The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 16

Page Sixteen HE ALM BEACH POST TO ADDRESS ROTARIANS A ROTARY CHIEFTAIN FURIOUS BLAZE mmmfflmmmmmmmmmm Continued from page 1 Worth as the car was going to the fire scene. The loss in buildings alone last w.n estimated at one and mMmmmmm. jT three-quarter millions, but huge per annul losses were expected to aug ment this by the tens of thousands. The loss of the Breakers was given aH a million, mostly covered by in suranee. The giant conflagration, which, while the Breakers was flaming, Kwnnt throuerh tho dry coconut ultima, menacing the heart of the re.

sort, fitarted more than 12 other tires tit hotels and villas and ended by leveling the second huge hotel almost a mile from the ocean beach IBB where the Breakers stood. Many Departments Help t' While lire units from every point on the lower east coast were moor ing feverishly against the menacing wind, the flames leaped westward across the County Road and soon krose on the white servants' quarters adjoining the Royal Polnciana, sis ter to the Ureakers the largest tourist hotel in the world. The veering of the wind to a more northerly courso was believed to be the only element that saved the Poinciana. Across the island on the lake shore flying sparks from burning prJm fronds alighted on the roof of the old Palm Beach hotel and its erstwhile occupants watched the sec ond catastrophe of a few hours unfold as dusk came on. That famous property of Sydney Maddox, an en tire block containing more man exclusive shops as well as the hotel proper, likewise was entirely uc mnlished.

With hastily salvaged belongings nf the nation's wealthy lying at ran PHHi rate? yWlilfelllifl dom on streets and lawns, pillaging broke out. Wore than 25 persons, William Lewis Butcher, directo boys' department, Childrens' Aid Albert S. Adams, Atlanta, preside nt Rotary International In 1919-20, most of them negroes, were placed under arrest, and for a time traffic out of the resort was halted. Late society. New York, prominent Rota rian who will tell his fellow club who will address Rotarians of Georgia and Florida here tomorrow on men in convention here something of the younger generation.

The International Convention." gether with contents, were lost: last night national guardsmen, police of both Palm Beaches and deputy sheriffs were examining ail persons leaving the town, and scores of nrmed men were guarding the Kenneth L. Gillespie, White Sulphur Springs, W. flower shop; Pauline Grossman, New York, woman's MODE Continued from page 1 burned-out guests' belongings. What, so far as is known, is Suoth joy the Are," he said, "We lost everything we brought with us except the clothes on our backs." The Thompsons late yesterday went to the home of the Franklyn Smiths on South Ocean boulevard. The.

Are will not interfere with their stay here, Mr. Thompson said. A prominent woman whose name wear shop; Ferle Heller, New York, millinery store; and eight other similar shops belonging to local per Florida's greatest fire, endangering Continued from page 1 sons. your suggestion will certainly be This hotel and its recent shop ad considered." was withheld, salvaged but one ar Judge John C. Culpepper of Perry, ticle of clothing a heavy fur coat ditions has been owned for years by Sidney Maddox, who, It was understood last night is out of the city.

Taylor county president of the as when It was Incapacitated by an accident, even sent its hose on." Origin Undetermined. The origin of the fire, which began in the south wing, the worst place possible with the wind prevailing yesterday, Chief Sadler said, has not yet been determined. According to the chief, yesterday's work the lives of nationally known personages and for a time threatening the entire northern half of the resort, was started at 420 o'clock in an upper southeast room there. Caused by Electricity While such of the 450 guests and 300 servants of the luxurious 800-room, four-story building as were not enjoying outside pleasures, were en-Joying card parties and other indoor occupations, a woman guest was using some electrical appliance in her and many were the men and women at the Poinciana last night bewailing the loss of every personal belonging sociation and presiding officer of the meeting resigned as a member of the legislative committee and recommended John W. Dubose of Jack W.

C. Havill Is tlje manager. Owing to the prevalence of the fire alarm by the time, the Palm Beach hotel situation Ixscame serious and the they had with them. And while the very grass on the Breakers-Poinciana golf course was ablaze with the former hotel top sonville, judge of the Duval county court, as his successoi1. The recommendation was unanimously accept- comparatively small number of guests there the exodus was smaller than that at the Breakers, although, pling, a twosome was seen calmly at ed.

was the fighting of the flames, the investigation can come later. It was first reported to the Breakers office, according to the information given the fire department by a Mrs. Mc- so far as could be learned, guests' losses there also were large. was announced last night at golf on the threatened greens. Takes Care of All.

Late in the evening while the em bers of both hotels were being care the Poinciana that the 450 guests fully watched by firemen, the Poin Judge Culpepper in retiring as a member of the committee, explained his duties as president and as judge of Taylor county, prevented him from taking the part as a member of the committee, much as ho wished. Judget Adams, after Judge Dubose was appointed, said the committee had no reports to make. With Judge Adams as chairman, the committee is composed now of Judge Dubose, Judge G. W. Geiger, of Green Cove Springs, Clay County; Judge A.

E. Leslie of Live Oak, Suwanee county and Judge J. C. Calhoun of Palatka, Putnam county. Judge Leslie and room.

From some wiring accident the flame was first started, it was ascertained, although at first the flames' cause was variously attributed to other causes. As the first flames licked the high roof of the gigantic frame structure fronting tho Atlantic, tht- ocean breeze soon fanned them to fury. Hundreds of occupants ti led to remove their belongings in alarm, and servitors mounted tho room to fight the menace. To II. E.

Bemis, vice president of the Florida East Coast Hotel company, which operates The Breakers, last night was given much credit for the lack of loss of life. Towney, who smelled the smoke while visiting a friend in the south wing. Shief Shultz acted in the capacity of general going from one scene to another, said Chief Sadler, while the different forces were concentrated at various stations. Owing to the strong southeast wind and the headway of the Breakers fire, when the fire department were notified, it was soon realized that it would be impossible to save the building and efforts were concentrated on keeping the flames from spreading. and the 300 employees of The Breakers had been accommodated at the Poinciana.

Only heroic work on the part of the firemen saved the block to the north of the Palm Beach hotel between it and the Beaux Arts building. Braving the intense heat from the leaping flames of the hotel, tho fire fighters kept streams of water playing upon the walls of the building occupied by Tyson's, which luckily were of stucco. The firemen ciana reported that it had been able to house comfortably the 450 guests and almost 300 servants of the old Breakers, although many of the homeless had been received into the cottages of friends. Many distinguished guests were included among tho refuges of the Breakers. Among those who are said to have been registered there were George Altmeyer, McKeesport, Pa.

George T. Ahrens, New York; Frederick M. Gould, New York; Richard P. Murray, Chicago and New York; Mrs. Delos O.

Wickham, New York and Cleveland; William H. Harrison, New York, and his son, Jack P. F. Personally on the scene, he pains Judge Calhoun are not attending the meeting. They wired their regrets to President Culpepper of beimr un takingly took care to warn guests The work of saving the Breakers cottages were largely entrusted to the Lake Worth flre department able to attend.

and employees alike away after the hopelessness of the situation donned on him and tho general exodus took Only fifteen of the 63 counties in the state are represented at the and volunteers. Chief Sadler and part of his forces were at work on saving the" barracks of the hotels and the homes on Sunset avenue, putting meeting. Harrison, the Mrs. D. L.

G. Glidden, Officers for the ensuing vear are were continually drenched with water themselves, otherwise the heat would have been unbearable. All the valuables in the shops in this block were removed for fear that the buildings were doomed. Other exclusive shops besides Tyson's in the block, for the most part containing women's wearing apparel, were Madam Claire's, Farr's, Henning's, Bendel's and Dreicer's. Menaces Art Collection Lakewood, Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert S. Dewey, Washington, Mr. and Mrs.

W. L. to be elected late this afternoon. A luncheon was held at 1 o'clock in the Seminole hotel, when the meeting adjourned, to be resumed two hours later. out between 50 and 75 fires in this region.

Poinciana Catches. The Poinciana hotel, he said, was on fire five times and the work of Hodgkins, Chicago, Col. and Mrs. Willis Seaver Paine, New York; Eugene O'Neil, Pittsburgh and combatting the sparks there was un New York, said to be former owned Here the flames menaced what was called the most valuable collection of art works being shown this of the Atlantic at present thp Juage j. is.

Peacock of DeLand was elected president of the association. Judge John U. Bird of Clearwater was elected vice president and Judge John W. Dubose of Jacksonville secretary-treasurer. The association adopted resolutions condemning the existine- stnfit der Captain bmith of the West Palm Beach force.

When the Palm Beach hotel first caught there was no part of the fire department there and the Palm Beach force with volunteers under Councilman R. L. Ray managed to work in between the Prather displa which the London firm of ignew Company hRd housed in the Black, Starr Frost building immediately to the south of the flames. As the slackening of the wind and Iating to search and seizure as applied in enforcement of the prohibition law and exceeding the constitutional purpose of search provisions and declaring it at the same timo ir. building and the hotel and to head it off from going further north.

At the south end, the West Palm Beach force managed to cut off the flames at the Kauffman building. the work of firemen became effective on the lake chore, the flames had devoured all frame outbuildings of the Palm Beach and were licking the paving of Bradley Place. adequate as an enforcement measure A new statute was ordered drafted for presentation to the state The many small fires elsewhere icKiamiure. Another recommend did comparatively small damage. on some order.

A few minutes later what had just before been a pride show place of Florida was a raging furnace. Palm Beach firemen, sensing the danger to the row of Breakers cottages, homes of K. B. McLean and other notables, sounded a Kail which brought all three of the West Palm Beach fire companies, one from Lake Worth and one each from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, while "oiph of volunteers and policemen from both communities appeared to keep order as thousands of curious-minded persons crammed the resort, (ent'ral Confusion The. flames grew wilder.

They spread to the Breakers comparative-, ly new water plant, and to the ser-; vants' quarters, licking them up like tinder. Then thousnads began leaving the Breakers' scene, scurrying about the resort business district and northward amid the sirens of police cars and motorcycles, the screams of overwrought women, the cries of children, and the rattling of fire units changing their positions. Word was passed about that tho whole town was burning. The dense yellow srooke and flame over the hotel appeared to sread it-! self to a loop, reaching a fiery hand out over tin' whole town. Sparks borne in from I ho beach caught the dry under fronds of the dense palm growths along the streets and other hotels and houses began to catch fire.

The back ot the Koyal Poinciana's servant quarters caught fire several times. The 1500-ioom palace the pride of America's hostelries could not be it seemed, although forces battled hard for it. Dampen tile Jets. To the northward on Main street Persistent rumors that a woman of the Pittsburgh Dispatch; John W. Paynter, New York; Mr.

and Mrs. L. H. Green, New York, noted real estate dealer. Mr.

and Mrs. H. C. Greer and Miss Jane Greer, Pittsburgh; Judge and Mrs. Louis Goldstein, Brooklyn; Mr.

and Mrs, John V. Fox and John V. Fox, Chicago; Col. H. C.

Steb-bins, New York; Mr. and Mrs. Ward and family of Duluth; Mr. and Mrs. George Amyot, millionaire financier of Quebec; Mr.

and Mrs. Elbert R. Erskine, South Bend, president of tho Studebaker company. John F. L.

Curtis, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Jesse L. Livermore and children and Mrs. Livermore's mother, Mrs.

M. Wendt; George P. Miss-ervy, Peapack, N. Mr. and Mrs.

Edgar F. Price, Port Chester, N. the Hon. Mrs. Jane James Francis Burke, Pittsburgh; Mr.

Edward L. Arnold, Massillion, Ohio; Mrs. Joseph R. Dilworth, New York; Col. Owen Kenan, cousin of the late Mrs.

Henry M. Flagler; Raymond Lewis, Bridgeport, Judge and Mrs. VYilliam E. Glasgol, Philadelphia: Mr. and Mrs.

Edward N. Hurley Chicago, United States shipping board; Col. J. B. Maclean, Toronto, contained in a resolution, would change the present practice, as fixed by law, of forcing the court to deliver instructions to juries nrinr tn had been taken dead from tho Breakers, that a negro maid and three white children had disappeared, that a butler had entered the Palm argument by counsel.

Beach hotel and not returned, and Other forces worked at any points needed wherever directed by Chief Shultz. In the meantime, at the direction of Chief Sadler, volunteers were patrolling the north end of West Palm Beach to prevent the settling of any sparks that might blow across. The hook and ladder and smaller pump together with the high pressure wagon were left in the central station in West Palm Beach for protection to the city. "The biggest fight we had," said Chief Sadler, "was due to the shingle roofs. Even though the buildings themselves were not fire proof, if the roofs had been the Talm Beach hotel would not have gone and the Poinciana would not have been ro that a fireman had been killed, were set at naught by such authorities JAIL DOORS CLOSE ON CHICAGO ATTORNEY that could be reached.

John Greene, manager of the Breakers said that, so far as he knew no one was even injured in the catastrophe there. BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Chicago, Mar. 1s Tnn Certain Palm Beach circles last night evinced some concern. over the disappearance of John B. Erwin, closed on William D.

Shepherd late today after his counsel failed to keep helr t0 W.000.000 from meeting immediate popular society man but, as a complete check had not been made on endangered. Had the Poinciana renl an Inrllt. ly caught, it would have undoubtedly endangered West Palm Bench the Breakers guests, little general fear was Volt for his safety. 'ars'iS he murdered hl S0" McClintock, During the battle to save the anaaas millionaire publisher of magazines and newspaper, and Mrs. Maclean, and Mr.

and Mrs. Ed-son R. Bradlev. IIU ueneractor by will by administering typhoid fever germs and subtle nolsnns Koyal Poinciana a force of 100 men under the direction of H. E.

Bemis, manager of the Florida East Coast Hotels system there, was constantly on guard with five lines of hose JL head of a science Although the fire was under control by 7 o'clock and was reduced to embers by 12 o'clock. Chief Sadler announced that guards would be on duty all night and until every vestige of ember is extinguished. A check of local departments had found every fireman accounted for, a slightly burned hand being tho only injury reported. playing on the roof and sides of the me uegro servants quarters, were about to burn, and even the grass about the hotel's rear was aflame so strong was the breeze. All up and down Main street store proprietors and volunteers were sprinkling tiny jets of flame Miat persisted in darting upon the walls.

On Sunset avenue, a block farther up tho County Road, the polms overhanging the Clinton hotel began to Washington, D. C. MORE This is the second time tho East Coast Hotel company, a part of the wtate of the late Henry M. Flagler, builder of the Florida East Coast railway, suffered from the fire at this spot. The first hotel was known as the Palm Beach Inn and was constructed there In 1895.

In 1904 it to the ground. The next year the Breakers was built. Owing to the fact that the Royal Polnciana hotel, containing 1,800 rooms, was to close within a few-days, a large number of guests had witn Shepherd In an nts after he told Robert E. Crowe, state's attorney that he supplied the fatal tvnhold bacilli and showed Shepherd how feed them to the youth, was not Placed in jail. He was held in cus tody of the state's attorney, and indications were he would not face mprlsonment until after Shepherd's trial for murder.

Freedom Demanded Shepherd through his counsel William Scott Stewart, noted trial lawyer, demanded immediate freedom on ASK RECEIVERSHIP FOR C. M. ST. PAUL RAILWAY BY TUB ASSOCIATED PRESS Chicago, March 18. Application for a receivership for the Chicago Milwaukee and St.

paui Railway company was filed in the United States district court today. The petition offered as a ami wnen petition for a writ of habeas corpus was dismissed this afternoon upon the state's attorney citing the Indictment, but it finally was agreed to go thoroughly into the matters of motions and bails Satur- action with the company concurring, to me Breakers within the past week. Wth''8 smaller than the Breakers, Beach hotel waa most as rt. The first section of it was built about 25 years ago. From time to time larger and more modern additions were built to it until it included a handsom business hini in jucige James Wilkerson's court.

structure. It was said that the flying embers ignited the roof of the Poinciana several times but were quickly extinguished. A similar force was on the watch on 'the roof of tho barracks, as well as at Bradleys. Tho sweeping calamity at the big hotels brought out many vagaries of human nature. According to police, an actress whose name was given as Georgette La Rue lingered In her burning room to find a dog biscuit for her prize pet while Policeman Neojy of the local force reported that another woman had to be forced from the room where she was virtually daring death in an attempt to save a dog.

Joseph Shay, well known realtor, who was at the Breakers at the time of the outbreak noted an aged couple apparently overcome by the scare. A thick booted man, apparently an airplane mechanician, dragged both from the, hotel. Attempting to go back, the blrdman sank on the hotel steps, himself exhausted, and had to be carried to the open by Mr. Shay. Thompsons Burned Out Ex-Mayor William Hale Thompson, ot Chicago, with Mrs.

Thompson arrived at the Breakers hotel only yesterday morning. They had come for the health of both, Mr. Thompson said last night. "We Just got here in time lo en uitj iuummB ui iu o'clock Shepherd was not called upon to enter a plea today, but Stewart announced that "our oloa is, has been, and will be not guilty." addition to the hotel. The receivership climaxes weeks and months of uncertainty marked by steady and heavy declines of the market quotations of the road's se curitics as to the refinancing of the $18,000,000 of four 4 pel.

cent bon clue next January. tim iiiuiivn aim nannies came swarming out. The Sans Souci cottage and almost a dozen other residences in the street were likewise endangered. It was in striving to save one of these that the negro fractured his skull. All the while tiny jets of flame were plnylng about the roor of the Palm Beach hotel.

The wind had veered slightly to the north-northwest and the Royal Polnciana was saved. And as The Breakers smouldered, all forces bent themselves toward the new enemy. Members of a West Palm Beach unit, attempting to use the hotel's fire system, said they found it entirely inefficient in checking the blaze nt (he start. A Miami reiunit arrived and attacked the flames In the north Lake Trail shop section adjoining the hotel, but by 8 o'clock this second hotel was in ashes. Many Shops linrn Adjoining the Palm Beach hotel, the following stores, shops, to- While as far as could' be ascer-inel last night, there were no aths resultlnrr tm eial minor casualties were reported to local hospitals.

William Rath-Durn an employe of the Palm Beach wf i. 8uffered a severe cut on his ZVt nee' wnlch required several road dislocated his wrist when- he fell from the porch of the Breakers hotel while assisting in fighting the flames. Mr. Owfjn is employed as a salesman by a local realty firm Arthur Marshall of 505 South Polnsettia street reported to police last night that an automobile driven by Henry Tuggles of Pleasant Cltv who In his haste to arrive at the flre, had struck his yonn(f years, painfully Injuring him. ITT is understood that Mr.

Kathburn. who i no Under the receivership, a drastl reduction in the capital structure now exceeding $700,000,000 13 ex" pected Harry E. Byram. president the company Mark W. Potter and Ed! ward J.

Brandage, the latter recent ly retired as attorney general of nil nois were appointed receivers hC Judge Wilkerson in bonds of eaclu Polns0ttla street recelyed rseulng several guetss from the blazing hotel. inomas 0wcn of Sll Jefferson.