Newport, Rhode Island
Last Hotel Gone
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By the fire [June 9, 1908] that completely destroyed the New Cliffs Hotel and Cottages at an early hour Monday morning, Newport lost her last summer hotel. There is to-day no house that can be called a hotel, although there are several fashionable boarding houses which are as well equipped for the highest class of patronage as is the average hotel.
The fire was the most disasterous [sic] that has visited Newport since the destruction of the steamer Plymouth. One life was lost, the victim being the young son of Proprietor Jordan, who was so badly burned that he died within a few hours after arrival at the Newport Hospital. The hotel was burned to the ground, every vestige of wood being totally destroyed. Only the skillful work of the fire department prevented the loss of the Chanler cottage and the Sea View pavilion, while the pavilions at the Beach were several times in flame but were saved by the hardest kind of work.
The total amount of the loss is estimated at about $150,000, partially covered by insurance. Considerable work had been done on the house during the last month to get it ready for occupancy and some of the mechanics whoe had been employed there lost valuable tools. In addition some Newport stores had sent goods there for examination with a view to possible purchase and these also were destroyed. The cause of the fire is not known. There has been some talk of incendiarism and there are some circumstances that seem to give reason to this view, as the fire started in the darkest part of the grounds and gained rapid headway. On the other hand it has been pointed out that the work of painting, etc., made much oily dirt in which spontaneous combustion might easily have started. The manager has adhered to the incendiary theory, however.
It was a little after 12:30 Tuesday morning that people in all parts of the city saw a bright glow in the direction of the Beach. So noticeable was it that a policeman in the down town section awoke the men in one of the engine houses and told them to be ready for an alarm, and in consequence the apparatus was hitched up when the first blow was struck. Neighbors saw the fire and hastened to the scene to arouse the occupants. There were in the house at the time only Mr. and Mrs. Jordan and Mr. Jordan’s son Camille, a chef and a colored helper. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan jumped from the second story window but the son in some way became confused and got into the flames. He was afterward found on the ground and was hurried to the hospital where everything possible was done for him but he soon breathed his last.
The first alarm was sounded a few minutes before one o’clock, after the illumination had been seen for some time. When Chief Kirwin had reached the scene, being almost the first to arrive, he immediately hastened back to the box and sent a general alarm, calling all the apparatus in the city to the scene. The fire at that time had made tremendous headway and it was clarly realized that there was hard work ahead to save the adjoining buildings. As fast as the different pieces of apparatus arrived they were put at work and soon all the steamers were in action. Nothing could be done to save the hotel and all attention was directed toward preventing neighboring buildings from igniting. It was hard work for the firemen on account of the intense heat and the extreme length of the hose required to reach the hydrants but they worked nobly.
While the main fire was at its height it was noticed that the buildings at the Beach had caught from the sparks. All the apparatus was in use but the two chemical engines and a hose wagon were sent down the hill and with the assistance of a large volunteer corps of buckets of water and sand serious danger was prevented. The roofs of the buildings there were ignited in many places and at one time the peak of one of the pagodas was blazing merrily, so that many persons thought that the buildings were doomed. The loss however was comparatively slight.
The loss of the New Cliffs indicates more clearly than ever the crying necessity for a good summer hotel for Newport. The only building that makes any pretense toward being a summer hotel now is the old Aquidneck House, and this is far from being a modern house. It is time for Newport business men to take hold with a hearty will and make an earnest effort to build a first class summer hotel.
Newport Daily News June 9, 1908
HISTORY OF NEW CLIFFS HOTEL.
Built by Cliff Cottage
Association but
Added to and Improved Until
Valued at $150,000.
––––
The original Cliff Hotel was built about 1870 by the Cliff Cottage Association, which was organized by the late Lucius D. Davis. The hotel was much smaller than the one burned this morning, and there were six cottages along the north side, extended from the Cliff avenue to the edge of the Cliffs.
The hotel has been added to from year to year and a few years ago, while the hotel was under the management of Mr. Louis P. Robers, the large extension, running from and connecting with the hotel, on the north side of the lot was built and fitted for apartments. Under Mr. Roberts’s management the hotel became known as the New Cliffs. One of the cottages originally on the north side was removed to the south side and was destroyed by fire this morning. The three cottages on the north side are still standing in their original locations.
The hotel and cottages were
bought in a few years ago
by Mr. Samuel R. Shipley of Philadelphia, who owned a large interest in
them. Mr. Roberts, who had been manager for several years retired after
the season of 1906, and last year Mr. John V. Jordan became manager and
was still in charge.
Although
this had the same name, "New Cliffs Hotel and
Cottages, Catherine
Street, Newport, R.I." it is not the original buildings. At the left is
an ad from the 1910 Newport Directory stating it was newly renovated.
This is near the intersection
of Bellevue Avenue.
On February 15, 1934 a fire gutted a cottage at the New Cliffs on Catherine Street [Newport Daily News, February 16, 1934]. The J. V. Jordan cottage [there is no mention of a connection with the above Mr. & Mrs J. V. Jordan] caught fire on Friday evening. Mr. & Mrs. Jordan escaped and practically all of the furnishings were destroyed. The building was formally a part of the Madam M. J. Robinson boarding house.
