New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-28
Steeplechase Park Burned in
1907, Costing Tilyou
S1,2oo,000.
PREVIOUS FIRES THAT HAVE
SWEPT CONEY ISLAND.

The islands first big fire Of sunta
afternoon. January s, 1898. started in {;
laboratories Of Or. Albert Chambers's dr4
store. and the pig West End Hotel Joa
Y. McKanes big iron and wooden oose'y
otorv and a score Of smaller building
we're wiped out. causing a damage o, so
non Or. Chambers was the postmaster 2
conev Island at the time He and 4.
wife had gone calling, leaving the t'g'
store in charge OF boy. The Coney r..
and Casino, opposite the West End Hotel
was saved.
After two smaller fires IN a laps. o. ~,
years. one-half OF the island was assin
devastated on Thursday. May IS, 1875, cags'
ing $3.50. 600 damage. The fire started In ..
forenoon in an unoccupied photograph "a
lery. John Y. McKane's fathouses nesfN
were burned by sparks from Stuoenhon'
hotel, which was completely des'roys
The firemen made many thrilling rescre
from McKane's fa,houses. Thomas Bl
locks concert hall, ex-Police Captain III,
mans saloon, the Metropolitan Confer
Hall and many rookeries on Sea bs'c
Walk We're reduced 10 ashes. Ida Fos's'
place called The Hamburg, on Iron ~
Walk. went up In smoke, too, along VIII
Bob" Tilyou's dance hall.
A small blaze on September Is. ~ q
$4,000 damage, and then the resort
along without fire Of any consequs1s
until May %, 1929, when eight entire olo'n
Of buildings dropped off the map. w
blaze started in Mrs. Nellie Sleiers's pn"f
graph gallery and another in a nah"
pavilion al the end Of HenGerson's Nai
Two guests were saved by 4 hairs brea'u
f.cm Hunts hotel. The Departmen,
Buildings and the Board Of Heslth el
graduated themselves at the end o. u
fire upon the disappearance OK scores
germ infested rookeries and first ca.
firetraps The next blaze. on June
1899. did $4,000 damage.
Nearly q year elapsed before the fiery 81
ment pursed Coney again. This was
June 70. 1900. when $4,000 damage was
ficted and more undesirable buildings VI.
up I'm smoke. TO give way 10 saier a.
healthier amusement structures. More -
three years later, on Sunday, Noyemoe
1903. Coney's "Bowery" was wiped out
opening up that famous lane as 20
lie thoroughfare. Thompson & pun'p'
Darkness and Dawn" persisted at a
rlfice OF $4,000. along with dozen '
gardens and cheap dance halls IL was
days before the election OF Mayor No'~
Ian, and Tammany posters and caHpaf,
MI nfpih oil % -
that late Sunday afternoon sky
So many men were made homeless
the Supreme Court sent Justice NNiAr
Gaynor to Coney Island on Election ~
to hold a special term in order tna'
peaters" might be speedily brought W.
ticc.
The fire started in the laundry OF u' -.
batross Hotel, which was burned ao"s "a
HendersoHs concert hall and many 0"
In Tnyou's Walk. Fifty thousand s,r
Witnessed the fire ana hampereGr ne:
were arrested for arson, but we're Nv
victed. -, s,sece
The second largest fire wiped ouI y "a, r,s
chase Park on sunday, July y, ~ 'f,sorp
ing $4,000 damage. most of WI" rsrscc
&. Tilyou. the promoter, Sume,'u u,or,rccs
ally II started In paper me-. ...s'is, lad r
in The centre OF the park Tilyoa ss' a.
ceived Black Hand letters that u ,ssr, ~
three small fires were star'eu At ~
previous day. but were put ovN ,oos -
iire the concrete walks. which tiy,s s
riaco of wooden affairs win cotI'c, y
dcrneath. did not stop the spreSur Al
DANES Eight persons were lhiSunsd q
Bostock's Wild animals mrs. VIZ
iives Of many \ set Of chimes aug
Tilyou had erected IN memory o. ,n M ussrl
ter GLADYS. were melted down. Ihe'' ~ a
Srleved more over this loss than =
For his 100000 uninsured pf'P''
St.apigehaSG