The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-06 00:00:00

ALARMING FIRE.

. . .
Yesterday afternoon, about foui o'clock; an alarming
fire broke out in Strand-street, opposite We Canning
Dock. The ground floor was occupied by Messrs. Pryde
and Co., sail-makers and ship-chandleri; the floor above
by Messrs. Ellis and Co. and Mr. Bedell, as a store for
patent felt and Portland cement ; the cellar by Messrs.
Davis and Jones, blockmakers and shipsmiths ; while
the upper rooms were used for storing merchandise, and
as sailrooms. The fire was first seen in the back part of
Messrs. Pryde and Co.'s store, on the groundfloor, where
there stood a number of oil cisterns and casks contain-
ing like inflammable articles, and almost immediately
the warehouse was filled with dense smoke, and in a
few seconds broke out into a fierce flame, which
communicated so quickly with Messrs. Ellis and
Co.'s felt warehouse above that it was only just
possible to save some of the books and papers
and escape into the street. A gentleman, having the
appearance of a clergyman, who happened to be in the
warehouse selecting some hair felt to protect his hot-
house plants from the effects of the frost, had only just
time to grope his way down stairs, through the dense
smoke, into the street, before the flames burst out with
irresistible fury. Great fears were, at first entertained
for the safety of the sailmakers who were at work in
the top rooms, but as none of them appeared at the
windows it is presumed they escaped unseen through
the volumes of sraoke.

The fire reels were quickly on the spot, but there was
some delay, in procuring water; but for this unfortunate
circumstance the fire would probably have been confined
to the room in which it is supposed to have originated.
In the meantime the fire had communicated with the
patent felt warehouse, which afforded abundance of
combustible material, and for a lotg' time baffled the
efforts of the fire brigade, and was not subdued before
it had extended to:the floors above, and shot up the stair-
case with such fearful rapidity that the destruction of
the whole building seemed inevitable.
The loss, which is mostly covered by insurance, will
chiefly fall upon the Queen and the Royal, the latter
being for only a small amount.

FIRE AND MELANCHOLY LOSS OF LIFE.

Last night a fire was discovered in a small house, in
No. 2 Court, Ashton-street, Park. As soon as the
alarm was given, Mr. Josoph Pr ;' nrr. con, with other
gentlemen, went to render assistance ; and upon the
flames being extinguished, a most melancholy and fright-
ful sight met their view—namely, the body of an aged
female, burned almost to a cinder and quite dead. The
deceased, whose name was Penelope Horabin, was in
the 90th year of her age, and had lived on parochial
allowance for some years, with her son and daughter.
When the fire was discovered, it subsequently appeared
that the deceased was alone in the house, her daughter
and son being at an adjoining public-house in a state of
intoxication. Row the premises caught fire is not known ;
but it is presumed that the clothes of the deceased caught
fire, and, from her age and debility, she was unable to
raise an alarm. Every article of furniture in the room
was totally consumed. An inquest on the body will be
held this day, when no doubt a strict investigation will
be instituted. The remains of the deceased were con-
veyed to the dead-house.

VERY SERIOUS FIRE AT BIRKENHEAD

LAST NIGHT.

Last evening, about twenty minutes after six o'clock,
a fire broke out in the workshop belonging to Mr. John
Morris, builder, joiner, and timber merchant, Oliver-
street, Birkenhead. The workmen had only just left
when flames were seen to issue from the premises. The
rattles were immediately sounded, and a policeman
residing close to conveyed word to the Police-station.
The engines and reels were at once taken to the scene of
the conflagration, and a plentiful supply of water per-
mitted the police and fire-brigade, who mustered strongly
under the command of their superior officers, the super-
intendent, and inspectors, to play upon the flames
efficiently. Every effort, however, to stop its progress
proved unavailing.; in less than twenty minutes the whole
of the premises was in one brilliant blaze, which illuminated
the whole neighbourhood. An immense crowd gathered
together and help was tendered to the fire-brigade willingly.
Attempts were made to rescue some of the tools belong-
ing to the joiners, and some of the police distinguished
themselves creditably thereby, although we regret to add
their efforts were not crowned with the slightest success.
Four branches were got into play. The water, of which
there was a capital possure, was obtained from the stand
pipe in Oliver-street. The fire extended to a painter's
room under the workshop, hut the damage done to that
is, we understand, comparatively trifling. The origin of
the fire is not known. There was a steam engine on the
premises, but from what we could learn the fires attached
thereto could not have originated the conflagration.
The general idea is that a spark fell from the pipe of
one of the workmen. The damage is very great. The
value of the joiner's tools is said to have amounted to
above £lOO. One man alone owned about £2O worth.
The shop was thoroughly gutted. It was rumoured that

the premises and the stock were insured to the full extent
a few weeks since. Commissioners Walker (chairman),
Gough, Peck, and Evans, were on the .spot during the
evening. The fire was out by about half-past ten o'clock.