Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-28
BIG FIRE ON CONEY ISLAND
Two Hundred Structures on New
YOrk's Fairgrounds Destroyed.
LOSS Is OVER TWO MILLIONS
DrezmIEnd. Ferrarf'E Animal show,
scenic Railroad and other At
fractions BurD-There IA
No LOas of Life.

NEW YORK. May g7.-Consy Island, the
playground OF New York suffered the
worst fire disaster IN its history early
TODAY. Dreamland. the largest OF the
amusement parks was wiped out and about
four blocks adjoining. covered with booths,
restaurants hotels, moving picture thea
ters and resorts OF various types. were de-
stroyed.
The fire broke out at . O'Clock in the
morning end WAS not under control until
three and a half hours later. The loss will
amount 10 between S2OOO,OOe and Ss.OOO. 600
In all about 200 buildings were burned
down and perhaps 2000 persons conces-
sionaires and empioyes-were turned into
the streets homeless and penniless. No
lives were lost.
The burned area represents nearly q
third Of the entire amusement city, AL OF
which would undoubtedly have gone in the
teeth Of a strong wind, hut for the fact
that Cuney Island. with q high pressure
water system especially designed for fire
protection, is better guarded against q dis
Aster Of this kind than any other s1rnilar
resort In the world.
The fire Was discovered, a tiny blaze
in the tRrred scaffolding OF Hell Gate" =
scenic railway close to the entrance Of
Dreamland-
BlAse Fazned by Gale.
Twenty minutes after frightened watch
man had turned IN three alarms. one after
another. as fast rs his thumbs could press
the key. all Dreamland-ten acers Of Eaudy,
closely packed buildings. was one blAse.
The flaBes, urged by n struns wind. were
visible for nearly fifteen rnilsa
Close to Hell Gate" where the fare
started, was the FerrArT1s animal show.
and nearer yet the infant incubator, a
charity nursery. IN which were six wee in
fants and their attendants The children
were taken out IN their little glass houses
and rushed out OF danger by the police.
Then came the work OF taking out the
animals a costly collection including sew
eral dangerous man-eaters. The animals
were in a panic. Their roaring could be
heard for many blocks above the cracking
Of the flames and the throbhing Of -hs
engines. The trainers lost no time While
policemen with drawn revolvers stood Al
the entrance TO guard the crowd tn the
streets against any beasts that might es-
cape, the attendants drove their charges
from the cages down the runwHys into the
emergency vans which are always ready.
The fire spread so rapidly that sixty OF
the los animals were left 10 die in the
flames. One large lion which escaped was
killed by 4 squad OF police.
One Man An Missing.
There were several marrow escapes among
employees and performers who were in their
beds when the fire started. but ali were ae-
counted for this morning. except property
man connected with FerTar1's animal show
| The burned area extends from Third tc
! Tenth streets and from Surf avenue 70 tht
sea. and equals eight city blocks. The
management Of Dreamland place their loss
Bt S20000Oo. and that on the other bIild-
/ ings and amusement enterprises viii bS
about Sl000.000 more. The animals burned
/ 10 death were valued Al 10000. The
/ Bs1meT baths were destroyed. Twenty
! four individual shows were burned besides
number 0f restaurants and smaller IN
/ terprises.
] Ths only animals saved from Ferrari'
shows were two lions. a leopard. twt
llamRs. two monkeys and six ponies. IN,
others. Including six lions twenty-foui
monkeys, sighf 1eopards. a baby elephant
I ponies bear cubs and nRmsk we're 50 ter
rtfied by the flames that they refused
I 10 be driven into wheeled cagsz. kept OF
4 hand for shifting them.
In addition 10 Black PTdnoe the lion ths'
1 died pierced by a hundred bullets. a leopard
/ and a baboon ESCAPED from their cage,
and ran among the crowd. POhcenen aho
! them both