The New York herald., 1922-06-16
Continued from First Page.

These men made the trip on Long ISL
and Railroad trains.
Fire lines were established several
blocks IN either side of the fire area
and no one was permitted inside with
out proper credentials or to volunteer
for service with the volunteer fire COM
panies that offered their aid to the city
department. 1t was estimated that at
least 500 civilians worked with the
firemen during the time that the fire
was at its height After darkness had
come the firemen worked under the
glare of ll0 searchlights sent to the
scene by the Edison Company. The
firemen were able to get about quickly
in the burning area because, shortly
after 1t became evident that the con-
fiagration would be serious, Joseph
Stenzier. head of the Peddlers' Associa-
ton of the Rockaways, summoned the
200 members OF his organization, and
with their wagons they took away the
household goods that occupants of the
bungalows had left on the sidewalks
and scattered about the streets.
The fire was one OF the most specta-
cular in New York city in many years.
The flames lighted up the skies for
many miles around and could be seen
far out to sea and on the mainland
The flames destroyed the New Straiton
avenue station of the Long Island Rail-
road and thousands OF commuters. pour
ing from the trains that were stalled at
the end OF the trestle, found their way
home blocked by sheet of flame thar
swept for three blocks across the track.
1t was still daylight then and the
spectacular feature of the fire was the
great volumes Of smoke that rolled up
ward from the burning homes. AS dark
came on the flames could be seen, great
tongues Of fire darting and soaring into
the heavens, sheathed in billowy clouds
OF black smoke that hung like a pail
over the entire Rockaway peninsula.
Many Of the commuters returning to
Arverne after their day In the city found
their homes abandoned or destroyed. In
many instances women tainted when
they got Off the trains and found that
their houses had burned and that their
families were scattered. These were
treated by ambulance surgeons from
st. Joseph's and the Rockaway Beach
hospitals, and policemen sent with them
to help find their families Hundreds oe
families in the bungalow colony man
aged to save their belongings before their
homes went down in the path of the
flames and at night they camped on
the beach
The fire was famed by a strong wind,
and since every bu4lding in the path of
the flames was of frame construction
the firemen worked under great ,landi-
cap. Their work also was hindered by
the low pressure OF the water, the force
in the pipe being barely strong enough
to send a stream Of water to the top of
two story building. One engine was
destroyed before the firemen could run it
to safety. A long line of hose also was
lost.
Lights Out of Commission.
The plight of the people in Arverne
was made worse by the fact that the
whole electric light system was put out
or order. Soon after dark the twinkle
of candle lights and the ftful flare OF
kerosene. lamps were seen in the win
dows of the bungalows that remained
standing in the colony. But even these
houses were blackened and smudged by
smoke. and above the whole town was
the smell of the burning buildings.
Even after the fire had been brought
under control and all danger to the
remaining homes had been done away
with great crowds pushed up against
the police lines and the widest excite
ment prevailed.
Policemen who have done fire line
duty at most OF the big conflagrations
In New York said that they had never
seen such terrified, excited crowd as
at Arverne. Women ran screaming
throughout the streets for their children.
men who had just got orr the train from
Manhattan or Brooklyn went about