The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-06-10
HOTEL FIRE
IMPERILS
40 LIVES
The Breakers at Spring
Lake Destroyed
Are Overcome.
UNCONSCIOUS WOMEN =
CARRIED TO SAFETY
Residents in Nearby Cottages
Forced to Flee for Lives
in Night Clothes.

Especial TO the Evening starJ
SPRING LAKE, June 10-The lives
Of forty guests and servants in "The
Breakers" and of cottagers in the VII
cinity were threatened here early to-
day, when the fashionable hotel was
destroyed by fire. Eight servant girls
in apartments adjoining that in which
the fire was first discovered were found
overcome with smoke and carried to
safety. After II was believed that all
of the occupants of the big structure
had safely gained the outer air, fire.
men discovered in her apartment on an
upper floor Mrs. R. T. Randolph, who
in an endeavor to reach her door had
been overcome. With the unconscious
woman in his arms the fireman who
discovered her fought his way back
through the smoke and flames to safety.
Have Marrow Escape.
Sleeping occupants of the Grass cot
tage and the Surf cottage. which be-
came ignited by sparks from the burn
ing hotel, were awakened barely In
time to make their escape in their
night clothes. The hotel is a total loss,
and the interiors of the cottages were
burned out before the flames were
checked.
1t was shortly before midnight that
John H. EckeL clerk, detected the odor
of burning wood. He investigated.
When he opened the door to a room
above the kitchen he was driven back
by gust of smoke and flame. Arous-
ing some OF the guests Eckei made his
way back to the section Of the hotel in
the immediate vicinity of the blaze and
began to wake the occupants of the
rooms.
Smoke had already penetrated the
crevices in doors and windows, and
eight young women servants In the
hotel could not be aroused. They had
been overcome. The clerk and his res
Icuing party managed to carry the VIC
tins to the outer air and hastened to
arouse the occupants of the other
rooms, most of whom were asleep.
/ Find Woman senseless.
1t was thought that everyone had
been saved when Firemen Marucci.
John Ger and Matthew Miccue entered
the apartment which was occupied by
Mrs. Randolph. Marucci, who was in
advance. almost stumbled over the
woman, who lay on the floor half way
between her bed and the door She
was carried to a nearby cottage and
medical aid was summoned
Mrs. S. E. Uric, wife of the proprie-
tor of the Essex and Sussex hotel; her
guest Miss johnson, and four servants
were asleep in the Surf cottage when
they were aroused by the hubbub which
followed the discovery of fire in the
hotel only to become aware that the
cottage was in flames. All made their
escape and later some of their belong
ings were rescued from the cottage.
In the Grass cottage in the rear of
THE Breakers were Miss Clara E.
Grass, her mother and her brother
Edgar. They were awakened and
forced to fee from the cottage in their
night clothing after the flames from
the burning hotel were communicated
to the cottage.
Immediately after the guests had
been piloted from the burning Break
ers' it was seen that the hotel was
doomed. It seemed possible that the
Essex and Sussex and the New Mon
mouth, which are in line with "The
Breakers" might also be destroyed II
the flames were communicated to them.
and frantic appeals for aid were tele-
phoned the nearby resorts. Manasquan
and Asbury Park responded with five
engines.
Ffremen I'm Fight.
/ fesc
started for the scene of the fire from
Bradley Beach, but were stopped by
the police of the town, acting, 1t is said.
under orders. The firemen were deter
mined and a fistic battle between the
representatives of the two organiza-
tions took place in the firehouse. Chief
Wilkinson. of the police force. was so
severely injured that it was necessary
to summon physician from Asbury
Park to attend him. Others OF the po-
lice and fremen combatants were in
! jured before the battle was brought to
an end The fremen did not reach
Spring Lake.
1t was not until long after midnight
that the fire was declared to be under
| control and the other two big hotels
and adjacent cottages out of danger.
THE Breakers" was considered one OF
the most exclusive hotels on the coast.
| 1t was on the ocean front, was four
stories In height and built of brick and
wood. 1t was the property of State
Senator Oliver H Brown. Of Monmouth
county.
Spring Lake has no fire department
of its own. and but for the aid contrib
uted by neighboring towns the cottages
and hotels in the neighborhood Of this
burning Breakers" would have been ct
the mercy of the flames.