The Night Dreamland Died

I live in Brooklyn, just a couple of blocks from Coney Island. I love the island and the three, well two now, amusement parks that make up a majority of it. There's Steeplechase Park, with its simulated horse race and lighthearted fun atmosphere. Then there's Luna Park, full of lights and technological wonders. Up until yesterday, there was Dreamland, my former workplace, as well.1

Dreamland wasn't very unique. Many of its rides reminded me of those at Luna. It did have a few Biblical themed attractions that were like nothing else in the world. There was Creation, a journey through the advancement of the world as told in the Bible, which also served as the entrance from Surf Avenue. Also, there was Hellgate, a boat ride that began with a whirlpool that dropped you into a fictional journey through the underworld. There were also shows depicting the end of the world and the life of Moses.2

There was also Lilliputia, the midget city. Three hundred midgets lived in a small community, just their size. Lilliputia had its own small beach with midget lifeguards, as well as a fire department. However, I doubt that when the midget city was designed, anyone thought that it would respond to something other than the hourly false alarm.3

I will never forget the day Dreamland's existence ended. It was late at night, I believe the exact date was May 26, 1911, and the staff at Dreamland (including myself) was getting ready for the park to open the next day. I was working inside the Beacon Tower, cleaning . The only other people there were Samuel Englestein's employees working on the Hellgate ride, and of course, the midgets.4

Englestein's men were hard at work repairing Hellgate. The ride had sprung a leak three days earlier in testing, and his company had been called in to make the necessary repairs. The tinsmiths worked late into the early hours of the morning, caulking the leaks with hot tar.5

I was passing by Hellgate on my way out of the park in the early hours of the morning. Suddenly, I heard a strange popping noise from inside the ride. A man's voice cried out "Oh no, the lightbulbs!"6

From what I heard, I determined that the lightbulbs were exploding, either from the heat or a short circuit. The dim glow from inside the ride began to flicker, and suddenly, all the lights went completely out, leaving the workers inside in complete darkness.7

I had never thought I could have been any more terrified than I was at that moment. I was unable to move. I just stood there, staring at Hellgate, wondering what would happen to the people inside. Eerie silence lurked all around.8

Suddenly, I heard the thud of a bucket and the clamor of those inside. Somebody had kicked over a bucket of bubbling tar. The scent of smoke began to fill the air. Hellgate was on fire!9

I didn't know what to do. It was horrible. I could only watch in horror as the flames raged upward.10

"Hellgate can't burn now," I said to myself. "Dreamland is supposed to open tomorrow. It can't open if it doesn't last through the night."11

Three workers emerged from the ride, dirty and terrified, but alive. I was overjoyed to see them make their way through the equipment left at the entrance of the ride, but I wondered what had happened to the rest of the men.12

"They went looking for hand extinguishers and a hose," one panted. "Its a futile effort. The fire will be to big before they find them."13

Abruptly, the rest of the men spilled out of the exit, extinguishers and a hose in hand. At the same time, James Lillis, the night watchman, rounded the corner.14

As soon as he heard the running men and smelled the smoke, he ran toward the administration building. "Fire," he screamed, "Fire in Hellgate." I heard the alarm sound almost immediately.15

Horse drawn steamers and hook-and-ladder trucks arrived quickly. The water lines were pumping at full force, but it wasn't enough. Even as more fire stations sent help, the flames grew worse and worse.16

The battle against the flames continued, with water being redirected from every place possible. However, it wasn't enough. The water fell short of the fire; most of the pressure was gone. Something had gone horribly wrong.17

Realizing I was in tremendous danger, I ran from the blaze. I passed the tower where I had been working earlier; it was in flames. The plaster burned easily, as did the wood that made up most of the buildings. Dreamland was a candidate for disaster long before it struck.18

The flames kept advancing around the park. One attraction not being immediately threatened was the animal arena. Both Ferrari, the owner, and Bonavita, the trainer, had hurried to the scene of the conflagration. They gently herded the animals from their cages to the central arena with hopes that the flames would not cross the lagoon. I too stood in that arena, wondering if I would live through the night.19

Unexpectedly, the overhead lights went out. The only light left was the the glow of the tower blazing across the park. Despite the darkness, five leopards and four lions were moved to cages and transported to safety. Six shetland ponies also were led out of danger. Sadly, Little Hip, the beloved elephant, refused to move. His bull man, Captain Andre, was at a party in Manhattan, unknowing of the tragedy at Dreamland.20

I ran back to the fire front, thinking that if I had to die, I could at least die trying to help. It was there that I learned of what had caused the difficulty with the water pressure.21

Not only were the hoses directly being used to fight the fire attached to the water supply, but there were also hoses being hooked up by merchants to protect their buildings and hoses being used to keep the flames from spreading across Surf Avenue to Luna Park.22

I was running through the park when the Beacon Tower came crashing down. It was suspended from landing on the animal arena only by the cables of the high-wire bicycle show.23

Meanwhile, the animal arena began to burn. I saw Ferrari scramble away from the flames, ordering the animals to be shot to keep them from suffering a burning death. As Ferrari fled, Captain Andre arrived on the scene, just in time to hear the final cries of his dear companion, Little Hip. It was heartbreaking. I wanted to do something to help, but at the same time I wanted to flee with my life while I still could.24

Intuition told me that I would be safe in Lilliputia. With no second thoughts, I rushed toward the midget city. Along my way there, I encountered the Midget City Fire Department engine and the midget firefighters, valiantly trying to save their home.25

With no idea where would be safe from the flames, I made my way toward the exit. I felt tears well up inside my eyes, but none fell. Dreamland, always a wonderful park, would be gone forever.26

Upon leaving, I joined the crowd that had gathered to watch the struggle inside the park from the other side of Surf Avenue. As I gazed toward the park, a creature ringed with flame leapt out of the Creation attraction.27

The creature was Black Prince, a Nubian lion with his mane ablaze. The armed police immediately began to fire at him. The lion made his way to the entrance to Rocky Road to Dublin, a scenic railway, before he was finally killed. His head was cut off and examined, while his body was dragged down the entry ramp for display. The crowd cheered; I pitied the poor animal.28

Meanwhile, the buildings and rides surrounding Dreamland were ablaze. Great rides like L.A. Thompson's Oriental scenic railway, bathing pavilions, hotels, and Steubenbond's Restaurant could not be saved. Then Balmer's Bath's caught on fire, and I knew the New Iron Pier Walk was doomed. The Observation Tower caught fire like everything else and collapsed within minutes.29

It was around 4 in the morning when the conflagration was finally contained. The steel frame of the Giant Racer acted as a firebreak, giving firefighters a chance to extinguish the blaze without worrying about the destruction of further attractions. Slowly, things began to settle into reality.30

Dreamland was gone, and except for a metal arch that was part of the bridge over the lagoon, everything was in ruins. The Dreamland Pier and the Iron Pier were both just smoldering ruins. I had lost my job and the world that I lived in. Coney Island was solemn and grim.31

I knew that I couldn't dwell on the horror I had witnessed; Life would go on, and I needed to think about the present, not the past. I vowed to never forget Dreamland, but to also try to move forward. Gazing around the devastated area once more, I slowly made my way through the wreckage and returned home. 32