The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-20
OVERCOME
 TRYING TO SAVE
 GEMS FROM FIRE
Hotel Bartender Trapped in Flames, Jumps From Sec
 ond Story Window.
HOTEL AND COTTAGE
 ON SHORE DESTROYED
Volunteer Fire Companies PoWerless at Beach With
 Low Water Pressure.

Fire that is believed to have orig mated from carelessness upon the part of trespassers last night in Carey's dancing pavilion, Walnut Beach, caused $3O,0OO damage largely covered by insurance.
 Besides the dancing pavilion, the Sound View hotel was burned to the ground and a small cottage connected with Fftzgibbon's hotel, was gutted. Other hotels and cottages in the inn mediate vicinity were ablaze at vari- ous times during the height of the fire but the flames were extinguished by the owners and hastily formed bucket brigades.
 Narrow escapes from death were recorded. John Leichle, the Sound View proprietor, and his wife, who were sleeping soundIy, were awakened in time to leave the building in their n1ghtclothes. A bartender was com pelled to jump from a second story window, and two Devon f1remen, Alex ander Blakes1ey and Harry Newcomb, who ventured into the building to save some jewelry belonging to Mrs. Leich1e. were overcome and dragged from the building by their comrades. Both received treatment from Dr. J. W. Ives. B1akesley's condition is said to be serious today.
 That the fire could have been con- trolled from the start had not the water pressure furnished from New Haven been so low as to preclude a stream carrying above the second story is testified to by members of the Devon and other departments, called to the scene from Walnut Beach, SiI- yer Beach and Fort Trum bull Beach
 Residents of Walnut Beach spent the night and early morning hours without sleep for sparks were rising to a great height and a, change in the wind threatened complete destruction of the summer resort The ruins were snnoulderinE to a late hour this afternoon although streams of water had been thrown into the em- bers.
 The Sound View hotel, which is the largest structure burned, is separated from Carey's dancing pavilion by, a three foot passage way. It was built 19 years ago at a cost of $20,oo0 by Charles A. Doh herty, of Milford. It with a, frontage of 90 feet on the Sound, and 26 feet depth. There were 26 rooms in all. MT. Doherty oper- ated the hotel for IA years, turning it over to MT. Leichle- It has been a most successful hotel. The Carey Dancing pavilion was built several years ago at a cost of $1 1900. Insur- | ance amounting to $8,0O0 was carried on the hotel and $1,O00 on the dance hall. It is understood that the Fitz- | 1s- 900 was but slightly insused.
 The fire was no~ discovered until nearly midnight when John O'Brien and R. c. Gilbert, cottagers at the beach passed the dance hall. The inside of the structure near the ho- tel kitchen was then ab1aze. Flames
 were seen through the cracks of the
 building. Alarms of fire were sent to adjoining towns and a, hue and cry was raised in the beach, which was responded to by every available male resident.
 The Devon department was among the first companies to respond and with Trumbu1l beach and Silver beach departments stretched hose from all hydrants in the vicinity. It was found that the water pressure was very weak and, a stream could not be sent into the second story windows of the ho- tel, which was then afire. Calls to the New Haven Water Go. did not result in relief.
 MT. and Mrs. Leichle and bar tender had returned about II o'clock. MT. Leichle has been suffering from blood poisoning in his right foot. All were sleeping soundIy and it was nec- essary for the firemen and others to ! break in theA doorway and grope (Continued on Page 3.)