The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-09
fire RAzES
Fl LBER0N
MANSION
Banker Frank w. SaVin
Sees Flames Destroy
Priceless Treasures.
in DANGER HIMSELF,
SAVES SERVANTS LIVES
Luxurious Summer Home, Cost
ly Paintings and Rare
Antiques Lost.
ONE OF THE SHOW PLACES
OF FASHIONABLE RESORT
Rich Owners First Thought of
Employees Asleep in Their
Quarters.
ONE OF THE SHOW PLACES
OF FASHIONABLE RESORT
Especial to the Evening star !


ELBERON. Oct 9.--Priceess paint :
ings, rare tapestries, an enormous col
lection of antique furniture, bric-a-
brac from every section of the globe, a
Valuable library and luxurious furnish
ings were totally destroyed by fire
which broke out early today in the
summer home of Frank w. Savin, a
Savin was awakened by the odor of
smoke and he, with the servants, barely
escaped with his life. The loss will ex-
coed $4,000.
The fire is still burning, although it
is practically under control, and por-
ton of the fire department has been
withdrawn. The entire building is de-
molished and the empty shell stands,
roofiess, to mark the location of once
famous palace. The eccentricity of its
original owner, Moses Taylor, back in
the eighties, are blamed by the firemen
To. the difficulty in fighting the flames
Mr. Taylor had the entire structure
covered with waterproof metal between
the walls, and when fire broke out the
building was filled with dense smoke,
which could not escape, and baked the
f.remen.
Arouses ImperiIed Servants.
Mr.. Savin was alone in the house with
the servants at the time Mrs. Savin
had gone to New York, and he was pre-
pairing to close the house and follow
1,pr nd he I,~,
the sitting smoke, he awakened the
butler, and together they groped their
way through the servants quarters un-
til all were awakened and fed to safety
A double alarm was turned in, but
when the department arrived Mr.. Savin
made a request that no one try to en-
ter the building, still filled with sitting
smoke At his earnest solicitation the
firemen did not try to remove any Of the
costly ccltents, but directed great
streams of water upon the roof and
through the windows.
Their efforts were in vain. Shortly
after their arrival the flames burst
through the windows and the building
was enveloped in flames. They were
soon quenched, but the great columns
of smoke which came from the win
dows prevented the firemen from enter
ing the building and they could fight
the fire only from the outside This
condition kept up until shortly before
noon when the volume of smoke de-
creased end the fire was checked.
The house was almost directly back
of the Elberon Hotel. 1t was situated
directly south of the old Garfield home,
where the martyred President died, and
which is now the property of former
United States Senator James Smith, jr
Mr.. Savin and his wife spent their
summers here and entertained lavishly.
Mr.. Savin is a member of the firm of
Savin Brothers bankers and brokers'
of Sc Broadway, New York. and is
prominent in financial circles.
Edward Miller, a fireman, was struck
by a falling pane of glass and painful
ly cut on the band, the flesh being laid
open to the bone He was taken to the
hospital William Nixon, fireman, was
cut over the eye by falling glass, and
was slightly injured.