New-York tribune., 1908-06-09
THE GRAMATAN BURNS
GUESTS FLEE THE FLAMES
One Wing of Big Bronr Inn To-
tally Destroyed.

the time rushed out in alarm. Many lost their
| personal property
The Bronxville Fire Department was helpless
| in the face of the flames, and aid was summoned
from nearby places. The entire population of
Bronxville turned out to fight the fire. and,
strange to say. injured.
Engines and fire companies responded to the
call for help from New Rochelle, Tuckahoe.
Mount Vernon and Yonkers The damage
placed at S150,O00, partly covered by insurance.
Chief Mulcahey. of Yonkers. said an explosion
in the east wing of the building probably from
an upset lamp the cause of the fire.
Although the water pressure was light at the
top of the hill where the hotel situated, the
fremen finally conquered the flames, though not
until the wing of the hosiery where the fire
started had been destroyed More than half of
the guests returned to the hotel after the fire
had been extingushed.
The fire started In one of the guests rooms on
the second floor, about 1915 o'clock shortly
after the close of musical. which had been held
for the benefit of the guests. 1t discovered
by of the bellboys who ran through the
hotel blowing police whistle. The alarm was
taken up and porters dashed through the hall
ways, while others ran to the house of the vol
unteer fire company, a short distance away
HOTEL STANDS ON A HILL.
The hotel is situated on a high piece of
ground, and is approached by an exceedingly
steep marble stairway. AT the top of the stair
way the two elevators. These elevators were
kept running until the last of the guests had
been taken safely to the bottom.
The telephone girl at the hotel stuck to her
post, answering calls to the extent of the
fire. until she obliged to leave the switch
board.
The majority of the guests had not retired,
and many of the and women, in evening
dress, clasping their valuables. ran pancstricken
into the street. Several of the women barely
escaped in their nightclothes and were taken
to nearby houses. where they were provided with
wearing apparel.
Adjoining the hotel were number of out
buildings. One, a large one called the "Bache-
lors' Quarters containing about fifty men, was
the first of these structures 70 catch fire. The
occupants had a chance to save most of their
belongings The garages and stables belonging
to the hotel, situated a short distance down the
road the firemen were able to save.
The glare from the burning building lighted
up the country for miles around Many of the
women guests still wore their jewelry and as
they stood in groups watching the fire the scene
seemed more one of rejoicing than of mourning.
While the buildings were burning the late trains
sengers left the trains they Joined in the work
of fighting the flames.
HALF-CLAD GUESTS ON TRAIN.
When the train the Harlem River branch
of the New York Central Railroad bound for
New York, which is due to leave Bronxville at
IL :46 o'clock, pulled into the station, 1t was i'm
mediately crowded with guests from the hotel
Many of them half attired. and what
clothes were saved We're distributed among
them. BY the time the train reached New
York many of the friends of the passengers
were hand to greet them.
AS the officials of the New York Cen
trail heard of the fire they ordered a special
train to go TO Bronxville and bring all who
wanted to come TO New York, as the last regu-
lar train had departed.
Charles NJ Brown, guest at the hotel. with
his wife, who critically i'll with typhoid
fever, was seen his arrival at the Grand
Central Station. II was on the ground floor
when the fire started, and II sounded to me
like explosion said Mr. Brown "Immedi-
ately ran to my room. the second floor.
My wife had heard the cries of fire and was
much alarmed With the aid of her nurse we
succeeded in getting her safely to the street,
but with no time to spare"
Among the others that arrived the first
train were J. j. Lannin. the manager. and his
Mccall Publishing Company; Manager McEnroe,
William Patterson, of No 220 West 47th street;
the Rev. DR.. Myer. of London, who only arrived
in this country few days ago, and Mr.. and
Mrs. G. L. Slade and George Sade.
GUEST TELLS OF EXPLOSION.
Mr. Thornehill said he was on the first floor
of the hotel when he heard explosion and
saw flames coming out of of the windows
he He IN md
Selling dress suit case. ran out with it AS he
turned to go back for the remainder Of his be-
Iongings he spied three men watching the fire,
and pressed them into service, thus saving
everything he had in the hotel According to
several OF the guests. a number of women lost
their children in the uproar, and 1t was some
time before they were reunited
The building cost about 100000 and was of
stucco and iron largely. 1t was built eight years
ago to replace smaller hotel which was burned
down The original building was of wood. and
the new building erected with an idea OF
avoiding such fire ruined the first building.
The Hotel Gramatan was considered one of
the finest suburban hostleries ever erected in
the metropolitan district Owing to the ideal
site it occupied. amid charming rural scenery.
its nearness to the city and its efficient man
agement. it quickly became popular. and it's
.t+rsctiveness has steadily increased. There
wore reports recently that the hotel would be
enlarged and that another of similar de- |
SIGN construction and size would be erected in
the Bronxville district
The Gramatan had 260 sleeping rooms. divided
into two hundred suites. with baths. 1t also
had a large ballroom. where hops were held
every Saturday night. 1t was open all the year
and was managed by the J. ]. Lannin Com
pany. also managers of the Garden City Hotel