The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-03 00:00:00

7ERRIBLE DES7RUC7ION OF
PROPERTY BY FIRE.

- • -

This (Friday) morning, between the hours of two and
three o'clock, a scene that almost battles description took
place in that densely-populated thoroughfare, known as
Angel-alloy, Skinner-gm-4, Bishopsgate, in consequence
of the outbreak of a serious fire in tho premises belonging
to Messrs. Green, cane merchants, situate
.at No. 1, in the
beforementioned alloy, and within a few feet of Messrs.
Sykes and Co.'s timber yard, in Sun-street. The discovery
was mado by a police-constable of the City force, but only
by seeing flames in huge bodies suddenly shooting out of
the warehouse. This building was very extensive, and
contained a great amount of stock of considerable value.
The rattles of the police were instantly set to work, and
the knockers on the doors of the adjoining houses were
freely used, which had the effect of arousing the inmates,
consisting of numerous poor families. The scene then
became of a fearful character, for largo pieces of cane were
projected by the violence of the flames completely over and
upon the roofs of the humble habitations, and the material
being in a thorough state of ignition, it was feared that
every house near would have been quickly razed to the
ground, as well as the premises of Messrs. Sykes, the tim-
ber merchants, in Sun-street. This caused the in-
mates of the houses in the alley to rush out in
their night-clothes, bringing with them their children
and any portable article of furniture they could lay their
hands upon. The fireplugs having been previously drawn,
the poor creatures had to force their way nearly ankle deep
through the water.

In the course of a few minutes the Royal Society's fire
escapes attended, and were followed by two parish engines
and several manual-power engines of the brigade, with two
land steam engines by Shand and Mason, bringing with
them Captain Shaw, the superintendent, Mr. Foreman
Swanton, and Engineers Haml n, Withers, Maidman, and
other officials. Not a moment was lost in setting the engines
to work, and, under the direction of Captain Shaw, the
firemen, with the aid of 56 hired assistants, were enabled to
save the timber stores of Messrs. Sykes, in Sun. street, and
also the adjoining houses in Angel-alley, but the fire in
Mess's. Green's premises could not be extinguished until
the warehouses and their valuable contents were nearly
destroyed, and the roof burnt off. The origin of the fire is
unknown. Fortunately the sufferers were insured for the
buildings and their contents in the Phenix Fire-office.
The damage done to Messrs. Sykes's premises is very slight,
and they were insured in the same office.

Another fire, although not of such an alarming character
as the above, but attended with a greater loss of property,
happened in the spacious range of premises occupied con-
jointly by Mr. J. Griller, an importer of fancy goods, and
Messrs. M. and A. Hodges, trimming manufacturers,
situate at No. 29, Aldermanbury, City. The discovery
was made by a daughter of Mr. Bryson, one of the mem-
bers of the Court of Common Council, who resided close by,
hearing the loud crackling noise, and seeing dense volumes
of smoke hovering round her bedroom window. That lady
at once gave an alarm, and upon the police coming up they
found that the ground floor and the staircase of the first
named premises were in a general blaze. Information of
the disaster was forthwith dispatched to Captain Shaw, at
the chief station in Watling-street, and forthwith that
officer attended. Foreman Swanton, and a strong body of
firemen, with several manual-power engines and two land
steamers, by Shand and Mason, of Upper Ground-street,
Blackfriars- road. Plenty of water having been obtained,
the brigade went to work in an admirable manner under the
direction of their superior officers, but they were unable to
get the fire extinguished without hiring over 50 additional
men to work the manual-power engines. At length, how-
ever, the fire was subdued, and considering the immense
property in close proximity, the "stop" may be described
as being one of the best that has been accomplished for
some considerable time, The damage done is considerable
and is thus officially reported by Captain Shaw :—" The
ground floor, warehouse, and staircases up to first floor very
severely damaged by fire, and front door broken open. The
first floor and partitions damaged and doors broken open.
The second and third floor belonging to Messrs. Hodge,
trimming manufacturers, contents damaged by smoke and
doors broken open. No. 29 in the same street, Messrs.
Moise and Co., lace manufacturers, and No. 30, belonging
to Messrs. Pagot and 'Co., trimming manufacturers, have
their goods also slightly damaged by smoke." The origin
of the fire is also unknown. The Royal Society's escapes
under the command of Mr. Inspector Baddeley were early
in attendance, but no one living in the premises their ser-
vices were not required. It is unknown at present in what
offices the parties were insured. Two other fires took
place during the night, but the damage at each was trifling
MARKETS---TIIIS DAY.

MARK LANE.

Fresh up to Mark-lane, at this morning's market, the
arrivals of English wheat were small. Dry samples moved
off slowly, at Monday's decline in the quotations ; otherwise
the trade was very dull, and prices ruled, in a great mea-
sure, nominal.