Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1905-03-02
CONFEDERATION AT
CAPE MAY COURT HOU .E.

Cape May, N. j., Feb. ga stub
bornly fought fire, which was fed by
high northwest wind and which
lasted four hours, burned out the heart
OF the business section OF Cape May
Court House. the county seat of this
county. early this morning, causing
loss OF about $50, 900 and crippling
the business of the community, whose
total population is about 900 souls.
The fire was discovered in Youri-
sons hardware store. on the north
side OF Mechanic street, which street
runs east and west. The fire was aug
mented by an explosion, probably by a
small keg OF powder, and rapidly
spread eastwardly to the grocery store
OF J. d. Richardson q Company, and
from there to the Red Mems Hall,
which was an almost new building,
three stories high.
| There was a general spread of the
flames southwark and eastward, and
soon there were no less than ten build
bucket brigade to fight the flames.
All the buildings on both sides of
the street were then burned up to
Main street, which runs north and
south. Before o'clock the Bellevue
Hotel, owned by A. r. Springer, to-
gether with his electric light plant and
his stables and the old court house
building, which was used as the
county seat Of justice for nearly a
hundred years, up to 1854, were eaten
| up by the flames. The fire burned un-
til after O'Clock, when the last
| building to go was the residence of
former County Treasurer David T.
Smith, which was located on Main
street.
The fire was prevented from spread
| ing westwardly when it reached the
| dwelling of DR.. M. F. Lummis, for
merly of Bridgeton, a brick building,
which was protected by carpets satur-
| ated with water.
At the northeast limit of the fire
large force of men were laboring to
save the old Union Hotel property,
knowing that il they failed the hand
some residence of H. p. Bennett, the
county Jail, courthouse, surrogate's s
| and clerks office, with the Methodist
Church. would in all probability sue
| cumb to the flames. The last building
to burn in this section was the law
office of Douglass g Douglass. and as
a last resort the firemen chopped the
building to pieces to check the con.
'fagration.
/ Eight families were driven into the
streets by the flames, many OF them
saving nothing of value. =
I No lives were lost and no one sus.
tained serious injuries, though hun
ldreds battled with the flames. The
cause of the fire will probably remain
"a mystery. Many believe thief ior
thieves broke into the hardware store
for the purpose of robbery and while
there had accidentally dropped a
lighted match, while others believe
spontaneous combustion caused the
| blaze.
| The Bell Telephone Company, D. &
A., is a heavy loser by the fire, their
central office having been located in
! Richardson's store, which prevented
prompt application for aid. A tele-
gram was sent to Cape May for assist
ance and special train brought up the
chemical engine and corps of fire.
men, but too late to be of service.
The insurance agencies estimate that
there was $4,000 carried in policies
and that in one single company has lost
over $4,000. Following are the esti-
mates of the losses =
| David 7. Smith, residence, $4,000 !;
Mrs Nelson Garretson, residence,
$500; Bellevue Hotel, stable, electric
light plant and bakery, owned by Al
exander R. Springer, $l5, 600; stock in
Elmer & Richie's bakery, $500; store
OF Theodore Yourison, on Mechanic
street, $4,000; Walter Hur1ell, harness
manufacturer, dwelling and store,
$s500; Alfred Cooper, Cape May
County Gazette, $45oO; Coleman f.
Corson, barber and cigars, $500; A.
Levi, clothing, $4,000; John H. Bene-
zet, store building, $4,000; E. Van
Valkenburg, meats, $500; Mrs. Metz
| ger, millinery, stock, $500; Mrs. Muda
Nichols, Two residences, $4,000 Mrs.
Muda Nichols, two store buildings,
| $4,000. J. B. Huffman, law office and
library, $4,000; J. d. Richardson q
Co., grocer, store and dwelling, $4,000 !;
Johanna Hearon, dry goods, $4,000 !;
Red Mems Hall, $4,000; Asa McCart-
ney, pool and billiards, $4,000; J.
Swing Willis, meat market, $500;
William Steele, store building, $1,000;
Mrs. William Ross, store building
i