The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-08 00:00:00

SERIOUS FIRE LAST NIGHT.

About five o'clock yesterday evening, a fire of a ir:(00,
alarming nature was discovered in a warehouse, No. 3,
Denison-street. The warehouse is owned by Messrs.
Jones and Holmes, and contained about 2,500 bales of
cotton. The cotton is the property of Messrs. W. and
J. Bonn, Messrs. Bates, and Chambers, Pringle and Co.,
Lawson and Co., and other cotton merchants. At the
time that the fire was discovered the men were employed
in taking in cotton, and'whilst thus engaged smoke was
seen issuing from the windows of room No. 3. Infor-
mation of the fire was communicated to the station at
the Prince's Dock, and the reel from that place was
'immediately in attendance. Mr. Hewitt's engine, from
Hatton Garden, followed soon after ; as did also the
West of England, under the able superintendence of Mr.
Barrett; and relays from Hatton Garden. The cotton
must have been smouldering a considerable time before
the alarm was given, for upon the arrival of the firemen
it was found that the flames had made considerable
progress and had extended to room No. 4, which is
directly above that in which the fire originated. The
fire-engines which were in attendance commenced to
play upon the fire from the front and back of the build-
ing. The firemen were aided in their indefatigable
efforts by a plentiful supply of water ; but the difficulty
which was experienced in obtaining good positions from

which they could play upon the fire, materially lessened
the influence which would otherwise have been felt in

the subdue' of the flames. To this cause must be 'attri-
buted the length of time during which the fire raged
with apparently unabated vigour. Between 6 and 7
o'clock the whole of room No. 4 was on fire, and tre-
mendous volumes of smoke issued continuously from the
two rooms. It being found that the fire was spreading
to that portion of the warehouse in Gibraltar-row, five
of the ten branches which were at work were "removed
from Denison-straet to Gibraltar-row; but even this
appeared ineffectual in subduing the progress of the
conflagration. From 7to 9 o'clock the whole neigh-
bourhood was enveloped in clouds of smoke, which still
proceeded with unabated vigour from the two rooms
of the warehouse. In the latter portion of the time
we have named, it was seen that the flames were
extending to No. 5, the upper room of the building,
and the firemen accordingly changed the direction from
which they were impelling continuous streams of water.
Seeing that their previous efforts had been so ineffectual,
and seeing also the necessity for a more commanding
position for the hose, it was resolved to remove a por-
tion of the roof, and thus play upon the_ fire from the
top of tha building. This was soon carried out, and
the effect upon the fire was almost immediate. From
that time the flames decreased, and the whole fire may
be said to have been subdued by half-past nine o'clock.
Immense quantities of smoke, however, still continued
to issue from the rooms, and the engines will, probably,
continue to play upon the embers during the whole of
to-day. At six o'clock the fire was distinctly visible
from the opposite side of the river, and its appearance
at that distance was such as to cause much alarm and
anxiety. The serious character of the fire, indeed, can
scarcely be overrated, when it is remembered that 2,500
bales of cotton were in imminent danger of being burnt.
As it is, however; the damage is by no means small,
£4,000 being the lowest estimate, During the progress
of the fire, several members of the 4th Lancashire
Artillery Volunteers rendered great assistance, and
exerted themselves in subduing the flames. Amongst
the other gentlemen on the spot, who assisted in
extinguishing the fire, were Major Grieg (who arrived
soon after it was discovered), R. C. Janion, of the
'Northern Assurance Company ; Mr. Curtin, the surveyor
of the: Royal Insufanee Company, and Mr. Boult,
secretary of the Liverpool and London;' Mr. Kitchen,
Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Crain. We believe that the
property'was insured in the Royal, and the Liverpool
and London. One of the policemen, NO: 326; fell from
the roof on to the floor of the first story, but fortunately
escaped without much injury.

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT;-YETLRDAY.

(Before Mr. •CASTELLAIN.)
A DISHONEST SERVANT.

Mr. llaskayne, auctioneer, 37, Scotland-road, clinged a
female, named Mary Kelly (a fictitious name), for having
stolen a gold ring, value 355., out of his house. It appeared
that the prisoner was a servant in the complainant's house,
and that she obtained the place by giving a false name and a
falso character. She referred to her own mother, who told
Mrs. Haskayne that the prisoner had lived with her, and gave
her a" gond' cliaracqr, *ithadt telling she was her mother.
Some time ago the ring was missed—the Was not-sus-
pected at first ; but in consequence of something else being
missed, she was taxed with stealing the ring,- and after some
time she produced it. On inquiry, it turned ourthat she had
stolen things from her former place.. She was sent for trial to
the sessions. ' _ : . •

IMPROPER HOUSE.• . •
A female named Mary Anne Dixon was brought tip on a
warrant, by Inspector Hough, on a 'eha,rge of keeping an.
improper -tioUse- Dansfesstreet. Mr: Pluck dttentled the
prisoner. It appeared thgt the prisoner was warned to leave
the house, aspic neighbours had prpsented a rrientorial against

it: : She :at first promised to go away, but slie subsequently
defied the police. Two or three witnesses were examined and
proved. to the.disorderly state in which the prisoner kept the
house. An efficcr, in reply to Mr. Bluck, said the prisoner had
remold her goods from the house. Mr. Bina said the object
was to get rid of the nuisance, and the prisoner had removed
her things, and would leave the house. The woman was
remanded till Saturday in order to see whether the house
would be given tip.