The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-11-24 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIONS OF
WORDSLEY FLOUR
MILLS BY FIRE.

£lO,OOO DAMAGE.

About three o'clock yesterday morniog a most
die sstrous fire broke out at Ivy Mills, Word&ley,
near Stourbridee, belonging to Messrs William and
Edward Webb, the well-known firm of Royal seeds.
men, who are among the largest seed growers in the
kingdom. The extensive seed farm o: the firm is
at Kinvs r, while the seed wat-ehettses and offices,
which are also on a lsrge scale, sufficiently as to
carry on the ext, naive business of the proprietors,
are at Wordsley, about equi distant from Stourbridge
and Brierley Hill At Wordsley, teo,Messrs. Webb
have let ge flour mills, in close proximity to the other
buildings, and altogether the premises, including
warehouses, mills, offices, stables, and other out
buildings, col er a con-iderable area of ground
The large flour mill, which has now been burnt to.
the ground, stood apparently in the centre of the
premises, the other erections forming a tent of
boundary to it. Some idea as to the size of the
mill will be gathered from the fact that it was
fitted with machinery capable of producing 1,000
sacks of flour per week. About three o'clock
yesterday morning the night watchman on the
premises discoverA a fire burning in a portion of
the mill near to the stack of the engine house, the
wills being worked by steam. He instantly raised
an alarm, which brought other employes who
reside cicre on the spot, and also some of the
neighbours, to the scene. Messengers were at once
despatched to Stourbridge and Brierley Hill for the
fire brigades, and both brigades attended with
promptitude to the summons received, the Stour-
bridge firemen taking with them the steam fire-
engine. By the time, howevtr, of the arrival of
the engines at Wordsley, ow.ng to the combustible
nature of the contents of the mill, the flames had
spread with rapidity. In the meantime, however
the news of the fire had spread, and hundreds ce
the villagers and inhabitants of the adjacent local-
ities flocked to the mills, and there were plenty of
willing helpers who rendered all the assistance
they could to effect salvage from the heavy stocks
of grain and flour which the burning mill contained.
By their assiduous efforts it is satisfactory to state
that the whole of the flour, several
hundred sacks in number, were re-
moved to a place of s day without being damaged
The efforts made to save the wheat stored in the
mill ready for grinding were not to successful, for
although a large quantity of it was removed, this
could not be done before the grain had either been
under the influence of the fire, or so damaged by
the water thrown upon the flames, that it was ren-
dered totally unfit for grinding purposes. The two
fire brigades, although aided in their labours by a
good supply of water, found it quite impossible to
s sve the building, and the mill was completely
gutted, nothing but the bare walls btiag now left
standing. The flames were, however, prevented ex-
tending either to the seed warehouse or to any
other portion of the premises beyond the mill. The
latter had only recently been fitted up, at great
cost, with all the latset applianc.s for milling on
the roller system, this being an improvement on the
old fashionA mode of grinding with stones. severel
pairs of which were however, still kept running in
the destroyed building. The whole of this machinery
and everything else which the mill centained, has
been destroyed. The amount of damage if roughly
estimated at £lO,OOO, and although it is covered by
insurance, Messrs. Webb state that they will sus-
tain a heavy loss by the suspension of work and
otherwise. At noon yesterday the brigades had
only just suspended operations on the burning
building, and it was understood that some of the
firemen would remain on the spot during the
whole of the day in case of further outbreak.
Seeing the close proximity of the
w rehouses and stables :to the mill, it
speaks well for the efforts of the firemen that th
were enabled to confine the conflagration to the
latter place. At the time of the occurrence Mr.
William Webb, the senior partner in the firm, was
absent from home attending a show at Norwich ;
he. was, owever, telegraphed for, and was ex-
pcted to arrive at Wordsley in the course of the ,
afternoon Mr. Edward Webb, the other partner,
happened to be at home, and was one of the first to
arrive at the scene of the fire, where he exerted
hi nsolf by working and directing the efforts of
others eng,iged in effecting i-alvage and trying to
subdue the flames, and Mr. Webb speaks in the
highest terms of the efforts of all who were thus
engaged. As to the origin of the fire it at pres,nt
remains a mystery, and the only coejecture which
can be formed in this respect is that it was caused
by the heat from the engine house over-heating
.surne of the limier in that part of the mill nearest
to it During the whole of the day the place was
visited by some thousands of people, and much
sympathy was felt and expressed with Messrs.
Webb. It might be inentiowd that the in_n
usually employed will not be thrown out of em-
pioyin nit be the c slamity, as the proprietors have
another mill at Wordsley, at whi• h work can be
found for them.

Ho'loway's Ointment and Pilll.—Dangerous Che3t
Complaiuts.—The enumeration of these diseases is
Fca-cely necessary, as, unfortunately, the inhabitants of
these islands know them to their cost. Coughs, colds,
indoenza, bronThitis, asthma, pleurisy, inilamacion of
the lungs, and even consumption in its early stages, are
bst treated by rubbing Holl,way's Ointment upon the
chest and between the shoulders. It penetrates inter-
nally, checks the cold shivering', relieves the over.
gorged lun;s gradually recusves the oppression from the
ch.st, and restores the obstructed reipiration, hitherto
so fearfu!iy distressing and so highly danger 'O4. in
treating this c'ass of uisaases, Holloway's Pi.ls should
always be taken while using his Ointment ; they purify
the tdood, promoto parspiratioa, and allay dangerous
irritations.

VALUABLE DISCOVERY rou your
Lair is turning grey or white, or falling off, iie " ke
ilexicar Hair Renewer," for it will positort,'y rebtortt
or every case Gs•ey or White hair to its origili.ti colour,
without leaving the disagreeable smell of most
''Restorers." it makes the hair charmingly beautiful,
110 well as promoting the growth of tho hair on bald
eats, where the glands are not decayed. Ask your
Chemist for "Tat MX ICAN HAIR RENEWER," sold
Clemista and Perfumers everywhere at 38. 6d. per
Mottle; Wholelai• dep9t named tio 40, Furistscice
c`;'