The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-13
Women Jump to Safety
and Men Below Catch
Children.
SHIP AFIRE AT SEA, JERSEY
COAST WATCHERS THOUGHT
Boy Hero Runs Elevator
Through Smoke and Flame as
H0lmeshurst Inn Burns.

Cottagers and guests of the summer
hotels along the New Jersey coast as
far south as Bay Head were amazed
today to learn that the glow in the SKY
early this morning which was cause1,
they believed by burning ship at sea,
was in reality the result of coniagra-
ton which destroyed the Holmeshurst
Hotel. in Edgemere. L. l.
So great was the glare from the blaz-
ing structure that ships stood out black
against the background of light, and
All seemed to be hurrying toward the
scene Of the fire All along the coast
hundreds watched the phenomenon
without understanding Its meaning un-
til today.
Many narrow and exciting escapes
marked the progress of the flames
which laid low the big four-story
frame structure. Men and women
leaped from windows. Children were
thrown out and caught by men below.
and others penned in on upper floors
when the fire and smoke cut off the
stairway and elevator, were rescued by
firemen.
Chief William Lawrence, of Far Rock
away. declared today that he did not
believe any lives were lost, but that IL
would be impossible to tell definitely
until all of the guests and employees
now sheltered in cottages We're rounded.
up.
Seventy-nve guests and twenty em-
ployees were in the building when the
alarm was sounded The hotel had
been rebuilt since the fire which des-
troyed 1t year ago.
The fire which the proprietor said
was of ncendiary origin, started In
the basement and worked up through
the frame structure so rapidly that the
entire first floor was ablaZe before the
guests were given the alarm. Whne
most of them were able to leave by
the stairways, half-dozen, among
them two women. leaped from a second
story balcony but were not seriously
hurt.
The guests were cared for in neigh
boring cottages The building was
valued at $4,000.
William Holmes, a son of the owner,
ran to his mothers room on the second
floor and found their escape cut off
by a wall of flame. They were forced
to jump, but were not hurt. The
mother and son waited until their
guests were al out before they at
tempted to escape.
A strong sea breeze famed the
flames and in five minutes it was seen
that the building was doomed.
Several women who had reached the
ground in safety rushed back in search
of children or jewelry, but were taken
out safely by the firemen
Several guests who wefe staying at
the inn could not be found after the
fire, but were believed to have found
shelter in nelghboring cottages.
A little negro elevator boy was the
particular hero OF the night. More
than half of the guests in the hotel
were women and children. Three times
the hoy ran his car to the fourth leor
through smoke ana flame. On the last
trip the Insulation burned out and the
car was storped between the first and
second floors. The boy got the door
open somehow and the guests es-
capped.
The hotel ledger WAS one OF the rev.
pieces of property rescued, and with
it's aid it viii be possible for firemen
to make complete poll Of the guests
in the hotel