New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-30
Flames Destroy Adjoining
Buildings; Menace the
Whole Section
Incendiary Suspected
Firemen of Twenty Companies
Fight Blaze Two Hours
in Shifting Winds

The most disastrous fire that Coney
Island has seen since 1910, when flames
wiped out Dreamlsnd. destroyed the
Parkway Baths, at Ocean Parkway and
the Boardwalk yesterday evening
burned down several one-story build
ings adjoining did 100000 damage ana
required five alarms and several special
calls before sufficient apparatus could
be assembled TO subdue IT.
For two hours the firemen o. twenty
companies fought to save the whole
section of the waterfront from going
I'D in smoke. The varying wind helped
10 make their task difficult. One MIN
ute it would be blowing fairly strong
from the east, driving the flames in one
direction; the next il would s"iteh
around from the west and push the
fire along another path.
Fire Marshal Thomas Brophy. city
police detectives and Federal agents
are investigating rumor that the
blaze was started by an incendiary'
So far no proof has been found.
Marshal Brophy informed Commits
sioner Adamson late last night that he
learned that a fire was discovered at
the same place on the boardwalk where
the later blaze had its origin last even
ing. Persons passing notified candy
man, who had a stand in the neighbor-
hood. He told the Marshal that he
poured two buckets of water on the
flames and extenguished them. Either
the fire was not put out entirely, or
else the blaze was rekindled later.
PatroIman Finds Blaze
The fire was discovered at 6:2o last
evening by Patrolman Thomas Graf
took, who while on his beat on the
boardwalk noticed spirals of smoke
drifting up through cracks in the
planking. He leaped over the side and,
peering beneath the structure, found
that the flames had already taken good
hold upon the sun-dried timbers.
Crsttock Immediately turned i'll an
alarm and notified James Eustis, as
sistent manager Of the Parkway Baths,
of the danger 10 his structure. THIS
building was three stories In helght
and covered a space 200 by 200 rect.
Earlier in the day members OF the WIN
ter bathing clubs--the Snow Birds and
the Polar Bears-had visited II, but
when the alarm was turned in Eustis
was alone in the building.
By the time the frat engines arrived
the ground floor OF the building was
ablsze. The fire swept up through the
interior. and Battalion Chief Rodgers
turned in a second, third and fourtn
alarms in rapid succession. The last
call brought Deputy Chief 0'Hars from
BROOKLYN headquarters. who on his ar
rival turned in a fifth alarm and sew
eral special calls.
Flames Spread Eastward
To the east Of the baths SPARKS ana
falling brands took hold upon the
Brighton Inn. run By Vincent Padula,
and the fre ran from this building to
drug store, a shooting gallery and sew
erai other ore story buildings.
During the height of the fire vessels
lying off Sandy Hook played their
searchlights on the threatened build
ings.
The towering flames and the noise
attracted thousands OF persons to the
vicinity Of the fire. Coney Island had
had an unusually active Thanksgiving
Day. II Ia estimated that more than
100000 men, women and children WIS.,
tied the resort. Many of these were
still there when the fire engines re-
sponded TO the alarm. They followed
serves from several police stations had
TO be called out TO keep them in check.
One Man Hurt
Members Of the Home Defence
League aided the police in holding the
fire lines formed on Sea Breeze Avenue,