More on the 1889 Fire that Destroyed the Hunter House on Travers Island

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When the New York Athletic Club of New York City bought the island it renamed "Travers Island" in Pelham Manor, there stood on the island a beautiful old home known as the "Old Hunter House."  Named after John Hunter of Hunter's Island who had remodeled and improved the home during the mid-19th century, the main portion of the home was said to have been built in 1812 for Temple Emmett, a member of the Emmett Family that long resided in the area.

On April 4, 1889, a tragic fire burned the lovely Old Hunter House.  The New York Athletic Club was developing Travers Island at the time and the old home had been converted into apartments.  Among those living there was Thomas Toby, the island superintendent who oversaw laborers working on the island.

At 5:00 a.m. that morning, Thomas Toby opened the back door of the home to go outside.  When he opened the door, he was shocked by a "sheet of flame that burst through the open door," whipped up by a strong northeast wind.  Toby was so stunned by the sight that once he slammed the door shut and ran for help, he did not even realize that "his eyebrows, lashes and beard had been singed away as cleanly as if removed by a razor."

Sounding the alarm, Toby summoned workers on the island who frantically removed contents of the home from its basement and first floor before the flames finally ended their efforts and they were forced to "run for their lives."  Firefighters were unable to save the building and concluded that the fire likely was arson, begun by an "incendiary" placed against the back of the home.

The New York Athletic Club was so appreciative of the monumental efforts of the various companies of the New Rochelle Fire Department to fight the fire that later that year the club presented each company of the department with a "gold-lined fire trumpet."

I have written about the destruction of the Old Hunter House before.  See Thu., Feb. 19, 2009:  The Old Hunter House Burns to the Ground in an Arson Incident on Travers Island on April 4, 1889.  

We don't know a lot about the Old Hunter House.  No images of the structure seem to have survived, at least to the knowledge of this author.  A rough description of the house can be pieced together from accounts of the fire that destroyed it.  For example, the home stood about 600 feet away from the first clubhouse built on the island by the New York Athletic Club and opened later in 1889.  The home was shaded by a giant oak tree that was so beloved that firemen worked tirelessly to save the tree as the house burned.  It is certain the home had a basement and first floor, and there are strong indications it had a second floor as well.  On the first floor there was a kitchen, dining-room and reception room.  Although several additions had been added to the original structure built in 1812, the original portion included "a wide, old-fashioned hall."  According to one account:  "On the first floor was an antique fireplace, big enough to roast an ox in, over which as an inscription, 'Well befall hearth and hall.'"  See A House Lost and a Tree Saved, New-York Tribune, Apr. 5, 1889, p. 2, col. 4.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog collects a few additional accounts of the fire that destroyed the Old Hunter House on Travers Island.  Each account is followed by a citation and link to its source.

Detail from 1867 Map Showing Two Structures on What

Later Became Travers Island.  Source:  "Plan of East

Chester, Pelham and New Rochelle, Westchester County,

New York" in Atlas of New York and Vicinity From Actual

Surveys by and Under the Direction of F. W. Beers, 

Assisted by Geo. E. Warner & Others, p. 7 (NY, NY:

Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1867).  NOTE:  Click on Image

to Enlarge.

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"A Club-House Burned.

The club-house of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island, was burned down early this morning.  The alarm was given at six o'clock by telephone from Pelham to the New Rochelle Fire Department.  The Relief Engine Company with the steamer and patrol responded quickly, but when they arrived on the grounds the building was enveloped in flame.  The firemen directed their attention to preventing the flames from spreading.  Very little of the furniture was saved.  The fire is supposed to have been caused by a defective flue.  The loss is said to be about $8,000.

The house was formerly the residence of Mrs. John Hunter, and was built in 1812.  It was sold with Travers Island two years ago to the New York Athletic Club for $65,000."

Source:  A Club-House Burned, The Evening Post [NY, NY], Apr. 4, 1889, p. 5, col. 4.

"FLAMES ON TRAVERS ISLAND.
-----
The Old Quarters of the New York Athletic Club Burned to the Ground.

The old quarters of the New York Athletic Club at Travers Island broke out in flames at 5 o'clock this morning.

No help was at hand, and the buildings burned to the ground.  

The loss is $10,000.  It is covered by insurance."

Source:  FLAMES ON TRAVERS ISLAND -- The Old Quarters of the New York Athletic Club Burned to the Ground, The Evening World [NY, NY], Apr. 4, 1889, p. 1, col. 2 (Note:  paid subscription required to access via this link; available free here).  

"The burning of the old Hunter Club house on Travers Island is a severe blow to the New York Athletic Club.  Not, however, financially speaking, but from a sentimental standpoint.  The members were much attached to the picturesque old building for association's sake.  The original building was put up in 1812.  Upon coming into the possession of the Club, wings and additions were built and the structure was modernized to meet the requirements of the members.  The estimated value of the building was $14,000.  It was insured for $12,000.  Some of the furniture was not insured.  The fire is supposed to have been of incendiary origin.  The new clubhouse, started last Fall, will not be completed before the middle of May.  The members had intended to start training on the Island within a few days, but all except the crew will now have to await the completion of the new building."

Source:  [Untitled], The Evening World [NY, NY], Apr. 5, 1889, p. 3, col. 3 (Note:  paid subscription required to access via this link; available free here).  

 "CONDENSED NEWS. . . .

The New York Athletic club house on Travers Island near Pelham manor, Westchester county, N. Y., was burned.  Loss $10,000.  Insured. . . ."

Source:  CONDENSED NEWS, Wilkes-Barre Evening News [Wilkes-Barre, PA], Apr. 5, 1889, p. 1, col. 5 (Note:  paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"An Old Club House Burned.

NEW YORK, April 4. -- The old club house of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island, in the Sound, which was used as a summer house, has been burned.  The loss will be $30,000."

Source:  An Old Club House Burned, Democrat and Chronicle [Rochester, NY], Apr. 5, 1889, p. 2, col. 6 (Note:  paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"The old club-house of the New York Athletic Club, on Travers Island, on the Sound, which was used as a summer house, has been destroyed by fire.  The loss will be about $20,000 on furniture and $10,000 on building."

Source:  [Untitled], St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Apr. 22, 1889, p. 5, col. 4 (Note:  paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"The New-York Athletic Club whose new clubhouse was formally opened last Saturday on Travers Island has presented each company of the New-Rochelle Fire Department with a gold-lined fire trumpet in appreciation of their efforts to save the club's property recently, although it is outside the limits of the village."

Source:  [Untitled], N.Y. Times, Jun. 11, 1889, p. 3, col. 2 (Note:  paid subscription required to access via this link).

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I previously have written about the New York Athletic Club facilities on Travers Island.  Below is a linked listing of such writings.

Tue., Sep. 13, 2016:  Notable 1903 and 1904 Cross-Country Championships Were Run on a Course Between Travers Island and Pelham Manor Station.

Wed., Aug. 03, 2016:  1891 Images of the Old New York Athletic Club Facilities on Travers Island.

Mon., Nov. 30, 2015:  Another Detailed Account of the 1901 Fire that Destroyed the Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island.

Tue., Dec. 23, 2014:  The Original Summer Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club in 1889, Shortly After it Was Built.

Mon., Jun. 16, 2014:  1892 Images of Travers Island NYAC with an Important Description of the Clubhouse and Facilities.

Thu., Jan. 23, 2014:  Another Account of the Devastating Fire that Destroyed the Travers Island Clubhouse of New York Athletic Club in 1901. 

Fri., Sep. 4, 2009:  1901 Newspaper Article About Fire That Burned New York Athletic Club Clubhouse on Travers Island.

Thu., Apr. 28, 2005:  Ladies' Day on Travers Island in the 19th Century.

Thu., May 26, 2005:  The New York Athletic Club's Opening of the 'New Summer Home' on Travers Island in 1889.

Tue., Jun. 21, 2005:  Life at Travers Island in the 1890s.

Thu., Aug. 11, 2005:  How Dry I Am:  Pelham Goes Dry in the 1890s and Travers Island Is At the Center of a Storm.

Wed., Dec. 21, 2005:  An Early Sketch of the First Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in Pelham.

Thu., Jul. 19, 2007:  Members of the New York Athletic Club Were Duped Into Believing the Club Created a Small Nine-Hole Golf Course in Pelham Manor in 1897.

Fri., Jul. 20, 2007:  Account of Early Baseball in Pelham:  Pelham vs. the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in 1897.

Wed., Nov. 21, 2007:  Baseball on Travers Island During the Summer of 1897.

Thu., Nov. 22, 2007:  August 1896 Description of Cycle Route to Travers Island in Pelham Manor.

Fri., Nov. 23, 2007:  The Festivities of the Huckleberry Indians of the New York Athletic Club Off the Shore of Pelham Manor on July 12, 1896.

Mon., Nov. 26, 2007:  Box Score of a Baseball Game Played on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in July 1896.

Thu., Feb. 7, 2008:  Village Elections in Pelham in 1900 - New York Athletic Club Members Campaign Against the Prohibition Ticket in Pelham Manor.

Mon., Jan. 19, 2009:  Photograph of Members of the New York Athletic Club Shooting Traps on Travers Island in 1911.

Tue., Feb. 17, 2009:  The New York Athletic Club Opens Its New Clubhouse on Travers Island in Pelham in 1888.

Wed., Feb. 18, 2009:  The New York Athletic Club Opens Its New Travers Island Boathouse in 1888.

Thu., Feb. 19, 2009:  The Old Hunter House Burns to the Ground in an Arson Incident on Travers Island on April 4, 1889.

Wed., Mar. 4, 2009:  "Ladies' Day" on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in 1894.

Tue., Mar. 24, 2009:  1897 Photograph of Visitors Streaming to Athletic Outing on Travers Island in Pelham Manor.

Wed., Oct. 28, 2009:  Article About the June 10, 1888 Opening of Travers Island Facility of the New York Athletic Club.

Tue., Aug. 18, 2009:  New York Athletic Club Board of Governors Decided to Mortgage Travers Island in 1895.

Mon., Apr. 12, 2010:  New York Athletic Club Stage Coach Accident Leads to Death of Pelham Manor Man.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

Another Detailed Account of the 1901 Fire that Detroyed the Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

The new summer clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in Pelham Manor opened, unofficially, on June 1, 1889.  Nearly twelve years later, on January 5, 1901, the N.Y.A.C. clubhouse (known as the "big house")  burned to the ground in a horrific fire. 

The massive fire attracted spectators from throughout the region.  Many newspapers and periodicals covered the event.  I have written about this devastating fire on two prior occasions. I also have written many, many items about Travers Island and the New York Athletic Club facilities there.  After the account of the fire below, I have included links to many of my previous writings regarding Travers Island and the New York Athletic Club.

One week after the fire, the New Rochelle Pioneer published a lengthy and detailed account of the fire, efforts to save the clubhouse, efforts to save the nearby Potter House and, finally, the aftermath of the fire and efforts by local residents to salvage "souvenirs" from the ashes.  The account is particularly interesting in that it details the order of arrival of firefighting equipment from Pelham Manor and New Rochelle and the difficulties of fighting such a massive fire with the crude equipment available at the time.  

The text of the account appears below, followed by a citation and link to its source.

"THE CLUBHOUSE ON TRAVERS ISLAND."

Source:  Hackett, Owen, THE ISLAND HOME OF 

ATHLETICS, Munsey's Magazine, Vol. VII,

No. 10, p. 391 (Jul. 1892).  NOTE:  Click on

Image to Enlarge.

"THE POTTER HOUSE."

Source:  Hackett, Owen, THE ISLAND HOME OF 

ATHLETICS, Munsey's Magazine, Vol. VII,

No. 10, p. 392 (Jul. 1892).  NOTE:  Click on

Image to Enlarge.

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"FIRE DESTROYS CLUB HOUSE
-----
Handsome Home of the N. Y. A. C. at Travers Island in Ruins.
-----
WATER SUPPLY INADEQUATE.
-----

Two chimneys, a tower and a mass of ruins mark the site of the large and handsome summer home of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island.  The building was burned to the ground last Saturday afternoon and is a total loss.  The fire was caused by defective insulation of an electric light wire and was discovered about half past twelve by William Hansen, a carpenter, who was at work in the house.  It started in the basement under the main entrance.  Hansen saw smoke pouring out of the basement windows and flames along the beams on a line with the wires.  He hastened to the Potter House, a small two-story frame building adjoining the main club house used by the members in winter, and gave the alarm to superintendent James Kerwin and the ten or twelve other employees who were at dinner.  The men carried several buckets of water into the basement but could not reach the flames owing to the suffocating smoke and intense heat.  The men then set to work to connect the club's fire hose with a hydrant.  Water had barely been turned on when the hose bursted.  In the meantime Kerin telephoned to the New Rochelle police headquarters and Chief Timmons sent in alarm No. 144.  The Pelham Manor fire department were also called out.  Relief and Huguenot Engine Companies responded promptly.  The Huguenot hose wagon arrived at the scene first.  Immediately following came the Relief engine and wagon and the Huguenot engine.  The Pelham Manor department brought two hose carts and its hook and ladder apparatus.  When the firemen arrived the flames had spread under the entire building and between the walls to the second story.  The nearest hydrant was at the stables about 1500 feet from the club house.  The chemical engine was put into use and two streams of water were poured on the flames but the firemen were unable to save anything.  There was a scarcity of water owing to the small service pipe and this hampered the firemen.  

When it became evident that the entire building, which was of inflammable material, would be destroyed the firement directed their efforts to saving the Potter House and after heroic work succeeded in keeping it intact.  At 2 o'clock the the entire club house was enveloped in flames and half an hour later what was left of it collapsed.  Nothing in the building was saved.  All the valuable furniture, paintings, and decorations were destroyed with the other material.  The entire collection of relics given to the club by Buffalo Bill and used by the 'Huckleberry Indians' was burned with the rest.

Owing to the dense smoke, terrific heat and the extent of the flames before the firemen arrived, the fire was one of the most difficult they have battled against in recent years, and several men were overcome and burned on the hands and arms.  At 4 o'clock the once handsome club house was a mass of smouldering ruins only the tall chimneys and stone tower were left standing.

Scores of club members who live in Pelham Manor, Larchmont and this city joined with the firemen in their work.  Chief Mayhew W. Bronson, of Larchmont, was in the New York clubhouse when superintendent Kerwin telephoned that the Travers Island club house was on fire.  Major George W. Rand, the manager, and Mr. Bronson immediately set out for Pelham Manor.  The fire attracted a large number of the people who live along the Sound.  They went in carriages and automobiles.  Several hundred of them, including many women, visited the club grounds in the afternoon.  

The grounds were put in charge of Chief Bronson, who is a member of the club, and were guarded after the fire by several mounted men from the Bronx.  

The club house was built in 1889.  It was one of the finest and largest in the neighborhood of New York and resembled a Norman chateau.  It was a three story frame structure, with towers and gables, surrounded by piazzas overlooking the Sound and the athletic field.  The loss on the building and its contents is estimated at about $70,000.  The insurance is said to have been $40,000.  This is the second fire the club has had at its home in Pelham Manor.

A few years ago, when the village of Pelham Manor declared for no license, the members of the club found it convenient to comply with the law by moving the bar, which was in the west part of the building, over to the eastern end, which was in New Rochelle.

On Sunday the Board of Governors and several hundred other members of the club went to Pelham Manor to see the ruins.  Nearly all the visitors carried away souvenirs of the fire from the piles of crockery, china and melted silverware which are scattered in the ashes.  The most value relic taken out was a pair of antique andirons."

Source:  FIRE DESTROYS CLUB HOUSE -- Handsome Home of the N. Y. A. C. at Travers Island in Ruins -- WATER SUPPLY INADEQUATE, New Rochelle Pioneer, Jan. 12, 1901, p. 1, col. 4.  

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I previously have written about the New York Athletic Club facilities on Travers Island. Below is a linked listing of such writings.

Tue., Dec. 23, 2014:  The Original Summer Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club in 1889, Shortly After it Was Built.

Mon., Jun. 16, 2014:  1892 Images of Travers Island NYAC with an Important Description of the Clubhouse and Facilities.

Thu., Jan. 23, 2014:  Another Account of the Devastating Fire that Destroyed the Travers Island Clubhouse of New York Athletic Club in 1901. 

Fri., Sep. 4, 2009:  1901 Newspaper Article About Fire That Burned New York Athletic Club Clubhouse on Travers Island.

Thu., Apr. 28, 2005:  Ladies' Day on Travers Island in the 19th Century.

Thu., May 26, 2005:  The New York Athletic Club's Opening of the 'New Summer Home' on Travers Island in 1889.

Tue., Jun. 21, 2005:  Life at Travers Island in the 1890s.

Thu., Aug. 11, 2005:  How Dry I Am:  Pelham Goes Dry in the 1890s and Travers Island Is At the Center of a Storm.

Wed., Dec. 21, 2005:  An Early Sketch of the First Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in Pelham.

Thu., Jul. 19, 2007:  Members of the New York Athletic Club Were Duped Into Believing the Club Created a Small Nine-Hole Golf Course in Pelham Manor in 1897.

Fri., Jul. 20, 2007:  Account of Early Baseball in Pelham:  Pelham vs. the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in 1897.

Wed., Nov. 21, 2007:  Baseball on Travers Island During the Summer of 1897.

Thu., Nov. 22, 2007:  August 1896 Description of Cycle Route to Travers Island in Pelham Manor.

Fri., Nov. 23, 2007:  The Festivities of the Huckleberry Indians of the New York Athletic Club Off the Shore of Pelham Manor on July 12, 1896.

Mon., Nov. 26, 2007:  Box Score of a Baseball Game Played on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in July 1896.

Thu., Feb. 7, 2008:  Village Elections in Pelham in 1900 - New York Athletic Club Members Campaign Against the Prohibition Ticket in Pelham Manor.

Mon., Jan. 19, 2009:  Photograph of Members of the New York Athletic Club Shooting Traps on Travers Island in 1911.

Tue., Feb. 17, 2009:  The New York Athletic Club Opens Its New Clubhouse on Travers Island in Pelham in 1888.

Wed., Feb. 18, 2009:  The New York Athletic Club Opens Its New Travers Island Boathouse in 1888.

Thu., Feb. 19, 2009:  The Old Hunter House Burns to the Ground in an Arson Incident on Travers Island on April 4, 1889.

Wed., Mar. 4, 2009:  "Ladies' Day" on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in 1894.

Tue., Mar. 24, 2009:  1897 Photograph of Visitors Streaming to Athletic Outing on Travers Island in Pelham Manor.

Wed., Oct. 28, 2009:  Article About the June 10, 1888 Opening of Travers Island Facility of the New York Athletic Club.

Tue., Aug. 18, 2009:  New York Athletic Club Board of Governors Decided to Mortgage Travers Island in 1895.

Mon., Apr. 12, 2010:  New York Athletic Club Stage Coach Accident Leads to Death of Pelham Manor Man.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

Another Account of the Devastating Fire that Destroyed the Travers Island Clubhouse of New York Athletic Club in 1901

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

On January 5, 1901, the clubhouse known as the "big house" owned by the New York Athletic Club and located on Travers Island in Pelham Manor burned to the ground in a horrific fire.  Many newspapers and periodicals covered the event.  A lengthy account of the fire and efforts to save the clubhouse appeared the following day in The New York Times.  I have transcribed that account below, followed by a citation to its source.  I also have included a photograph of the clubhouse as it appeared shortly before the fire.  

I have written about this devastating fire before.  I also have written many, many items about Travers Island and the New York Athletic Club facilities there.  After the account of the fire below, I have included links to many of my previous writings regarding Travers Island and the New York Athletic Club.  

"CLUBHOUSE AT TRAVERS ISLAND BURNED
-----
Rich Men Join the Firemen in Fighting the Fire.
-----
Chief Bronson Telephones for His Fire Wagon, Uniform, and Trumpet -- Society People Go to the Fire in Motor Vehicles.
-----
Special to The New York Times.

PELHAM MANOR.  Jan. 5. -- Nothing remains of the Summer home of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island, near here, but three large chimneys, two stone towers, and a smoldering pile of ruins.  Fire destroyed the structure this afternoon, despite the efforts of firemen, clubmen, and wealthy residents to save it.  The fire, it is believed, was caused by an electric light wire in the basement not properly insulated.  The flames were first discovered by a carpenter who was making improvements to the roof.

Superintendent J. Kirwin formed a bucket brigade with twenty employes [sic].  A small hose was also attached to a hydrant near the front of the house, and an ineffectual effort was made to extinguish the flames.  An alarm was sent to New Rochelle and Pelham Manor, but the firemen could do little except watch the big clubhouse burn, as only one stream could be turned on the burning building.  The water for that had to be pumped through the hose from a hydrant nearly a quarter of a mile away, so that the pressure was insufficient. The smaller clubhouse adjoining the main building, which was once a part of the homestead of E.C. Potter, and has been used as a Winter quarters of the club, was saved by Chief Ross and the New Rochelle Fire Department, although it was drenched with water and most of the contents were ruined.  

Part of the building was in Pelham Manor and the other part in New Rochelle.  A few years ago, when Pelham Manor declared for no [liquor] license, the members of the club moved the bar from the west part of the building, in Pelham Manor, to the eastern end in New Rochelle, where a [liquor] license was secured.  

When it was found that the building could not be saved Manager Major George W. Rand, at the New York house, was notified that the Travers Island establishment was doomed.  Mayhew W. Bronson, the rich Chief of the Larchmont Fire Department, who was in the clubhouse accompanied Manager Rand to Travers Island.  Chief Bronson telephoned to Larchmont for his fire company to join him at the island, and also notified his valet to bring his fire wagon, uniform, and trumpet.

In the meantime many of the rich residents of New Rochelle, Larchmont, and Pelham Manor hurried to the scene of the fire in motor vehicles and various traps.  The wealthy clubmen assisted the firemen in fighting the flames and in saving the Winter clubhouse.  Among those who assisted were T. Dart Walker, the artist; John Neilson, H.E. Payson, F.W. Flint, and C.M. Hamilton, the champion golf player.  

The fire attracted many society people, among some of the most interested being Mr. and Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin and daughter, E. T. Gilliland of Pelham Manor, and R.C. Fellows, a member of the club, who came on a motor vehicle from New York.  

The smoke was so dense that several firemen were overcome, including Asa Dobbs of New Rochelle, who had to be carried to the water front and revived.  Charles Kistinger of Relief Engine Company had his head cut.  

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The Travers Island Clubhouse, built in 1889,, was a two story and attic structure, about 100 feet by 40, and was one of two buildings on the island, owned by the New York Athletic Club, the one destroyed by fire being known generally as 'the big house.'  In it were forty-eight sleeping rooms and two large dormitories, the restaurant, cafe, and billiard room.  This building was used as a clubhouse during the Summer, but after the Summer season was over, usually early in October, it was closed, and the club members in the Winter months used a smaller building about sixty yards away, which is known as the Potter House, from the name of the original owners.  In the larger structure through the Summer months, were many valuable trophies, plate, and paintings, all of which were removed after the season closed, and distributed between the Potter House, which is open all Winter, and the New York clubhouse.  The loss by fire, consequently, was confined to the structure, and the permanent equipment, which consisted chiefly of the restaurant and cafe fixings, the billiard and pool tables, and the bedroom furniture.  

The building proper cost $40,000 when erected, and, thought it had been neglected for a few years, while the building of the New York clubhouse was in progress, had been put in first-class repair within the past two seasons, and was in better condition than it had been since the first year that it was available for the club.  A number of improvements had been made, and the club was considering still further additions, when the fire occurred.  According to the statements of members who know what the building represented, it will cost much more than $40,000 to replace the building.  In this same estimate the loss

on furniture is placed at $10,000 more.  The club carried $30,000 insurance on the building and its contents.  Several officers of the club hurried to Travers Island after news of the fire reached them, but when they reached the spot all the damage had been done; the clubhouse being burned to the ground.

Prompt measures were taken toward repairing the damage, and committees of the New York Athletic Club already are considering the best means of restoring the destroyed building.  The club members anticipate some difficulty in this direction, however, as it will require some months to adjust the insurance, while the financial strain the club has been under in completing and equipping its new house on Sixth Avenue and Fifty-ninth Street makes it improbable that the Summer clubhouse can be replaced through the club's private resources.  The effort will be made, however, and so hopeful are the officials of the club that they authorized a statement that there would be ample facilities on Travers Island through the next Summer season."

Source:  Clubhouse At Travers Island Burned, N.Y. Times, Jan. 6, 1901, pg. 2.  

The photograph immediately below shows the Big House clubhouse on Travers Island shortly before it burned on January 5,, 1901.

I previously have written about the fire on January 5, 1901 as well as the New York Athletic Club facilities on Travers Island.  Below is a linked listing of such writings.

Fri., Sep. 4, 2009:  1901 Newspaper Article About Fire That Burned New York Athletic Club Clubhouse on Travers Island.

Thu., Apr. 28, 2005:  Ladies' Day on Travers Island in the 19th Century.

Thu., May 26, 2005:  The New York Athletic Club's Opening of the 'New Summer Home' on Travers Island in 1889.  

Tue., Jun. 21, 2005:  Life at Travers Island in the 1890s.  

Thu., Aug. 11, 2005:  How Dry I Am:  Pelham Goes Dry in the 1890s and Travers Island Is At the Center of a Storm.  

Wed., Dec. 21, 2005:  An Early Sketch of the First Clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in Pelham.  

Thu., Jul. 19, 2007:  Members of the New York Athletic Club Were Duped Into Believing the Club Created a Small Nine-Hole Golf Course in Pelham Manor in 1897.

Fri., Jul. 20, 2007:  Account of Early Baseball in Pelham:  Pelham vs. the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in 1897.  

Wed., Nov. 21, 2007:  Baseball on Travers Island During the Summer of 1897.  

Thu., Nov. 22, 2007:  August 1896 Description of Cycle Route to Travers Island in Pelham Manor.  

Fri., Nov. 23, 2007:  The Festivities of the Huckleberry Indians of the New York Athletic Club Off the Shore of Pelham Manor on July 12, 1896.  

Mon., Nov. 26, 2007:  Box Score of a Baseball Game Played on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in July 1896.  

Thu., Feb. 7, 2008:  Village Elections in Pelham in 1900 - New York Athletic Club Members Campaign Against the Prohibition Ticket in Pelham Manor.  

Mon., Jan. 19, 2009:  Photograph of Members of the New York Athletic Club Shooting Traps on Travers Island in 1911.  

Tue., Feb. 17, 2009:  The New York Athletic Club Opens Its New Clubhouse on Travers Island in Pelham in 1888.  

Wed., Feb. 18, 2009:  The New York Athletic Club Opens Its New Travers Island Boathouse in 1888.    

Thu., Feb. 19, 2009:  The Old Hunter House Burns to the Ground in an Arson Incident on Travers Island on April 4, 1889. 

Wed., Mar. 4, 2009:  "Ladies' Day" on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in 1894.  

Tue., Mar. 24, 2009:  1897 Photograph of Visitors Streaming to Athletic Outing on Travers Island in Pelham Manor.  

Wed., Oct. 28, 2009:  Article About the June 10, 1888 Opening of Travers Island Facility of the New York Athletic Club.

Tue., Aug. 18, 2009:  New York Athletic Club Board of Governors Decided to Mortgage Travers Island in 1895.  

Mon., Apr. 12, 2010:  New York Athletic Club Stage Coach Accident Leads to Death of Pelham Manor Man.   

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1901 Newspaper Article About Fire that Burned New York Athletic Club Clubhouse on Travers Island

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On January 5, 1901, the clubhouse of the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in Pelham Manor burned to the ground in a horrific fire.  Many newspapers and periodicals covered the event.  An interesting article about the fire that included a photograph of the clubhouse shortly before it burned appeared in the January 6, 1901 issue of the New-York Daily Tribune.  The photograph appears immediately below, followed by the text of the article.

"SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN:  OLD CLUBHOUSE IN ASHES.
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MAIN BUILDING OF THE NEW-YORK ATHLETIC CLUB AT TRAVERS ISLAND RAZED BY FIRE.

The large summer home of the New-York Athletic Club at Travers Island, on Long Island Sound, was burned to the ground about 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon.  The smaller clubhouse, which was once a part of the old homestead of E. C. Potter, and has been used as winter quarters by the club employes [sic], was saved, but it was drenched with water, and most of the contents were ruined.  The loss on the main building and its contents is estimated at $75,000.  Insurance men who were on the ground and had written policies for the club say that the loss will reach at least $65,000.

The clubhouse was one of the finest and largest in the neighborhood of New-York.  It was built about twenty years ago.  It resembled a large Norman chateau, and was surrounded by piazzas overlooking the Sound.  Part of the building was in the village of Pelham Manor, and the rest in New-Rochelle.  It was a three story frame structure, with many towers, gables and tall chimneys.  A few years ago, when the village of Pelham Manor declared for no license, the members of the club found it convenient to comply with the law by moving the bar, which was in the west part of the building, over to the eastern end, which was in New-Rochelle.

The fire started at 12:40 o'clock from an electric wire in the basement, directly under the main hallway.  It was discovered by a carpenter who had been working on the roof.  He was going out to dinner when he saw flames and smoke pouring from one of the basement windows.  The man ran over to the Potter house, where Steward James Kerwin and the fifteen men employed about the clubhouse were at dinner, and gave the alarm.  The flames spread quickly.  By the time Kerwin and his assistants reached the building the flames were bursting through the windows of the first floor, and it was evident that the entire building, which was of light, inflammable material, would be destroyed.  The steward set his men to work connecting a hose with a hydrant about a thousand feet away, while he ran to the telephone in the smaller house and gave the alarm to the Pelham Manor and New Rochelle fire departments.  He also called up the city hom of the club and told Major George W. Rand, the manager, that the Travers Island establishment was on fire.  Major Rand set out at once for Pelham Manor.

It happened that Chief Mayhew W. Bronson of the Larchmont Fire Department was in the New-York clubhouse at the time.  He accompanied Major Rand to the fire.  While they were waiting at One-hundred-and-twenty-ninth-st. for a train, Mr. Bronson telephoned to the Larchmont Yacht Club for his men to join him at Pelham Manor, and also to his valet to bring his fire wagon, uniform and trumpet.  When Major Rand and Chief Bronson reached the clubhouse, at 1:04 o'clock, they found that Chief Ross of New-Rochelle was on hand with four companies from that city and one from Pelham Manor, but that they had been unable to do anything except save the Potter house, owing to the scarcity of water.  A number of Larchmont firemen were also at the burning building.  They had received the alarm at the yacht club and gone down in automobiles.

It took about an hour for the large clubhouse to burn.  Owing to the intensity of the flames and the suffocating smoke, nothing in it was saved.  All of the furniture, bedding, linen and many pictures, trophies, mounted animals, works of art and about $3,500 worth of silverware were destroyed.  The entire collection of Indian relics given to the club by Buffalo Bill went up with the rest; also a stucco representing a footrace in the Olympian games.  The wine cellar was well stocked with wines, liquors and cigars.  The popping of hundreds of champagne bottles could be heard amid the roar and crackling of the flames.

The smoke was so dense that several of the New-Rochelle firemen were overcome.  One of them, Asa Dobbs, had to be carried to the water front and revived.  Charles Kistinger, a member of the Relief Company, of New-Rochelle, had his head cut, and three of his companions barely escaped death by the falling of a large piazza.  Scores of clubmen and golfers who live in the neighborhood joined with the firemen.

By 2 o'clock the Potter house was saved, but only the tall chimneys and stone tower of the once beautiful clubhouse were left standing.  The fire attracted a large number of the people who live along the Sound.  They went in carriages and automobiles.  Several hundred of them, including many women, visited the club grounds in the afternoon.  Among them were C. Oliver Iselin, with his wife and daughter; E. T. Gilliland, of Pelham Manor; R.C. Fellows, John Nielson, H. E. Payson and C.M. Hamilton.  The grounds were put in charge of Chief Bronson, of Larchmont, who is a member of the club, and were guarded after the fire by the New-Rochelle policemen and several mounted men from The Bronx.

This is the second fire the club has had at its home in Pelham Manor."

Source:  Sports and Sportsmen:  Old Clubhouse in Ashes, New-York Daily Tribune, Jan. 6, 1901, p. 9, col. 1.

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