The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-09 00:00:00

THE FIRE AND LOSS OF EIGHT LIVES

IN SOHO.

No fire that has occurred for some years in the metro-
polis has created such a painful sensation as the one
which occurred in Princes-street, Soho, on Tuesday
morning last, a report of which appeared in this journal
that day. Owing to the excited state the survivors
were in on the day the fire took place they were unable
to give many particulars respecting the melancholy
catastrophe, consequently much remains untold, particu-
larly of the scenes which occurred before the arrival of

the engines.
During yesterday morning Mr. Paul Giraud, the en-
gineer left in charge of the ruins, together with the
brigades-men under him, made a searching inquiry, for
the purpose of ascertaining how, and in what part of the
building the fire commenced. The result of that inquiry
was as follows :—Mr. Arthur, house-decorator and
grainer, who occupied the first floor, stated that he was
awoke by the servant, who slept along with his daugh-
ter on the game floor, but nearest the street, by hearing
her clapping her hands, and crying "murder" and "fire.
He got out of bed, and found the room so full of smoke
that he could scarcely breathe. He, however, shook his
wife for some time, and at last succeeded in awaking her.
Owing to the confusion they were both in,_ neither of
them were able to unlock the room door. Mr. Arthur,
therefore, was obliged to force it, when on entering the
front room he found an exceedingly small portion of a
wooden cornice, immediately over a cupboard running
from the floor to the ceiling, in flames. So dense, how •
ever, was the smoke that neither he nor his wife had
time to collect a single article of wearing apparel, and
they were obliged to rush into the street in their night
dresses.

Mr. Arthur is of opinion, from the fact of Mr. Puget's
children sleeping on the floor over his on loose shavings
and straw, and his not returning home until half•past 3
o'clock on the morning of the fire, that he had probably
struck a match to light a candle before going to bed, and
by that means had dropped a spark amongst the straw,
which had smouldered for some time, and eventually had

broken out in flames.
The same person also stated that Hannah Daday, his
servant, on discovering the fire ran up stairs in her night
dress to Mr. Puget's floor, when on entering she found
the room in flames. She cried out " Murder and fire,"
hut was unable to awake him for some tune, and when
she at length succeeded he jumped out of bed, said
nothing, but opened the window and, without attempt-
ing to arouse his wife and family, leaped out, and met
with the serious accident of which he is stall suf-
fering, and which it is feared will cost him his life.
After that the woman had time to return to
her room on the first floor and save her boots and two
or three articles of wearing apparel. She is tberefore of
the same opinion as her master, that the fire commenced
in Mr. Puget's apartments. Giraud, on the other hand,
entertains quite a contrary opinion, for as fire always
ascends, and from the examination he has made he has
no doubt that the fire began in or near the cupboard in
Mr. Arthur's front room. He is led to this conclusion
from the flames having devoured everything in that
particular part of the premises, whilst the joistings and
girders over are comparatively only triflingly charred,
which be imagines could not have been the case had
the fire broken out in the upper instead of the lower
room.
It is an extraordinary tact that the fire took place
within a few yards of the engine-house connected with
St. Ann's parish—so near, indeed, that Spendlow, the
engineer, an old experienced fireman, formerly connected
with the County Fire Insurance engine, could, had ne-
cessity have requiTed it, set the engine to work from a
pump in front of 'his engine-house, and thereby have
confined the fire to whatever part the house was then
on fire. Strange to say about 12 months ago Spendlow
received orders in writing that he was not again to take
his engine out to any fire that might occur in the parish.
How far the churchwardens who issued the orders were
justified in preventing the engine from running will no
doubt be fully discussed and inquired into at the coroner's
inquest, which will not take place until Friday evening.
Before the arrival of the engines many of the inmates
were seen at the front and back windows, and so loudly
did they scream for aid that their cries could be heard
as far distant at Newport-market, and had some of the
neighbours taken a few carpets to the spot, there is
little doubt entertained but that those in the upper part
of the house might have jumped out of the window and
been rescued in safety in the carpet.
Mr. and Mrs. Reeves, who tenanted the ground floor,
knew nothing of the disaster until they heard the cries
of those above, and even then they guarded their doors,
thinking that one of the lodgers had come home again
drunk, and was beating his wife ; and it was not until
the females cried " murder," that she consented to open
the street door. She then saw the policeman and told
him that the person, had, in her opinion, murdered his
wife, and had likewise set the house on fire. Those
parties have unfortunately perished, and it will be diffi-
cult, it is thought, to decide how the fire took place.
Several houses near were preserved from injury.
The official report states that the upper part of the
house, from the second floor, is destroyed, and the con-
tents consumed. Eight persons burned to death, and
the lower part of the house damaged by water.

PARLIAMENTARY.—The opening of Parlia.
mrrt .
1 h
tis , attended
session i
w with
looked uponhthesplen as thedouraexpression
pre
in of p
brilliancyo of the
pi oh. intil'h
con through the represeidatives of our CITIES, COUNTIES,
and rowNS• Every individual in the Empire desires to be rspre•
stilted by fashionable and well made i mr-isS,
it is best obtained at the Establishment of E. ManOdSEeSv
axe SON
Branch. Public aAtTtThießirEW,
1 repressPu earynodnsecokNno, knows
ite oapilinlocnlasisieum dineeisciTedyLthEast E.
!mined to maintain the distinction oi
pMrOovSiEdiSncza' DdresBsONtoshballEASUßE or READY- MAr)E, the most
rhyloonnaeblase,
cEomiegpalentte,l
HOSIERY, SHIRTS, BOOTS aundulcal. Their HATS, CAPS,
completely equipped for the season, which may Fevaes SHOES, &c., will represent
con-
tinue damp or rainy.
Every description of WATERPROOF CLOTHING is manufac-
tured by E. MOSES and t-,().4. and "xhibits more variety than the
prWuctions of any House in the World—it i
consid.r.rbly cheaper the, any hitherto offered
The serviceable, and
The Colonies are represented by E. Mi iSF.S a
in-
formation is direct from Australia and all other and SON—their
and the Goods in their Immense Wholesale Departmentarts °' the World,
pre-
pared in accordance with the present state of the
are
seMerchants, Shippers. and •Emigr_n_Tke.ts abroad,
greate4 advantages from purchasing Clothing " 1' aerive the
and Outfits at the
Establishment of E. MOSES and SON.
Full lists of Outfits for Ladies and Gentlemen, with ship-sailinr
information, may be had on appltiation, or post free. -
CAUTION. -E. MOSES And SON regret having to guard the
~ahlic against Imposition, having learned that the untradesman-:ike
alsehood of " Being connected with • heir Establishment," or " It's
he same
concern." has been resorted to in many instances, and for
bvious reasons, they beg to state that they have
No CONNEXION WITH ANY °TAM HOUSE IN OR OUT OF LONDON,
t their own Establishments, as follows :
LondonexcepCity Establishment, 154, 155. 156, and 157, Minories, 83,
urch all communicatin
4,55 and 86, Aldgnte. opposite the Ch , g.
New Oxford 4itreet, I, 2
London 'Nest-end Branch, 506,507, 50a,
and 3, Hart street, all communicating
Branch, 19 and 20, Bridge-street.
Bradtord (Yorkshire)
Sheffield Branch, 36 Wargate.
Colonial Branch, tri Melbone, Australia.
Hatters, Hosiers, Furriers, Boot and
Merchant Patio.- Clothiers, adies and Gentlemen.
Shoe Makers, and General Oatfltters for Lad a
satisfaction, it will be
IMPORTANT —Should any article not gi
money will be returned
exchanged if desired, or, if preferred, theGROG AT THE DIGGIN
11 es the lowest GEL—It is expected that licenses
without hesitation. All goods are marked in plain Fur , for the retail of '
price, tram which no atatteipent can be made spirits will be extended to the diggings,
Fridtras to ontneet and that sev 1
The Establishments are cloned from sunset on • era. respectable sto k hfi ld
re eepers on eac e
on -laturiays, when huni nets ,i rkr•lnne4 011 12 Aire- will be selected. There There can be little doubt but this plan
A new Rook. " The Epitome of Comfort arid I'J, ; &C. &c ' wilt ha-a a good
i -.g tall lists irr prices. rur syAtent of golf rneftslMlllo,' • • •effect, as the licensed parties will
' alwzi , be
3 s ready to •
"el' he had on apnbenpQn. nr post-tree. assist the authorities in rooting out
Can be had ratis •that class
• g ,
handsome Almanac for the year ending I tifvl eashops which are notoriously the haunts
on application. of the idle and vicious A •
Id Pon pads Francais. (lei. si parialtallano. . ustraltan and New Zealand
Gagette.
Ultr gPricbt Ruin Deoticb. Mutt so hals EOM