Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-21
FIRE AROUSES SHORE
TO ACTION ON PLAN
FOR BIG WATER PLANT
Mayor to Call City Commission
Meeting to Consider
Two-Foot Main
Project
RIDDLE TO BUILD BETTER
Fireproof Buildings to Replace Frame
Structures That Fed Flames
on Boardwalk

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., Aug. PA
huge pipe line, two feet In diameter, with
the sea for a reservoir and gigantic
pumps ready TO deluge any point on the
beach front that may be attacked by fire
will be Atlantic City's profit from the
blaze that yesterday menaced the hotel
district while II wiped out 100000 worth
of property.
Today Mayor Riddle heaviest loser by
the blaze, will issue call for a special
meeting of the City Commission to take
up the beach front belt line high pres
sure main project. IL Is no new enter
prise IL was talked of about 10 years
ago and seriously discussed last year
when the cost was placed at close to
million dollars. At that time the enter
prise was shelved temporarily, because
insurance men were not prepared 10
guarantee that II would bring an imme-
diate reduction OF Insurance rates. There
will be a utilltarian side to the huge salt
water main project. Cottages and small
boarding houses may have salt water
baths at a modest cost the same as the
large caravansaries. What they pay LOT
this service will nearly or quite meet the
running expenses.
RIDDLE OPTIMISTIC.
Mayor Riddle views his loss in an opti-
mistlc spirit. He says the destruction OF
the small buildings probably was the
best thing that could have happened, lot
he believes there will arise from the
ruins more imposing buildings and greater
attractions in that section than ever
before.
Hotelmen having declined to consider
his proposition that the site of the hre
be made an open park, through an ar
rangement whereby he should receive
from those benefited a sum equivalent 10
the interest upon the value entaileo'
Mayor Riddle today took up plans lor
a new structure of much larger and inner
and more permanent character than that
which fell prey to flames.
BIG OFFER TO RIDDLE.
II is quite possible that the ground Will
be covered with a great hotel structure
erected through joint arrangement be-
tween Riddle and George Alien, OF Phila'
delphia, owner of the nearby Strand, who
has desired a sea frontage for the Strand
for several years. Yesterday Allen, II is
said. offered S225, 900 to Riddle for the half
! block OF Boardwalk frontage, with tho
! smoking ruins upon 1t.
Pending working out of the hotel prof.
| ect, the row of brick stores racing the
| Boardwalk between Pennsylvania ana
| Presbyterian avenues, where the hre
| ragged will be built so that subsequently
| they may be incorporated into motel
| structure, the plans providing for foun-
dations capable of bearing R-story
building.
Hotel men who have been at war with
! him for several years because OF his
| views on the subject of Sunday observ-
| ance, have almost forgiven Riddle pc
cause of the optimism and Initiative ne
has shown under the loss of $4,000 he
sustained yesterday. The fire has served
to call attention to the fact that Riddle
has the courage of his convictions in ad-
vocatinE a wide-open Sunday at the
shore. II that sort of thing should ever
come to pass and should prove fall
ure, as many are positive 1t would, Rid
die would lose nearly as much as any
! individual in the town.
Another benefit arising from the fire
will be the establishment of thoroughly
organized Rubbish Bureau, an adjunct
! of the Fire Department the belief pre-
| vailing i'm some quarters that a match
| dropped into waste started the blaze.
Not less than 10000 people last night
| and this morning stood as long as the
Boardwalk police would permit and mar
veIed that the big fire was confined to
the frame structures in which it started.
The cracked windows in the seafronf
| of the Strand, sections of copper coping
which melted and fell, and the cracked
mirrors, % feet back from the Boardwalk
| line on the Steeplechase Pier, bore testi-
mony TO the intensity of the heat.
FIGHT BLAZE WITH SAND.
1t is now believed that the saving of
! the big Steeplechase, with its innumer-
able amusement features, was due to
! fire fighting with sand. Having had
similar experience at Coney Island some
| years ago, when Luna Park was wiped
| out the management sent force of en-
ployes to the beach. While one force on
| the upper deck kept streams OF water
! playing on the Boardwalk and the front
! of the pier, the other, below, kept up
! bombardment of sand to prevent the
! flames leaping the 60-foot gap under the
! Boardwalk Great credit also is given
| the fire department of the Hotel Strand.
| Guests had such confidence in the porters
! and bellboys, with Frank OF, as chief.
who handled six hose lines, that card
| game, arranged by Mrs. Frank Eaton,
! continued, except for a brief interruption.
The Philadelphia colony today accepts,
seriously, the reports that a huge hotel,
a part eventually OF the adjoining Strand,
will go up on the site of the burned build
| ings This is not definitely determined,
| but plans have been prepared for row
| OF handsome freproof stores that subse-
quently may be incorporated in hotel
structure.
Huge electric signs along the wooden
way probably will have TO come down.
! Yesterdays fire demonstrated that they
! are a menace OF no uncertain kind.
Temporary quarters for fire-evicted ten
| ants will be provided on Steeplechase