The New York herald., 1878-11-12
THE CAPE MAY FIRE.
PROPERTY OWNERS DIsGusrED AT THE .MIsEE-
ABLE FIRE DEPAlTMENr--MASY HOTEL AND
COTTAGE OWNERS DECLINE TO REBUILD

PROPERTY OWNERS DISGUsrED AT THE .MIsEI-
ABLE FIRE DEPAITMENr--M MANY HOTEL AND
COTTAGE OWNERS DECLINE 70 REBUILD
CARE MAY. n. j.. Nov. IL, 1873.
There are fears that this famous summer resort
may recover from the effects OF the terrible
IRE Of Saturday. The destruction Of property can
hardly be realized except by personal visit All but
Of the principal hotels and nearly thirty cottages
having been swept away in two hours time. there
Is left Gully barren. blackencd waste in
the heart Of the town. Tho buildings
which stood there not only represented hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars in money. but years Of labor,
and army OF builders put to work they could
not replace the ruined structures by next season.
Even the owners Of the burned property anxious
to rebuild Cape May would have to wait several years
for restoration Of its former atractivcness and
ability to receive its summer guests There is un-
fortunately reason to believe that OF the capi
talists whose money in the hotels and ttagaa
will seek new fields OF investment, and it is known that
many others are very reluctant to commence rebuild
ing The $500 600 worth os property destroyed could
not be replaced by that sum. ana therefore the pub
lished list of losscs OF which the HkRAIDs estimate
turns out to be- the nearest does not show the real
tent Of the damage.
Many Philadelphia cottage owners are with good
reason. disgnscd at the wrctched pretcnce Of fire
day. or an indifferent hand engine and 1000 feet Of
hose too rotten to be used. Quite number of gem
tf1nen nave f61tlHcu 10 Dllll on th3 account,
pecially as the authorities Mt Cape May have fixed
very high tax rate amply sufficient to have provided
for Mt least one modern steam fire engine.
is said that the Congress Hall Compary intention
reelected by Messrs H. j. Dobbns. Charles S.
Iaylss, Andrew NJ. Moore and 4. g. knight and that
they had expressed themselves in favor Of running
street through the square which formed the lawn to
the hotel. and breakin. il into building lots for cot
taces They do not intend to rebuild the hotel Mr.
Jeremiah McCray, the owner Of the Centre House:
Mr. L. &. Knight Of the Atlantic Hotel, and William
u. King, the of q number Of cottages
DESTROYED, cit h against rebuilding and il is
not believed that Mr. ohn e. Eullitt will another
hotel On the site of The Columbia House. With this
loss of hotel attractions the residents Of Cape May
may look at each other mournfilly and ask '.What
is to become Of 2? The impetus To the rchabilita
ton Of the Cape. it in claimed must from the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the owner Of the
Excursion Houee and largest stockholder in the
Stockton Hotel.
1t is understood that General Scwcll Superintendent
OF the West Jersey Railroad Company, has called q
meeting OF the property owners at Cape Nay, to be
held on Wednesday.
AN INVESTIGATION.
There was some slight excitement created here to-
day by the official investigation into the of the
fire. The Mayor OF the town summoned before him
several witnesses. but their testimony kept
crat The investigation lasted three hours and
adjourned until tomorrow morning. Each witness
Wa privately examined by the Mayor: 1t Is mposs-
BILE 10 obtain any information to the result Of the
inquiry The Members OF the City Council also held
a secret session this afternoon