New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
Heart of Atlantic City Bus
mess District Levelled
with $150,000 Loss.
MAYOR SIPS HIGHBALL
AS PROPERTY BURNS
Crowd of 100000 Watch Avi-
ator Soar Above Smoke
ClOuds-Several ReScueS.
lBy Telegraph to The Tr'bunc.l

Atlantic City. n. j.. Aug. 2O.-One
hundred thousand visitors ana resi-
dents are passing in review tonight
before the ruins between Pennsyl-
yania and Mansion Avenues of what
last evening was the busiest business
section Of the Boardwalk. hanging
electric signs, smoking embers and
parties searching the debris for valu-
ables all att5ac. attention, and while
both ends Of the Esplanade are de-
serted. the jam between Virginia Ave
nue. and South Carolina. a distance Of
three squares. Is taxing the strength
of the police reserves.
Half Of the Boardwalk has been
ronod off. and this tends TO increase
,,s u1Rs, in this small area. Already
Mavor Riaie. the heaviest owner and
loeer has a force of men clearing away
the burned timber. in hopes of rushing
a brick and concrete building 10 COM
pletion before the close of the season
Mr.. Riddle, with his characteristic
smils. stood opposite the hre during
its height. and when 1t was suggested
that ? highball would not go BAD sald'
Lead me TO IT," and left the scene 70
onioy the drink. while Sl),OVo OF MS
property blazed away. -,
The Mayor has agreed not to rebulld
if tho hotels in the immediate vicinity
will nav ground rentals for the next
ten wears. The Strand Hotel Com
ranv. il is said. has agreed to heip
have this ground made into park.
tbns qivirg their guests and those OF
Tho Cbalfonte. Seaside and Haddon
Han an unobstructed view for several
squares along the beach.
Tho IRE started while guests were at
luncheon in the nearby hotels. within
ten minutes the block was mass OF
flames. All the structures were OF
frame and the Boardwalk beneath
formed a suiceway for draft. ne
fremen were commanded by Chief
BLACK. DR.. J. Chalmers Da Costa. OF
Philadelphia. and Chief Arthur En-
rich. of Baltimore, hero OF the Dig
Maze in that city a few years ago.
Seven streams of water were played
from the Hotel Strand in addition "a
the fire department lines. Had the
Strand. which lies directly back OF the
burned structures, been constructed OF
ANYTHING but brick and concrete, noth-
/ ing could have saved it. Smoke hllec
the rooms and several hundred guests
we're driven out. Miss Gertrude
| Decker. daughter of +. II. Decker, OF
/ Baltimore, who was i'll in one of the
/ front rooms, was carried into the sea
/ side House, across the street. at Penn
/ svlvania Avenue. Kenneth Jaquitf
| scared over the burning area in al
aeroplane while the fire was at its
/ height.
The blaze Is thought to have started
/ from defective insulation in the base
ment of Rothschild's jewelry store. or
| the Boardwalk Within twenty min
utes Huyler's confectionery store. Var
Ault's Toyland, the Porto Rico lace
/ shop, Dittrich's photo studio and sew
eral smaller stores were in flames
Dittrich places his loss in stock a.
| $4,000, uninsured. More than 100000
/ negatives were destroyed. together witt
| 5000 in cash left behind because of the
quick spread of the flames.
| Van Ault places his loss at $4,000