The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-07-29
CONEY ISLAND HAS
SOME COSTLY
FIREWORKS
New YOrk's Playground Has
Million Dollar Fire.
STEEPLECHASE PARK GONE
Seven Blocks In Amusement Zone
Destroyed Flames Chase Natives
Out IN Costume.

NEW YORK. July 2a.-Concy Is
land. the playground OF New iorks
millions. was visited by a disastrous
frc nj an early hour. and seven blocks
Ia the amusement zone were complete
ly destroyed. Tilyou's Stccplechase
park and nearly a score OF small no
tells were wiped out. and FOR time
the flames threatened destruction 60
Luna park aud Drenmland, those
homes OF summer amusement, and the
scores OF smaller places which fringe
the waters edge FOR q mile.
4 lucky SHIFT Of the wind 10 sea
ward aided the hremcn aud probably
saved the whole picturesque area, but
not until a million dollars damage had
been done THREE persons were in
jured. one Of them. Gottfrcd Mcsscrli.
n fireman. probably fatally.
Only the advance guard ~ the 300.
on people who hockrd 90 Concy L.
land saw the hrr. but the thrilling
tales 81 the fearless rescue 81 San
Dora. the urml-ss aud lcglcss man, and
the flight ~ Francesca. the FIRE eater
when the alarm was sounded wcr,
told and reioid along noisy Surf ave
nue. and IN the less particular Bowcry.
Coney Island has bad four h.g fires
In the last ten years tie last previous
one IN igU3. the Stceplcchase on that
occasion being completely swept out
"Thc Island" as New Workers a.
mIlIarly call u. was Just turning 10
Tor lts early morning nap the only
sleep Il ever gets and the last thlr
line ~ early morning mcrrymaker'
were swinging rnyiy " somewhat un
certainly ~ surf avenue wru Gelrr'
! Frost. wntrhman no Strvplrrhns'
park. spled a watering trail ~ smoke
coming from the "Cayc ~ the Winds.
one of the many shows ln the park
Scarrr'y had Frost bcst.rred himself
"a action when fash ~ flame shD
out Of ihc nav % the cave and lightc,
up the place In n weird glare. A %
trolman heard the urgent cry ~ ire
Cor the shout ~ fire I'M Coney q NJ
omlnous one alarm after alarm wa
rung until the fourth had been sound
81. bringing scores % engines nn'
hose carts O. h.lt thc flames now be-
Ink swept along under the smart wee
wind.
The lnnammablc character wood
stan and PAPER mache OF the con
structiyc material ~ thc many nttrnc
lions made nnc food f1r the fame.
and Notwithstanding the many stream
u water poured on them the cuniagra
ton seemed to defy 40 efforts 10 chccI
~ course up the beach toward %
Bowcry and 90 the countless amuss
ment places along Surf avenue.
The destruction of Stceplcchase par
was spectacular sight Tongues o
flame icapcd hither and thliher, lIch
Ing up the scenic railway. the fazzl
dazzle. the dancing pavilion and IN
horse racing railway. The little wool
cn horses. standing on steel track
high In the air. looked Ike the ilam.n
steeds II the NRikyrs ns they brok
Into blaze. Tho great bell tower flame
brilliantly up. bright beacon seen b
incoming ships NJ they crcpi up "a
hnr,or In the early dawn. The Ste,pl'
chase hotel ana nearly a score ~ smal
or wooden hotels which frinrcd alon
the western side o. the park soon wei
blazing
Fire Commissioner Lantry. scclu
that nothing could De- saved IN IN
park. ordered that all efforts BE- col
centrutei on the east side 81 the hau
INK blocks 20 keep The IRE from gcttIn
into the nlmsy buildings iu the Bower
and thus making irc trail 10 Dream
land aud Luna park.
The iircmcn were massed at the 81
trance Of the Bowcry and. although
Japanese skating rink. n small dane
hall aud n restaurant were dcsiroyc
thero. the FIRE was checked. The win
had IN the meantime switched iuI
the south. nud this favorable slant ,
breeze aided the IRE fighters In cot
fnlng the Gre 10 seven blocks.
when the alarm woke up dozlr
Coney with n stnrt Surf avenue va
soon damned with excited freaks au
frolllckcrs. chorus girls. snake char
crs. animal trainers. performer
amusement employees all the misc,
laneous population ~ the island.
fact Clothed In n state ~ terror M
little else. thousands fed through u
/ streets while the roar 81 the Hams
could be heard from one end u q
island 90 the other. 10 seemed
though nothing could save the islar
from destruction. and hundreds of u
inhabitants began 30 remove the
household effects into tho drces-
: DEATH or JAMES W. PLAT
. Bridport Man Sold Merino Sheep
All parfs ~ ghr Nortd