Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-20
ATLANTIC CITY'S
BOARDWALK FIRE-SWEPT
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started to dress for lunch after a dip IN
| the surf
The screams Of the frightened guests
could be heard for fully block.
The sight OF women and children hang
ing out OF the windows attracted crowd
OF fully 1900 persons who thronged the
Boardwalk and impeded the work OF the
firemen.
STRAND GUESTS FLEE.
Employees Of the Strand rushed through
the building assuring the frightened
guests and giving all the assistance pos
sibie under the circumstances.
dNhe management Of the Seaside oppo-
site the Strand, on Pennsylvania avenue,
opened its doors to the refugees.
Within 10 minutes after the blaze was
discovered throng of $1,000 persons had
gathered from every section NJ the
Island. The beach was a black mass Of
humanity right out to the oceans edge
"hile beyond several more thousands
watched In water up to their waists.
The whole western frontage OF the
shops collapsed at l;l5, sending out a
Noicano OF name which scOrched the paint
walk ''''
The firemen were fighting madly with a
struggling hose. One of them, Joseph
Horrocks, of 7 South Rhode Island ave-
nue., was struck in the eye by the nozz a
and seriously injured.
Among the places destroyed by the
names up to l o'clock, less than an hour
atter the flames were discovered are:
The Quaker Tea Rooms on Pennsvl-
vania avenue between the Boardwalk and
the Strand Hotel
The store of NJ. Rothschild opticians
at I'LL Boardwalk
They Kayser silk Store. 1l13 Board
walk.
The Van Aults Toyland Shop at iii.
VALUABLE STOCKS DESTROYED.
Costly silks, rugs and china were de-
stroyed when the Japanese Auction Shop,
AT lIO' boardwalk, went up IN flames.
The Hartman stock brokerage offices.
on the second floor OF the burned stores.
was destroyed when huge electric cigar
sign, weighing many tons, collapsed and
crashed through the roofs of the blazing
structures.
Great showers Of sparks drove the
crowd back half block.
Huyler's candy store, at the corner no
North Carolina avenue. was wiped out
THRILLING ESCAPES.
There were thrilling escapes from the
second story OF the buildings facing the
boardwalk as the flames spread from the
little restaurant to the main structure.
occupied by chop-suey restaurant, a
tenant OF the Hartman brokerage Of
hces' -Four white men and two Chinese
were IN the chop-suey place, and the
Greht crowd stared when they, appeared
on the roof.
rope was thrown from the Hotel
strand. When dense clouds of black
smoke shut them from view spectators
feared they had been lost. and a shout
went up as the smoke pail raised and
they were seen sliding to safety by the
rope line.
David II. Lane, sage OF the Republican
organization In Philadelphia, has a suite
of rooms at the Strand but the ''old war
horse and his family are In Phiiadel-
phia for the day.
Atlantic city, as usual, was fortunate.
high wind would have been a calamity
Instead, there was a total absence OF
wind. A constant sheet OF water washed
The front Of the towering Strand.
FLAMES UNDER CONTROL.
Al 1880 the flames were under control.
but the block was a masa OF oharred
ruins. The Strand. its walls blackened by
smoke and the hundreds OF broken win
dow panes, Is visible from the esplanade
It's hreproof construction and fhe fact
the nremen threw tons OF water on Il was
the only thing that saved the big hotel.