Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-09-09
DESTRUCTION OF THE MT VERNON HOTEL

The mammoth Mount Vernon Hotel, at Cape Island
" j., took ire ON Friday night quarter IL o'clock
and was consumed The other hotels escaped unnjured
The origin OF the fire is unknown Mr. CAIN the lessee OF
the house, residing in the building and had retired
previous to the alarm OF fire. His son. Philip CAIN Jr
escaped from the building by leaning from the secnpd
ry window but was badly burned and lies point Of
death With the exception of his son, the whole OF Mr.
Gains family persisted in the flames The following is
list OF those lost:
Phillip Cain, Sr tho lessee: Andrew Cain Martha TAI,
Sarah Can and Mrs. Albertson.
The charred remains Of Mr. Cain were found on satur
day morning The Philadelphia Bulletin saws:
Mr.. Philip CAIN ST. with Col Frank T. Foster. of tb,
city, were the propretors of the i'll fated hotel Mr. Cain
resided at Vincent town, j. and went to Cane Island
he present season for the purpose of opening the hotel
lie wis IS years Of age.
Andrew Caiu his son. about 90 years of age Mar
tia was in her 18th year. and Mary was but 49,
Mrs Albertson was 30 years OF age. She was n widow
She had gone to he Island houekeeper al the
hotel.
The elder Mr. Cain leaves wife and several children at
nmeentown Mrs Albertson also resided there. Young
fhlllp Gam u about Is years OF age
The Mount Vernon was built by a company of gentle
men at cost OF Sl25OO0, upon which there not one
cent OF insurance. The building first occupied in
1883, but Aessrs Cain Foster did not become the les
sees until the past The hotel was celebrated for
its immense size and for the superior accommodations the
building Afforded to guests The interior was we'll finished
and the apartments larger and comfortable than
usual at watering-place hotels
Although the hotel in its late condition. capable of
accommodating 2l0O visitors, it finished at the
ngs occupy three sides Of hollow square, or
aud the front range and wing were up One wing
had never been commenced. The building construct
ed entirely Of wood; 1t four stories in hight in the
main, with four towers each five stories in height Three
OF these towers occupied the Of the building and
one stood mid way of the only wing
In addition these there an immense tow.
six stories in height in the Of the front The en-.
tire structure both outside and upon the court yard was
surrounded with wooden pazzas that extended from the
ground to the roof with floors each story The wing
quarter of dDliks iHgfh and the front covered
which was 425 feet long, and 60 feet in width capa-
BILE OF accommodating 5000 persons. There we're i32
rooms in the building IL claimed that the Mount
Vernon was the largest hotel in the world.
In addition to the main building there stabing for
nifty horse-, carriage houses ten-pn alleys, &c. &c.
Melancholy the disaster h il most fortunate cir.
cumstance that the Gre did during the bathing
season. There were no guests in the house the time
and Col Foster the surviving proprietor in this city
The Mount Vernon stood at a considerable distance
from the other houses the Island the destruction OF
property would have been still greater Had the flames
communicated to the dcDsey built portions Of
Cape Island would probably laid In ruins a. the
hotels and other buildings all Of the most combusble
description, and there Is no fire apparatus In tho place
There was tank in the centre Of the wing Of
the Mount Vernon capable Of holding twenty thousand
gallous Of water The forced into by steam
| engine.
The furniture Of the hotel belonged to Messrs Cain
Foster. II valued at s24 600 upon which .here wa.
no insurance The total pecuniary loss by the cSnaaga
| ton will not fall short Of 10000
LATEST BY TELEGRAPH
| PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 6.--Thc passengers from Cape
Mary report that nine burned by the Gre
Mount Vernon Hotel Mrs. Cain was not among the vic
Tins Most Of the furniture had been previously removed
| by the proprictors
An Irish had been arrested for setting FIRE To the
building.