The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-25 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL CONFLIGRATION.

We regret to announce that a terrific fire broke out
yesterday morning in one of Mr. Bnshby's large warehouses,
situate at the corner of Sperling and Hurst-street, and
that property to the extent at least of £30,000 has been
destroyed, and the utmost alarm prevailed as to the safety
of the adjoining warehoueee end buildings, as the fire
raged for some time in all its fury, and the most extraor-
dinary and truly praiseworthy exertions we e made to
coefine the flames to the budding in which they raged
with almost ueecontrola,ble madness. There was alarm on
another paint also—natnely, that the gable end, at least of
the veal ehous a, which is seven stoeie high, would fall down,
as indicati ins of such have for some time appeared. The
following are the factr, as well as can be collected,
connected with this lamentable conflagration. About a
quarter before eight yesterday morning, John Hornby,
the machine clerk at the Wapping railway (goods)
station, which is opposite the warehouse, discovered the
latter to be on ere, and he at once raised an alarm, and
almost immediately the fira heee, branches of the railway
station, were got into play on the fire. The engine of the
West of England Company, with Inspector Barrett, arrived
most p!omptly, and almost simultaneously Superinten-
dent elewitt, with his effectual brigade, and the meet
powerful reels from Temple-court, were on the spot. The
plugs were opened in all directions, and the hose com-
menced to peur in a volume of wafer in all directions,
on the building, which appeared one mass c f
flame. It may be imagined from the natu eof the pro-
perty in the werehouse that the flames made rapid progress.
The property consisted of, as near as could be calculated,
3,000 bales of cotton, belor ging, amongst others, to Messrs.
J. and 1.) Irlalcemson and Co , B. J. Badcock and Co.,
Henry Moore and Co., Frederick Lyris and Co., H. Ing-
ram and Co., &e. We were informed that the property
belonging to Messrs. Malcomson and Co., and Messrs.
Moore, is covered by insurance, but with regard to the
others we could not ascertain. The warehouse itself is
said to be insured to the fall extent of is value. Soon as
the alarm was given, Major Cac'g, Chief-superintendant
Quick, with Superintendents Walker, Hayrnes, Inspector
Houc'h, and a large b )dy of police, with the entire force
of the fire brigade, were on the spot, as was also the
borough engineer (Mr. Newlands), the water engineer (Ur.
Duncan), 211'. James Holmes, and many other gentlemen.
Mere efficient set vices c yield not be rendered by any body
of men than was done by the police and fire brigade—the
latter exposing themselves to every danger, with courage
beyond praise. One poor fellow, Hughes, No. 17, at the
first instant dashed into the warehouse, to introduce a
hose, but the place was so full of suffocating smoke that
he nearly lost his life, and was carried off in a state of
insensibility to the hospital. It is hoped the brave fello ar
is not fatally injured. It is raid the stairs was wood, and
this having caught fire added to the flsmee, as well as pre-
venting the firemen to enter to get in the hose; so that
all could be done was to play from the outsi 'e, and through
the windows by ladders. In the latter duty the firemen
ran fearful risks, but they acted most gallantly. The
wing of the buildirg in Huret• street, was soon reduced
to ashes, and the attention of all was turned to keep
the flames feom spreading to adjoining warehouses
and buildings, and so far as could be dire, hose
introduced at the rear et the warehouse and played thereon,
Mrs. Wright, who resided opposite; and was only confined
the day before, had to be carried out with her infant and
seat to a place of safety, as great fears were entertained
that the flames out of the windows would communicate
across the street, and set fire to the houses. The most
alarming portion of the affair was, however, in reference
to the under story. This was known to contain large
quantities of rum and other spirits, belonging to Messrs.
Preston and Co., ansi at first it was thought as an inevita-
b' e consequence that the flames would reach those cellars,
and if so, the destruction of the whole neighbourhood
would almost surely follow. Spirits being nearly as des..
struetive in explosion as gunpowder. Al, ee much anxiety,.
it was happily ascertained that the cellars were vaulted
over, and so constructed as to prevent the fire reaching
them, and this in sone° measure. allayed the great fears
that prevailed. The reels were played with vast force on
the raging element, and the greatest credit is due to the
police and officials for their exertions. The amount of
property d6troyed is over £30,000,

PURTHER I'ARTICULARS
The fire continued to rage with great fury for soil° time,
although the exertions of the police were next 'to Fuper-
huay..n to put a stop to is pri.gress It was a general
remark amongst all who saw the fearful and efficient work
that was performed by SuperinteLdent Hewitt and all the
police—and we eheeriully et dart% the Opinion, having seen
it onrselves—that these brave and intrepid fellows deserve
a substantial mark of respect from the insurance companies
and others. Mr. Barrett, of the West of England Company,
and his men were equally remarkable. The volume of
water thrown into the warehouse was immense, and actually
came running out of the lower windows in small rivers,
bat from the nature of the materials in the store, the fire
was not got quite under until 4 o'clock. The cotton in the
store, that could be come at, was thrown out, and,
although thoroughly soaked with water, yet so tenacious
is the article of fire, that some of it still burnt strongly
out in the street. The heat was so great that the exteri,. r
walls of the store were split in many planes,
and the smoke stud steam came out plentifully in the
breaches. The wells must be speedily taken down, or. if
not, there will be z o necessi•y, for they will very E 061) fall
and jeopardise the whole locality. Mr, James Holme,
from his practical knowledge of building, rendered im-
portant services to the firemen, and his conduct is spoken
of in the warmest terms. We have to repeat that the
conduct cf the police; from Major eireig down to the hum-
blest police officer, was cool, steady, determined, and effi-
cient, and but for them the fire wculd hare spread to ad-
joining stores and destroyed hundreds of thousands of
property. • The stores of Mr. B. French, which were quite
convenient, were in great danger, and he had spread wet
sails on the roof of his stores, to prevent the sparks from the
burning pile igniting the materials in his place. There
is not at present any suggestion as to the origin of the
fire, but on a rough estimation the value of property des-
troyed is calculated as above, and perhaps as much more
may be saved. About four o'clock, all danger from fire
being at an end, the police and firemen were withdrawn,
having spent eight hours of the most severe and ken:lees
duty on record. We heard a suggestion me,;:la by the
borough engineer as to a portable platform capable of being
made forty or fifty feet high (to be le'wered or elevated at
pleasure, by means of a screw or other contrivance), which
c tuld be placed steadily in tb.s street, opposite windows of
houses on fire, aryl this tau 14 usable the fireman to direct
the hose with preciaiou and effect on the fire; whereas,
the present sy.stem of dragziog hose up ladders is n tt only
dangerous, but very tedious, We trust to see this impot4
taut point mooted in the proper quarter. The present
was till most extensive fire that hapirned in Liverpool
slice the great, conflagration in Lancelot'siley, in October,
1854,

THE FATAL BoiLER EXPLOSION AT
WOLVES MPI ON. •

After our report of this acci(lent left on Wednesday
evening, another man, making five, died from injuries he
received at the explosion. Tirs man's name is Thomas
Oldridge, and he was six!y-one years, of age. A six II
lies in a very prearion,, state, and his recovery is regarded
as impossile. On Thursday an inquest was opened on
the bAies of the fire persons killed, before Mr. W. Et,„
Phillips, deputy coronet. The proprietor of the works,
dr. Mason, aaboze son was killed, aqd Mr. Taylor, a,
boiler-maker, were cxarnin'd. The latter, who had
mend,d the boiler, stated his opinion that it had become
red-hot befro the explosion, in consequence of the want
of water. The inquiry was adjourned to Tuesday.
A N. S

.RW ..PECIRS Or TRR-RAT.—During the last few
weeks, Mr. William Prest, farmer, Long-street, Think,
observed several hills of soil in one of his meadows, similar
to those made by the mole, but more diminutive. The
young grass was eaten around them to the roots, and he
was at a loss to discover the cause. On Tuesday last he
set a trap, and during the day caught two of the delin-
quents, a curious species of the rat tribe. One of them
was.thirteen inches long, and at the neck eight and a half
inches in circumference, the skin as fine as silk, similar to
fine fur, and of a beautiful brown colour. The neck is
remarkably strong, as if for burrowing like the mole. The
tail is nearly like that of the rat, and the• eyes also ; the
under part of the belly is of a snuff colour, very smooth
-and bright. Several persons have seen them, but they
cannot tell what kind of an animal they are, nor have an
been found like them. They are remarkably fat,

5