New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-31
CHILDREN'S HOME BURNS
ST. MAL4CHYS WIPED OUT
1T ROCKAWAY PARK.
Thousand Boys and Girls Taken
from Buildings in Safety-One
Sleeps Through 1t Ill.

Curied up in his crib. five-year-Old Edward
Tolan slept sOundy last night while one thou
sand other boss and girls. whose ages range
from two TO fourteen years. either marched out
or were carried fr"m -. Malachys Roman
Catholic Home. at RockaWay Park while fire
men fought the flames which eventually de
stroyed the entire plant The little fellow
taken out IN the arms of fireman and ne
awoke when deposited among his companions.
The buildings which comprised the home COW
cred the square bounded by First and Second
avenues. the Boardwalk and Rockaway Boule-
ward. Some of the buildings five stories
high but the majority were smaller. All We're
Of frame construction and equipped with broad
fire escapes it having been recognized that If
fire ever broke out the flames would quickly eat
through the plant. The fire started last night
In the engine room shortly before : o'clock.
Four alarms turned in and in short
space of time fully ter thousand persons hal
gathered at the scene
The younger children had gone 10 bed at
O'Clock The others were In the chapel in chaTg"
of two of the priests. Father kiyIoy, who is at
the head Of the home was informed that the
buildings were on fire by persons who had seen
flames bursting out from an airshaft over the
engine room He Immediately sounded the me
gong. calling all the twenty five sisters and ar
equal number of lay assistants in the home. and
the work Of clearing the buildings Of children
Was begun.
Those who were in the chapel marched ont
quietly in charge of the sisters and took up their
position about a quarter of a mile from the
burning buildings The priests. sisters and lay
assistants then turned their attention 70 the
younger children many Of whom were still
sleeping in their cribs
In the fire drill which Father Kivloy had ar
ranged the children were divided into sections.
Each section was marshalled by a sister and "a
lay assistant and taken down the broad fire
escapes No time lost in carrying out
clothing or articles of value
Meanwhile the fremen had reached the scene
and with the assistance Of volunteers were get
ting ont clothing and bedding for the children.
Father Kivloy and his assistants carried out the
sacred vessels. vestments and the other fittings
~ the chapel The members Of Engine Company
is3 were ordered into the burning dor'nitories
To- see n any of the occupants had been left be
hind All returned empty handed except the
fir,rnan who found little Edward Toian still
sleeping peacefully in his crib When the little
fellow vas pat down the ground he woke up
and hurried 90 his comrades. who were lined NJ
ON the beach.
Many ~ the children found temporary quar-
tors i'm the Hebrew Sanat"rium. which aGions
The Roman Catholic Home Others were taken
90 tb. Park Inn Curleys and other hotels in the
,-..iritv Many cottagcrs made room for some
~ TN. Uttl. waits and within hour after the
~. started the ma ipritv ~ them were under
,o,.r Tor the night This morning they will be
returned to the homes from which they came.
The buildings which they occupied We're '1d ana
were used in the summer only
Whom the fremen started To- work they found
that they Vere badly hampered by the low
water pres~,lre and poor hose. Eventually IL
,,,s seen that little could be done toward saw
,,, The burning buildings. and efforts We're CON
dned ~ keeping the ham-s within as narrow
a radius as possible The wind was moving
IN from, th, ocean So that the flames and sparks
y.er. carried toward Jamaica Bay There was
rotbine Of Importance in this direction which
tbs sharks could reach but had the wind been
hrovin, along the shore in either direction many
rsr,. hotels and fine cottages would have put
the erernsn and their meagre facilities to Sc
we're test
At Io o.cloct the ire IN 81. Ma'achy's Home
WAS under control The buildings were stillf
turniu. hut Deputy chief Lawrence said that
b. dfd not think that the flames would spread
The IRE had then eaten big hole into the
.I,,etar ~ buildings. leaving them in such con
dition that IL will De useless to attempt 10 re
palr them The chapel and the whole southwest
corner of the plant were destroyed. Nearly
ever, ronf was burned of and not building
.scap4J without some mark of the rush Of the
flames
TWO CHILDREN DEAD FROM BURNS.