The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-10
GREAT FIRE IN CAPE MAY.
NEW JERSEYS FAMOUS SEISIDE RE
SORT SWEI'T ny FLIMES.
Hair n Dozen Hotels Including the Ocena
House and Congress Hall. and many PrI-
| vnte Cottages Hurned-I.os. 100000.

CAPE MAY N. j., Nov o.-Capo May, which
rivalled Long Branch last summer az a seaside
resort. ia In ruins. The principal hotels. which
were crowded to overnowing during tho long
drawn out heated term. are mass OF charrod
timbors. and smoking heaps OF ombers alone
remain. At about O'Clock this morning fire
was discovered In tho upper story OF the Ocean
House. large hotel. on Perry street. not far
from the beach drive and tho plank walk. Tho
wind was blowing strong and II soon became
evident that the building must go. The fre
department consists OF single steam engine
The whole town turned out to fight tho flames
but all efforts were futile. Tho sparks and
great burning embers were carried over the
roofs OF tho buildings. and fears were enter
tained that the entire place might be swept 10y
tho flames. RAPIDLY the building with its $50
feet OF frontage on Perry street. was licked up.
and the famos spread 10 tho nno cottage OF
George Freyer Of Philadelphia at the foot Of the
street. just across the street was tho mag
nincent Congress Hall. and all in bunch stood
the Centre and Atlantic Houses and various cot
tagcs. There was plenty OF material for the
fire. and kilograms were sent of for aid on
every side. Special trains wore run down from
Camden with several engines from that city
and a steamer and hose carriage from phila-
dclphia wore ordered to the scene by Chief En-
gineer Johnson.
1t was not until noon that tho first hclp ar
rived IN the shape OF engines from Camden.
Meanwhile the flames had everything their own
wav The. Ocean House burned lercely. At
the sea end OF Perry street stood tho elegant
cottage OF Mr. George Frcyer OF Philadol-
phia, II caught from sparks and burned
and clouds OF brands were caught up and
%hirlcd away. falling upon tho roofs Of The
hotels AMI cottages Burns's cottage succumbcd
to the flames and tho great Congress Hall
across The street from the Ocean was soon on
yeloped The hc9t was most intense. The wing
extending along Perry street presented n long
sheet Of fire which soon spread to tho main
building facing the sea. The house cannot be
The Avenue House wns next consumed. and
then the Centre House, near the corner Of Perry
and Washington streets. was attacked Tho
building WIS three stories high. and was nhout
20 feet in width on Porry street and ITS In
length On WIRshington street. i was tho prop
crty OF hr. Jeremiah McCray. lts accommOda-
tions were for four hundred guests. and it had
nearly two hundred rooms. somc Of them
very handsomely furnished. II formod the
head OF square very densoly packed with
frame dwellings, McCray's cottage and the
Atlantic House were also in n blaze. Tho Allan
tic House was four stories in height and was
surrounded by spacious piazzas, and had ac-
commodatlons for $50. eucsts. 1t was the sue
cGss9r to the first hotoi erected on tho island.
The house was owned by Edward G. Knight Of
PhilaIslphia, and was managed 10y Messrs
John McMakin and Levi Johnson.
Washington street Is the main avenue Of the
town. and there WINS plenty Of food for the flrc.
II gained foothod and tho strong wind chased
and the buildings burned like tindcr boxes.
Engines from Vineland and others from Cam.
citizens to stay the namcs. All the buckets in
town wore brought into reluistion. and cot
tages wero torn down IN the path Of the fire.
Tho whole square bounded by Jackson and
Washington streots to the Ocean drive was now
destroyed; Flying embers fell thick and fast
mops S? wns hHss each SsERCSBsy SBaa
other running down toward IL il Il had the I most sSS
shade, trees OF ans, hotel on the island.
The building was three stories high, and
ing a lofty balcony. The accommodations Of
the hotel were for about 600 guests. For the
Geo c. Ward. Jno. C. Bulitt OF PhialclpGia Is
tho owner. His insurance on the building Is
si9999 AND @dr'P On the biITH..g5G . tiS Tho
heioro tho fierce raging fire, and then the
Wyoming House became onycloped in flames
Through tho cottages in Jackson street tho
fire ragged uncontrolled. On stockton row near
the great Stockton House. the flames cot n foot.
Ing, but the iiremen managed to get the better
Of them. and the cottages wcro saved. This was
the nearest tho nro got 10 the stockton.
tho water, owned by the hotels. were burned.
Here the fire was stayed. Nearly % acres were
Washington street. and from Beach 70 Ocean.
Tho fro was undoubtedly OF incend-
ery orign. II took everything; in the
among the cottages to the west Of Washington
street and the stores along that side OF the
avenue. the entire city must have been de-
stroyed
:, Congress Hall .was. next to tho stockton
House. the largest hotel AT the Cape. 1t was a
ducted by j. +. Kingsley ( Co. Of the &C Cont.
mental Hotel. Phlladephiq. under Q lease from
Sheriff sale in May last for s6G. 900. Tho hotel
was In the shape OF an M l., and looked out for 700
$50 f feet long The oce or ToSndn do Of Ts bs
building was ll5 by 60 feet. The parlor was on
the second floor. and was the scene Of several
low fever sufferers last summer. II opened
out upon. balcony stretching tho entire
was was il insured m Tor t52566 in the the followine VIM,
companies: Queens. $1,000; Insui ance Conn
9Sny 4. Of Norh America t25oSo spring Gar.
Delaware Mutual. .2,5O0; Mechanics'. ~ 500:
Merchants and Mechanics 81. 800; City 81 800:
81 800; Etna. New York. 81 500; State, Pom,
sylyania, $2.5O0; Gloucester. 81 800; United
FTS@enss sG9 l5Ipq 10. Madison 52S Alan;S,
ty 9oo ris6a4Es Ag6iH9ss sSS59 assssbp aSss2i 3y22 ya
AID Mutual, $1,000; sprineneId. 81 900; Fl
deity 81 900; Security, 900; Mcridcn, 81 900;
Hall , was tie Bun Cottage Nv with H belonged to
the hotel; Is insured for t2,5OO in tho Della
The Ocean House faced on Perry street $50
feet. 1t was three and one-hnlt stories high.
and had accommodaiions for 400 guests. The
HOlfl WIS nfNlS IuIulSUtu III lnc SnIlnE NJ n
cost of $50 900. II was mortgaged for s35 500
held by iis old owners the MessTs. FArr Of
Philadelphia, There wero seventy eight bath
houses owned by the hotel Caulcy Cottage.
next TO the Ocean House. is also DESTROYED. Tho
present owner is Samuel Ludlam. His nsur-
nnccs amount to $i550O The companies in
yolycd, so f9r as row, known, are, North
les Richmond, 81 2jO; Alliance Of Boston
81 $50; National Of New York, $1,000;
of Liverpool, s25nG; Milvie Of MilWIlc
Liverpool. 81 500; Pennsylvania, phindelphiu
81 900: Insurance Company of North America
Philadelphia, $1,000; New York Central 81 $50
GQUecslgT. Mss slv,y, H.nl. Hartford
Il z50: manuia -:ur,ra. Boston, s23l5; All
9nce, Boston, a. 900; proyidonee, Washington
Il. !. 81 500; Transatlantic, Hamburg $3.50
Insurance Company State Of lcnnsylyania
81 500; Royal. Liverpool, 8 800; First National
81 $50; Delaware Wilmington, 81 600; Granite |
Virginia 81 $50; security Connecticut 81 800 !
Springfield, Muss. 81 300; Peoples Newark
II $50. Meridcu. Connecticut, 300; McGhan-
les, Boston, $1,000. Cau!oy Cottage Is Insured |
for sG 500.
Tho total loss is estimated at about 500 000
OF which more than ono hall is covered hy in |
surnnco on property and furniture. The losses |
i'm detail are as follows
Congress, Han owned D, stock company slop0ro