The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-02-21 00:00:00

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

From particulars furnished by another corre-
spondent, we (Daily News) learn that the books of the
firm exhibit t3O names of between 2,000 and 3,000 per-
sons having pi operty deposited in the please—many of
them to a very large amomit • and it is believed the
pitteares alone valued at 1:701,000 have been destroyed.
It was only in the latter part of last year that Mr.
WILIII Ellis had occaeion to rem pie a large portion al
his property, otherwise his loss in works of art woold
have been much wore considsralsl3. Some elegant
porphyry vases of great historical value, the property '
of Sir S. Fiizierald, have been preserved. Since the
outbreak the firemen have continued to direct tons of
water on to the rube—wherein much fire still remained
on Sunday night. The scene of destruction Wl4 visited
by wine thousands of persons en Sunday, and it required
a large body of polite to keep them from interfer-
ing with the firemen. sheet-iron flooring of
the building has been twisted into most curious
ehapee by the heat, and some of the iron doors,
e ill hanging, .plainly indicate the terrible ordeal to
which they were este sod. The proprietors speak posi-
tively he to the safety of the plate— the valuo of which,
we are assured, is over • milldam. It lies in the etrong
room under the entrance in Motcomb-street, and one
cellar of valnahle wines as also eel o, although the con-
tents of another have been sacrificed--the firemen at
one time working ankle deep in wine of, it is said, the
r most choice description. Messrs. Christie and Maiisain
heel some highly valnab e property stored in the
place—including vases, cabinets, articles of vertft, and
come rich tapestries—anise of the latter, it is said,
belonging to a foreign Peince, and it is gratify-
ing to state that all were got out in safety.
It is but fair to mention that the recovery of nearly
a hundred of the valualile carriages and other pro-
perty was effected by the memMirs of the Salvage
Corp., under the able direction of Mr. Swanton,
whose men wad keel till driven back tiv the sunks and
heat, their Limps proving useless. When there wan
Just barely time to escape, and it being imposeible to
take down tw3 large frames, Mr. Swanton himself cut
out the pictures—the " Last J udgment " and a "Slave
Market" and placed them out of the reaph of clanger.
The proprietors of the building seem to be firmly im-
pressed with the belief that the fit-0 was caused by spoil-
taneone combustion. In the " warehouse, where
it originated, some crates of furniture had been recently
plsoed, to one of which two ladies, who were there on
basinees, directed the attention of the workmen,
remarking "what a smell." The ladies then left, and
almost instantly a ie,aort "like a squib," we are toia,
was foil aweal by an outburst ot flame' which completely
surrounded the crate indicated, and speedily resulted
in the extension of the flames throughout the building.

On Saturday afternoon, about six o'clock, Sidney
Ssotr, a boy aged Alike°. the son of Mr. Scott. a
collar-maker, in King Wiilamatreet, Strand, was
killed by the sudden fall of lb portim of a wall in Kin-
nerion street. Some firemen who were with him at
the time had • very narrow escape, and the poor lad
had himself almomt got clear, when he was struck on
the back of the head by a brick and killed instanta-
neously. It Seems that, being fond of attending fires.
he had obtained a uniform something resembling that
of • fireman, and was time allowed to pass the barriers.
TtESDAT.

Throughout Sunday night and during the whole of
Monday six steam engines ef the Metropolitan Fire
Brigade, in charge of forty firemen, were kept at work
at full preeeure in completing the extinction of the
fire at the Paetechnicon, and the efforts of the brigade
were so far successful as to permit of arrangements
being made by the Salvage Corps and by the pro.
prietors, Mews. Smith and Radermacher, for the tin.
mediate removal of the ruins. With that view the
front entrance in Motcomb.street was partially cleared
by the Salvage Corps, and a detachment of fifty men
belonging to the corps was set to work. Every pre.
cautiou was taken against the improper removal of
goods, and the ruins will be carefully examined and
sifted before removal, and everything of the alighteat
value sill be vet aside, arid taken to a hulloing in the
nsfgbb surhood, which the proprietors have hired for
the pi:spree. A minute inventory of the goods
recovered will also be kept, so as to make
their subsequent identification said restuption to
their owners easier and more speedy. There can
be no doubt that the salvage will be of very greet
value, and that a large quantity of the goods at
present hidden amid the ruins will be recovered almost
uninjured. Even the slight clearing on Monday after.
noon of the passage in Motcoruladdreet, where for a
time the fire had been at its height, led to the recovery,
in a it ste none the worse for the ordeal, of china, clocks,
breams, and other articles of value; and a feather-bed
was even extricated in hut a slightly damaged candi.
tion. On the other hand, hand,omely-carved tables,
chairs, and similar pieces of furniture were brought
out charred, broken, and useless. This part of the
building was, perhaps, the least important of any, for
moat of the strong rooms were at the northern end of
the premixes. The owners, however, may rest assured
that everything will be done to recover and preaerve
each of their property as may still remain in the ruins,
in whatever part of the building, and that when
found they will restive a timely intimation of the
fast. The work of clearing the ground will take
a hutnight or three weeks at least, for it must be
remembered that the premises occupied nearly two
acres, and that upon an average the ruins ere 20 feet
deep over the while of that large area. Looking from
one of the upper floors of the uninjured warehouse the
sight that j resents itself is one of complete ruin and
desolation. The western wall, live stories high, abutt-
ing on Lowndes-square, has for the most part fallen
in, and the ruins here and there are entirely covered
by solid lbcke of masonry, which fell more or lees
suddenly during the progress of the fire. The walla
of the torsheni buildings are still standing, hut they
also seem in a tnt-ering condition. Strewn amid the
ruins are the iron Wars, ahich ran from basement to
roof, innumerable iron doors and laths, arid other things
of like kind, which in their former condition went far
to establish the reputation of the building as entirely
fire-proof. Here and there, also, are volumes of books
handsomely bound, picture frames, bronze ornamente,
manuscripts, and all kings of furniture, either burnt
or damaged by water. The front warehouse in
Motcomb.street, which is virtually untouched, con.
tains, besides a large number of pianos, some very
valuablecabinets and many pictures, including two of
value--one "The Last Judgment," belonging to Mr.
Tattereall, and the other "The Slave Market," the
property of Mr. William Money. Thiele were cut
from their frames during the lire, and deposited there
for greater safety. The plate closet., though they
cannot as yet be reached, are believed to be quite un-
injured. A considerable quantity of wine has also been
seved. Onring the day, the offices of the proprietors
were , literally besieged by ladies and gentlemen
who had deposited goods with them, and who
were anxious to know if they had been found. In
many cases the fact was admitted that, to save the
higher charges trade upon articles of plate, the de-
positors had included jewels, silver, and otter valuahles
In crates containing ordinary furniture, and it was deo
found that as a rule the renters and owners had omitted