The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-11
BY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE DAILY INTELLIGENCER.
CONFLAGRATIONS.
Fire King the Lion at Cape May
Saturday.
Hotels, Cottages and Bathing
Houses Destroyed.
Loss Estimated at Four Hundred
Thousand Dollars.

| -SSS .SesSs ~ VI" hs"'eS
Thousand Dollars.
CAPE MAY, n. j., November 9.-The
worst fire that ever visited this city was
discovered this morning about o'clock
in the attic OF the Ocean House, on Perry
street, below Washington, the new wing
OF the Center House intervening between
the Ocean House and Washington street,
the main thoroughiare Of Cape May. The
fire was evidently the work OF an incendi,
ary, as there had been no fire in the Ocean
House since the close Of the season.
A police officer gave the alarm, and the
Fire Department Of the city, consisting oil
one truck, one hand engine, and num-
Der OF chemical engines, responded
promptly, but it was soon found that they
could do little towards subduing the
flames.
No one had been in the Ocean House
for several days. For the past two seasons
the house was run by s. r. Ludlam, who,
about fifteen minutes before the fire was
discovered, left for Philadelphia. The old
wing Of the Ocean House was not injured
when the fire shot across Perry street to
the west, and attacked Congress Hall, in
what was called whisky Row." The
wind was then from the northwest, and
blowing thirty-six miles an hour. The
flames spread to the new wing OF Congress
Hall, fronting on Perry street. About the
same time it communicated to the back
part Of the Merchants House, on jackson
street. Soon after the main wing OF Con-
gress Hall, on Washington street, caught.
The fire then extended ito the Cen.
ter House, at Perry, Washington and
Jackson streets, where the flames commu-
nicated to the old wing ofthe Ocean House,
on Perry street, and ut the same time
reached the Center House cottage, and
communicated to Peterson's cottage, on
Jackson street. The fire rapidly swept
over the adjoining property to the ten-pin
alley on Jackson street. Now the Mer-
chants Hotel, already on fire, but kept
under control, burst into flames, which
made their way down to the beach. II
looked as II the whole city was doomed.
The fire swept along to Finlon's "Cottage
by the Sea-" on Jackson street. Charles
Suelke's Centennial House was next burn
ed to the ground, and Mrs. Millern's cot
tage, on Jackson street, followed. Then
the flames, now raging furiously, reached
the Old Atlantic House, and shot across
Jackson street to George Hillworth's cot
tage, which fell victim, together with the
Cahill cottage. The knickerbocker House
was then attacked, and soon after VIM. j..
Kings hot bath establishment was inclnd-
ed In the general destruction. George
Freycr's cottage, standing alone on the
bluff below the Ocean House, was envel-
oped BY flames and burned. Then came
the Avenue House, kept by George I.
Dougherty, property OF the Burns estate,
at the foot OF Perry street. This was fol-
lowed by S. A. Rudolph's cottage on Jack
son street.
While the fire was ut It's heights, about
noon, and after the Avenue House had
caught fire, q steam engine from Camden
arrived and by this time the direction OF the
fire was checked. The flames then attack
ed the two cottages Of Alex. Mcconnell and
that Of Rudolph, but they were not seri'
ously damaged: ,.
Back OF Cahill's cottage OIL Decatur street
were Judge Hamburger's cottage and three
OF W. +. King g cottages, which were de-
stroyed. At this time e o'clock an alarm
came that the Columbia House on Ocean
street, between Washington street and the
beach, was on fire. The flames spread so
RAPIDLY over this property that it was soon
in ruins, with number OF outbuildings
and Beaver Cottage on Ocean street, Thos.
+. Tasker's cottage, adjoining Colonel 7.
s. Smoot's cottage, on Washington street,
bath.houses in front Of the Columbia
House, and about one thousand bath
houses belonging to the Stockton Hotel.
Some cinders lodged on the Stockton
House roof, but were extinguished. Two
OF Warne's cottages, i'll Stockton row,
caught fire, but were sayed. The last
building attacked was the Wolf cottage,
about two hundred yards from the Stock
ton House, where again the tiremen OBJ
uous work, was about Q +. NJ.
At '4:S0 o'clock another steam engine
arrived from Camden, and rendered very
efficient aid in checking the flames.
McCray's cottage on jackson street, DC
hind the Center House. and the ler'
chants, one Of the Oldest buildings on .sIe
Island, went early in the day. On the
lawn OF the Columbia House, between II
and the beach, two cottages belonging to
the hotel were destroyed. Properties on
Columbia avenue escaped.
Tho entire burned district covers an
area Of about forty acres, and IS bounded
by Congress on the west, Washington OF,
the north, Ocean street on the east, and
the beach on the south. The total loss is
estimated at 100000, OF which more than
one-half il covered by insurance.
The losses in detail are rs follows: Con
grcss Hall, 100000; Ocean House. i5,'
900. insured for $4,000; Central House
owned by John +. McCray, loss, So, 900
Columbia House, owned by John 9. Bul
lett, loss, $4,000, insured for So, ,OO0;. AT
llantic House, owned by i. G. knight, loss
soO. 1000; Merchants Hotel, owned BY VIM
Mason, loss, $4,000; Wyoming Cottage
owned by George Hildrith, loss, Sl6, 900
Cahilrs cottage, $1,000; George FryerI
cottage $4,000, insured for g, 900; Avenn'
Hotel, owned by Michael Burns estate
$500; VIM. f. Kings four cottages, bath
houses, &C., S40,00Oi Judge hamburger
cottage, $500; s. A. Rudolph's cottage
$4,000, insured for S, 600; Barretts saloon
$500; Dennizott's cottage and bath'house
5000; Centennial Cottage, 5000; Peter
sons cottage, $1,000; Wolf Cottage, u,
200: Beaver Cottage, owned by j. Q. Bul