Tarrytown, NY Rockefeller Estate Fire, Mar 1910

ROCKEFELLER, JR., FIGHTS FIRE.

In Charge of His Own Hose Company at a Pocantico Hills Blaze.

Special to The New York Times.

TARRYTOWN, N. Y., March 23.---Fire in the woods on the estate of John D. Rockefeller gained such headway this afternoon that the Rockefeller fire brigade, with jumper and hose, had to be rushed to the scene. It was followed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and his wife in a carriage, who directed the men at their work. About twenty-five men were engaged in the fight, and it took several hours of hard work before Mr. Rockefeller decided that the blaze was out, and allowed the men to return home.

There were three fires on the estate to-day, and to-night all over Pocantico Hills there is a heavy cloud of smoke. The first fire occurred on the Rice farm this morning. This is in the Sleepy Hollow country. It was successfully fought and extinguished.

At 2 o'clock this afternoon the woods caught fire near the old Berkley Inn Hotel, and as a strong wind was blowing, it threatened to burn the place. The fire was so fierce that smoke came from it in volumes, and all the country in the valley below was cloaked in smoke, which reached as far as Hawthorne, three miles away.

This blaze was so dangerous that it was decided to call out the Rockefeller fire brigade. Mr. Rockefeller has two jumpers, with hose, on his estate for just such emergencies. The jumper was taken to the scene, and the water was obtained from the reservoir, the blaze was extinguished, and the men returned. it started a second time, and the firemen had to go there again.

This time Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller drove over, and some of their guests followed in the automobiles. At 5 o'clock the fire was declared out in that section, and the Rockefeller party returned.

The woods north of the Pocantico Hills station are now burning, and also south of it, near the Rockefeller flower house. The railroad tracks prevented the blaze from jumping over to the main part of the estate. The fire in the woods north of the station is still burning, and men will be kept on guard to-night, to watch the flames and see that they do not reach the many houses in that section. There is a heavy wind blowing to-night.

Fire also started on the estate of Gen. Howard Carroll, and it was necessary to sent to Tarrytown to get hose from the Hope Hose Company and rush it there in carriages. Gen. Carroll owns one of the handsomest residences on the Hudson. The woods were dry and the flames spread quickly and were not controlled until the Fire Department was called out.

The New York Times, New York, NY 26 Mar 1910
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!