The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-07
Terrible Disaster Mt Cape May.


DESTRUCTION OF THE MOUNT VERNON HoTEL-FIvs
PERsoSs BURNED TO DEArH--oNLY ONE sURvl-
voR OF THE FAMILY OF PHILIP CAIN.
From the Philadelphia Bulletin, Sept 81
CAPE ISLAND, N. j., Sept. 8, 1856.
The mammoth Mount Vernon Hotel, at this place. took
IRE last night at quarter to IL O'Clock and entirely
consumed. The other hotels escaped uninured.
Tie origin Of the fire is unknown. Mr. CAIN the lessee
Of the house. was residing in the building and had retired
previous TO the alarm OF fire. HIS son, Philip CAIN Jr
escaped from the building by leapng from the second
story window but was badly burned.
With the exception Of the son, the whole Of Mr, Cain
family perished In the flames
INC following is q list of those lost
Philip Cain sr., the lessee
Andrew Cain.
Martha CAIN
Sarah Cain, and
Mrs Albertson.
The charred remains Of Mr.. Cain were found this
morning.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Mr.. Philip CAIN ST. with Col Frank T. Foster Of hi,
city, were the proprietors Of the fated hotel Mr. Cain
resided at vncenttown n j., and went 10 Cape Island
the present season for the purpose OF opening the hotel
He was 65 years Of age.
Martha was in her seventeenth year. and Sarah was but
thirteen.
widow She had gone 70 the island to act as house
keeper at the hotel
The elder Mr. Cain leaves wife and several children
at Vincepttown. Mrs Abertson also resided there.
Young Philip Cain is about Is years of age.
The Mount Vernon was built by a company Of gentle
men, cost of sl25. .ooo upon which there is not
cent Of insurance The building was first occupied in
1853 but Messrs Cain and Foster did not become the
lessees until the past The hotel celebrated
for its immense size, and for the superior accommoda
,ons the building afforded guests. The interior
well finished, and the apartments were larger and more
comfortable tn usual at watering place hotels.
Although the bote in its late condition, capable OF
accommodating 100 visters, II not finished at the
time OF Its obstruction. was designed TO have the
buildings occupy three sides Of hollow square, court
yard, and The fropt range and wing up One
wing had never been commenced. The building was
constructed entirely Of wood four stories in height
IN spc man win Tour towers each i've stories In height
Three Of these towers pied the build
ing and one stood midway of the only wiug
In addition to these towers there was an immense
entire structure both outside and upon the court yard,
surrounded with wooden piazzas that extended from
the ground to the roof with floors at each story. The
wing a quarter OF a mile In length and the front
red nearly equal extent OF ground The dining
which was 40 ieet lepg and 90 feet In width was
capable Of accommodating 900 persons. There were
4s2 rooms In the building II csimed that the Mount
Vernon the largest hotel In the world.
In ADDITION TO the main building there stabing FOR
fifty horses, carriage houses, tenpin alleys, &c
Melancholy the disaster Is. IL s most fortunate
circumstance that the IRE did not during the bath
u There were guests in the house at the
and Colonel Foster the surviving proprietor, was
Ia this city.
The Noun, Y, rnon stood at distance from
the other houses the Island the destruction of pro
pcrty sould have been still greater. Had the tiamcs
town. Cape Island would have been probably la 10 ruins
the hoels and other buildings all OF the most
bustbe description and there Is 10 hre apparatus IN the
pace.
There was tank IN the centre Of the wing Of tho
Mount Vernon capable Of holding twenty thousand gal
Ions Of The water forced into Il by means
steam engine.
Fos,er. was valued at s2i 600, upon which there wa
no insurance The fetal pecunlary ols by the conagra
| ton will not fall tbort Of siboooo.