck down while trying to escape
After al-nlght search the police
announced that there were twenty victims
of the fire. The bodies of the dead were
found in all sorts of unexpected places to
which the people had fled when the fire
broke out. Almost all of the bodies were
burned beyond recognition. many to such
extent that it was impossible to distin-
guish the sex. A majority of the victims
the police believe, were women and chill
dren.
Only five of the victims had been identi-
fled up to early hour today. They were
Marlite hi Dolco, his wife, Amelia, and
their two infant children, and Frank
Shields. bed-ridden cripple. who was car
Tied out alive by the firemen but who sue
cumbed TO his injuries soon after his res
cue.
The burned building was one Of those
fashioned tenements common to the
East Side with store the ground floor
and the apartments upstairs crowded with
tenants, mainly Italians. The fire started
In the store. and swept through the build
ing with such rapidity that fifth of the
100 tenants In the place met horrible death.
their lives, were more or less burned, or
otherwise injured After the fire an I'M
known man was found wandering delrtous
In the street, suffering intense agony from
burns which extended from head to foot
His clothes had been burned from his body
only here and there a shred remaining at
tached to the blistered flesh.
Brave work by the police and firemen
waved many lives, one fireman alone rescu-
ing five persons.
II Is thought the fire was caused by an
explosion, a citizen saying that he heard a
loud report. and saw the store window
crack and fall in pieces. II this is true IL
Is possible that the great loss OF life is due
to BLACK Hand outrage.
The fire wave first struck Coney Island
yesterday, and before II subsidized Steeple-
chase Park, Il score of hotels and severa
amusement attractions were in ruins and
many persons were homeless. The next fire
was the steamship fire. Then came the
Chrystie street tenement disaster and TODAY
the Long Beach Hotel was destroyed The
500 guests were all in their beds when the
flames were discovered, but all left the