The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1873-11-11 00:00:00

IMMENSE FIRE IN WILTSEUER
£30,000 DAMAGE.

Early on ' Paturday morning, one of the most
destructive Ares that have ever ta.en place's Wiltshire
broke out In the Town Mills, Melksham, and rest:third In
the destruction of ono of the largest and finest mills In
Wiltshire, and upwards of 6,000 mobs of grain, the total
damage being entreated at nearly £30.000. The mills
were situate on the river Avoo, and were driven by
water power when the strength of the strains was
sufficient, and when soots was not the ease steam power
was made use of.. an auxillitry. Tie owner of the mills
is Mr. Ferris. of Drayoott, Wilt., and they were occupied
by Mr. John Taylor, one of the most extensive miller.
and eara.clealen in England. The building., which
have been erected upwards of 20 lean, and were
substantially oonetrueted of stone, contained fourteen
pairs of stones and the neessaary machinery for drowning,
suiething, ko., and they oovered an area of upwards of
an sore and employed • large number of men. The
otructure eras four stories high, and built of the well.
known local atone with Iron girders. The men worked
night and day. The chief miller vu relieved at one
°Work on the morning In question by the deputy, and
at that tintheverything was sae. At twenty minutes
to two the night foreman went over the building, and
toned nothing wrong ; but half an hour enterqueoty
he notated, on looking out of the department Ia shish
be was espy& that flames were truing oat of the
windows of that portion of the building widish lodinated
to storing purposes. An alarm was gives, aid in a
quarter of an hour the Mislkshens Fire &truth was on
Oh. spot and at work, • plentiful supply of water
being obtained from the Avon. Inspector Luffmaa,
of the Wilts Constabulary, despanshad mounted
messengers to Chipparihmn, Bradford, Devisee, and
Trowbridge, and each plats oontribeted as engine as
aeon as poseille. By six o'olook Ave anginas, ably
manned, were la full pthy, and throwing an isniesthe
oinntity of water upon the Aimee, which having wend
with surprising rapidity, had oompletely taken bold el
the building In lees than an hour after tith outbreak.
Tbe efforts of the engines upon the mill seemed futile,
but the dwelling-house adjoining the mill was preemved.
The extensive sloth mills of Meson. Maltraren closely
adjoined the burning premises, brat by keeping them
well saturated with water the flames were kept at hey;
shout £l,OOO worth of fine sloth bed to be removed to
prevent it. being damaged. The end .greition pro-
moted • terribly grind mese, illuminating the country
Ds miles, and attracting people from MI directions.
So greet men the quantity of water thrown upon the
premises that numerous seeks of corn Bloated into the
river, over which it formed • clarions imentie. Mr.
Taylor had jest puthhued several large quantities of
Amadeu' and other wheats, and thus 4.000 sacks of the
best wheat In the eountry, besides other grain, has been
destroys& It is an unfortnnate ftht that 'either '
owner nor eoeupler I. folly insured. On &today the
stollens building •as still smoaldering, and walls, Boors,
and mathinery oomelenelly tumbling down.