Evening star., 1923-03-31
Chesapeake Beach Fire
Threatens Whole Resort;
D. C. Firemen Called

Washington fire apparatus made
tho longest overland run IN the his
tory OF tho fire department today to
combat a treacherous blaze at South
Chesapeake Beach, Nd. which laid
in ashes the Belvedere Hotel and a
cottage. and for a time threatened
destruction of the entire property Of
the amusement resort Effective work
of a volunteer bucket brigade Of ap-
proSImately 100 men and women. yir-
tuaAy @Atinguishcd the fire before
the arrival of the Washington en-
gines and saved the cottage colony
and the boardwalk anuse lnents from
complete ruin.
! Upon the receipt OF an appeal from
the oiiice Of Representative Sidney
Nudd OF Maryland for aid. Fire Chief
GeorS" Watson Immediately dis
patched four pieces OF apparatus Of
engine companies u and IS TO make
the forty-mile run 10 the beach The
engines left at l9:G2 o'clock in COM
mand of Battalion Chief John 7. Han
lon and arrived there at 1t:4J. D. r.
Monkey and j. T.. Lyon uf Chief Wat
sons Ufice. who are familiar with
the Maryland roads, we're sent TO
suide the apparatus
Started About s:30.
The fire started about S:%o o'clock
, on the first ioor oil d grocery store
! and cottage owned by a. Mrs. Schie.
man. and occupied BY l.. Bennett Of
! Baltimore. Md \ two-story frame
! building. Il was soon reduced 70
ashes. together with two motor truck 5
| IN ID yard adjoining the structure.
! Famed by forty iive-mile north
/ west gale. sparks from the burning
tcottage soon ignited the BeIvedere
| Hotel about 600 yards away and de-
! spite the frantic efforts Of the bucket
| brigade, it WAS burned To the ground
III less than two hours. All that re-
mans Is "a few beds and four stone
| pillars which stand like tombstones
In the smoldering ruins.
shinsle Roof Fired.
Sparks from the burning hos,elry
set fire TO the Shingle roof of a cot,
taee. owned by Mrs. Rcbecca Slaugh-
yer out was extinguished before
! much damage was done
The hotel, al five-story frame struc-
cure. WAS unoccupied. II WAS orig.
! luattE bull, "a humber OF years AGO
as an friStocratiC gambling house
and Was at that time known as the
Monte carlo OF the east Financially
unsuccessful, il was later conyer,ed
! into summer hotel
! For three hours the bucket brigade.
hich was marshaled from tho men
ana a., wonTn IN at the beach. fought the
extending from the hotel TO the
1 Chesapeake bay. While the men d.
voted their efforts to pouring tho
water OF the blazing building.
! No official estimate of tho entire
+, dahiage was Forthcoming. 1t is ex-
pected. however. to total appruAi-
: mately $4,000
J; At south End or Hcacb,
I The hotel and Bennett store and
! cottage is located az the extreme
! south end of the resort The bostelrv.
, which Is owned by the Chesapeake Q
| Beach Hotel Company, occupied 4
/ commanding position on a knoll
overlooking the water front
The high wind drove the flames and
sparks from the burning buildings
toward the water front, and those a,
the beach said IL was miraculous tina,
the boardwalk. amusement devices
and dancing pavilion nearby in i,
northweStly direction did not become
iignited. Had the wind blown in any
other direction with its gale force OF
today. they said Il number of cottages
in the vicinity of the hotel undoubt-
tedly would have been destroyed.
| En- route 10 the Maryland resort the
hose cart of Engine Company No. Is
became disabled, due to engine trou-
Bile, at Upper Marlboro and was left
behind. When the local firemen
! reached the beach and found the blaze
! practically cXtinguished. they assist
| ed the volunteer firefghterS in pour
ing water on the smoldering ruins.
iANACOSTIA RESIDENCE BURNS