Evening star., 1909-09-13
HoImehurst Inn, Edgemere,
L. l., Entirely Destroyed.
FIFTY GUESTS IN HOUSE
Prompt Action and Heroic Work
Prevent Loss of Life.
OWNER RESCUED BY HER SON
Bravery of Elevator Boy in the
Work of Saving Lives.
Loss, 100000.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK. September 13.-Fanned by
a heavy ocean breeze, a fire which was
discovered at o'clock this morning In
the Holmehurst Inn. a four-story frame
structure on Seaview avenue Edgemere,
l. l.. gained rapidly upon the fire fight
ers and in hour had reduced the struc-
ture TO an ash heap.
The inn was four-story structure, con-
tanning 100 rooms. and was estimated to
be worth 100000.
Fifty guests and the owner Mrs Maud
Holme. were asleep in the hotel when the
blaze was first discovered. The flames
had already made escape by the stairway
impossible, and a general panic was the
result, followed by a stampede for the
second-story windows. These opened on
90 a porch, from which twenty guests
leaped TO the ground.
Others were taken down by ladders and
Mrs Holme was rescued by her son after
she had started to jump from foudth-
story window. He entered over the porch
10y means of a ladder and ran to his
mother two stories farther up Spectators
on the outside shouted to her not to
jump as she was hesitating on the win
dow ledge. Her son seized her and car
ried her down the stairs to the second
story windows. from which she was
passed down the ladder to the ground.
Suffered From Fire Year Ago.
A year ago in August the inn suffered
d similar although less disastrous fire,
and Mrs. Holme, the owner. has been
nervous and in fear of a fire throughout
the entire season this year. Her fears
were added to by the recent fire in Rock
away Park. In which seven orphan chill
dren lost their lives. This fear, it is
thought by her son, is what made her
collapse this morning when she looked
,hown over the stairway from her room
and found the fire eating its way up from
the bottom.
The fire was similar in origin to that at
St Malachy's Home in Rockaway Park.
for It was discovered in the laundry in
the basement and spread upward with
the same rapidity through the sleeping
quarters above, but in this case the roll
call of guests after 1t was over disclosed
that all were present and accounted for,
and that none had been overlooked in the
rush for exits.
Night Watchman William Valley dscov-
y
morning rounds. 1t was then confined to
the laundry, where 1t originated. He called
William Holme. son of the owner, and
they began to fight the fire, while cab
man who was passing hurried to the
nearest alarm box to turn in an alarm.
Made Rapid Progress.
Before the department responded the
fire had gained great headway and was
consuming the kitchen directly above the
laundry. A second alarm was sent in at
once. while the volunteer fire department
added its quota of men to those of the
regular department.
As the fire gathered force the noise OF
its cracking could be heard for blocks.
and this brought cottagers and hotel
residents the run from all directions.
They formed bucket brigade, but as the
wind whipped loose the burning embers
many were forced to run for their own
houses to wet down the roofs. Burning
fagots were carried as far as a quarter
OF mile away and were dropped pro-
miscuously over the surrounding roofs.
Heroic Elevator Boy.
Praise for the inns elevator boy was
freely given by all who came out of the
burning building. They declared that he
through the rooms on every floor
arousing the guests with cries of fire. and
then ran his elevator steadily UP and
down, assisting the panic-stricken
people into Il. until finally the insulation
burned off the wires and forced him to
abandon it. After the heat and flames
prevented his reaching the ground floor
he made trips from the fourth floor to
he second.
Only one of the frightened guests
thought of his possessions in the rush
TO get out This was Mr. Hardy, who
said he came from England He threw
his trunk out of a second-story window
and then jumped after 1t.
The ground surrounding the houses was
planted down in flowers and was loose
soil, so it is to this fact that is credited
the failure of those who jumped to re-
ceive serious injuries.
The nifty guests who had come out in
ali sorts of array and disarray, were
taken at once to the Halfway House
nearby. and being cared for there.
TIE inns register was rescued and a
checking of the names upon 1t with those
Of the guests who reported to the Half
Way Hou. disclosed the fact that all
were accounted for.