The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-02 00:00:00

SU Ny JANUARY 2, 1847.

THE GREAT FIRE AT IRONGATE-
WHARF.
The following particulars connected with the disas-
trous fire at Irongate wharf were obtained from an
authentic source, and may be relied on as being strictly
accurate. It has been ascertained that the outbreak
occurred in the first floor of the warehouse, in which
compartment there were an immense number of bales of
linen and some cotton waste. One of the workmen who
was in the building at the time, stated that another
workmen went into the front warehouse with a lighted
candle or lamp, in order to examine a bale of goods.
Whilst he was so engaged a spark flew from his light,
And falling upon the loose cotton it became ignited. The
man immediately tried to throw down a bale of goods
upon them, hoping by that means to extinguish the
flames. In that endeavour, however, he was foiled, for
the fire mounted so fearfully that he was obliged to
make a hasty retreat, otherwise he would have beer
burned to death, for in the brief space of two minutes
one-half of the warehouse was in flames. The clerks at
once began to remove the books from the counting-
house, but so rapid was the progress of the conflagration
that they were enabled to save only a portion of them.
The others were destroyed.
It should be stated that the premises were formerly
three buildings, and severally termed, at that time, the
Leith and Berwick, the Dublin, and the Aberdeen
wharfs. Mr. Colman, the present proprietor, came into
possession about eighteen months since,'and he then had
the three warehouses converted into one, and named it
Irongate-wharf., The fact that there was a communi-
cation between the different floors, will account, in some
measure, for the rapid spread of the flames. The lower
floor contained an immense' number of casks of tallow,
puncheons of whisky, hogsheads and bags of sugar,
1,500 barrels of beef and pork, and a quantity of coffee.
The two upper floors were filled with bales of linen, can-
vas, and miscellaneous articles, together with a number
of firkins of butter; upon the quay were stored casks of
tallow, hogsheads of sugar, bundles of hides, and pun-
cheons of whisky. The latter articles were rolled out
before the flames had penetrated the flooring, and were
as soon as possible removed to the Tower for protection.
The whole of the immense stock in the warehouses, how-
ever, fell a prey to the fury of the flames. A mong these
who had goods in the stores were the following:—
Messrs. Henry and Co., the sack merchants, of Mark-
lane; Messrs. Witham and Son, of 38, Gracechurch-
street, sail-cloth manufacturers; Messrs. Richards, the
linen merchants; and Messrs. Mildred and Co., mer-
chants. Those parties have lost the whole of their
goods. They are, so far as can be at present learned,
insured in the Imperial and Atlas Fire-offices. The
owners of the other property are unknown as yet.
It was for some time feared that two men who were
on the premises at the time of the outbreak had lost
their lives. It was, however, ascertained yesterday that
they had both escaped uninjured; it is therefore believed
that no person has perished. Had it not been, however,
for the military, it is quite probable that a most exten-
sive sacrifice of life would have taken place. The
crowd was:so great that the soldiers, to keep the people
out of danger, were obliged to point their bayonets to-
wards them. This had the desired effect of keeping
them back.
At an early hour yesterday morning the gable end of
the buildings suddenly gave way,' and fell with a tre-
mendous crash. Fortunately the mass of bricks fell
inward, or the firemen who were underneath must have
been crushed. As it was, the branches and nose pipes
of their hose were battered in, and the leathern piping
damaged. At six o'clock last evening the floating-
engine and one or two land ones were still engaged
throwing torrents of water upon the immense body of
fire that even at that hour remained beneath the ruins.
It is a matter of surprise to every one who inspected
the ruins yesterday that the work of destruction had not
proved greater than it really has, for the stone coping
in the walls of the A division of St. Katherine's-dock
was so heated that immense pieces of the stone were
continually falling down. Had there been any outer
windows to the stores the fire must have entered the
docks. The escape of the dock warehouses was owing
to the thickness of the wall and the precautions taken
by Sir John Hall in having engines to work from the
inside, and letting the water run down the wall and over
the roof. The Marquis of Granby public-house was
saved by one of the dockyard engines being placed in
front of the house, and the branch directed against the
roof. The engine was of great power, one of Bristow's
make, and formerly belonged to the Hon. East India
Company.

Tlie eiact amount of property destroyed cannot for
several days be learnt. It has been stated that it will
exceed 200,0001, but it is the opinion of the surveyors
of the insurance companies who visited the ruins yester-
day, that it will not reach one-half that sum, on account
of the salvage that will be obtained. Besides the de-
struction of Mr. Colman's premises, two houses belong-
ing to his clerks are burned down, and their contents
consumed. Unfortunately they were uninsured.
Mr, Colman was insured for fixtures, and the gear in
the Phomix Fire-office. The premises are insured by the
St. Katherine's-dock Company in two of the London
fire-offices. Messrs. Powell and Son, the Irish provision
merchants, who have lost a deal of property, are in-
sured in the Globe Fire- office.

Since the above was written, the reporter has had an
interview with Mr. Groves, the manager of Mr. Col-
man's property, who stated, " that whilst he was in the
counting. house, in the afternoon, an alarm of fire was
given, and on looking round he saw flames mounting
most terrifically in the first floor warehouse, which was
loaded with bales of goods. He immediately thought of
saving the books, but so rapidly did the flames burn,
that he was forced to make a precipitate retreat, having
only sufficient time to save a portion of the books. To
enter the upper floors was an impossibility, therefore
none of the goods contained there could be saved; but a
number of puncheons; of whisky standing on the quay,
together with several casks of tallow and a quantity of
sugar, were rolled out into the street. With respect to
the origin of the fire, he knows nothing himself, but he
had heard a similar account given by two of their men,
to that stated above. To be perfectly satisfied on that
point, it is the intention of Mr. Colman to have a rigid
investigation as soon as the men can be gathered toge-
ther. Mr. Groves added that one of the orders of the
house was, that no candle was on any account allowed to
be taken into any part of the warehouse, and tobacco
smoking was also strictly prohibited. He also stated
that the amount of property destroyed could not be cor-
rectly estimated at present.'
The greatest praise is due to the military, to Mr.
Braidwood, and the various officers and men under him,
and also to Sir John Hall of the St. Katherine's Docks,
for the services rendered on the occasion. The West of
England engine, under the direction of Mr. Connorton,
took a most commanding position, and was of great
assistance in cutting off the fire in a westerly direction.

AN IDIOT FROZEN TO DEATII.--A. lamentable
death occurred at Freckenham on Tuesday morning last.
A poor creature named Charles Chittick, who had never
been in his proper senses, and had been ailing for a time,
went to bed between eight and nine o'clock on Monday
evening, in a lower room of the house of his sister, Mrs.
Plummer, with whom he resided. Another sister also,
and Mrs. Plummer's daughter, slept.in an upper apart-
ment. A little before 11 o'clock, as the daughter lay in
bed, she heard the deceased call, saying he wanted to go
out, and she spoke to him. She then heard him undo
the front door, which banged after him ; and she then
lay awake about an hour afterwards; until becoming
alarmed at his absence, she went down stairs to call him,
which one of the family bad been in the habit of doing
upon previous occasions, when he appeared to be gone a
long while. The front door was on the jar, and the pin
by which it was fastened lay on the table near by. A
search was immediately made, but he could not be found,
all the places about the premises being examined, but
without success. His shirt and night cap were left on
the pillow of his bed covered over with the clothes. The
aunt was called, and a further search was made every-
where they could think of, but without effect. It was
dark, and freezing sharp. His day clothes lay by the
side of his bed. Information was immediately conveyed
to the neighbours, and about eight o'clock on Tuesday
morning a labouring man, named George Smith, accom-
panied by Frederick Sergeant and James Payne, who
had gone out searching for the poor fellow, found him in
a meadow in the occupation of Mr. Knight. lying flat ou
his back, entirely naked, and quite dead. His eyes were
open, and he was dirty as if he had been through water.
The spot where he was found was about 200 yards off
his cottage, and the river was nearer the cottage than
the place where he was found. An inquest was held on
Thursday, at the Boar Inn, Freckenham, before H.
Wayman, Esq., when the above facts were deposed to
by the principal witnesses, Elizabeth Plummer adding
that she heard the deceased say he should not live till
Christmas, which he had said several times before. He
had been under the surgeon's hands, but not since
Michaelmas time. Mr. Pelham Aldrich, surgeon, of
Mildenhall, deposed that he had known the deceased six
er seven years, and bad attended him professionally.
He laboured under an affection of the spline, which at-
tacked the lower extremities, lie was of weak intellect,
and about 46 years of age. Had seen his body since his
death, and observed no external appearance of injury or
violence. From information he had received, and from
the appearance of the body, he was of opinion that death
was occasioned by exposure to the ineemency of the
season. Verdict accordingly.—Bury Herald.
HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION, &C., BROMPTON.—
Yesterday evening a very numerous meeting of the sub-
scribera to the above institution was held in the Board-
room of the.llospital, at Old Brompton. 13dward Spree,
Esq., in-the chair. The principal business of the evening
was in reference to the appointment of an assistant-
physician, the election of whom is fixed for the 14th
instant. It was also a source of the greaten,; satisfaction
that the plans adopted for the ventilation and warming
of the numerous extensive wards had proved so highly
effective in aid of medical science. Many highly dis-
tinguished visitors have inspected the bui'iling; since it
was opened, and scarcely a day passes without some ad-
ditional names upon the visitors' bock. ?lie number of
in-patients yesterday, of both sexes, amounted to sixty.
The Builder states that the practical utility of
chalk as an article of fuel has been tested within the
last fortnight, according to a Salisbury paper, and with
the most satisfactory results. Surrounded w4.th coal, it
gives a strong heat, and a clear fire, at half the usual
expense ; so that to the poor in the chalk districts it
mu* be 411 invaluable boon,

PRICE SD.

' SPORTING IN TELLIGENCE.
HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.
Brighton hrrs., Mon., Patcham ; Wed., Racecourse ; Fri.,
Dyke—i to 11.
-Brookside hrrs., Mon., Newmarket Hill ; Thurs., 'Fels-
, eombe •tye-10%.
Crawley and Horsham lids., Mon., the Fox, Three Bridges
'
Wed., Clark's Green • Fri., Crab Tree-14 to 11.
Eastbourne hrrs., Mon., Lighthouse, East Dtan ; Thurs.,
Snap Hill; Sat., Willingdon Old Mill-4 to 11.
Earl of Harewood's lids., Mon., Garforth Bridge; Wed.,
slarston ; Fri., Towton-10i.
Worcestershire lids., Mon., Cotheridge ; Wed., Upton
Snodsbury ; Fri.. Bishop's Wood-104.
Ludlow hds., Tues., Staunton Lacy ; Fri., Shakruhurst.
Herefordshire hds., the first open day, England Gate.
Shropshire lids., Mon., Mountford Bridge ; Wed., Cloverly ;
Fri., Kennels-4 to 11.
Wheatland lids., Tues., Weston ; Fri., Willey Park--103.
East Essex lids., Tues., Bellchamp Bells; Thurs., High
Garret; eat., Notley Gate-101,0.
Essex Union lids., Wed., Moor Gardens; Sat., Rettenden
Common.

Essex and Suffolk hds., Tues., Little Bentley Hall ; Fri.,
Sproughton Wild man--,aot.
Suffolk hds., Mon., Ashley Village ; Thurs., Hepworth
Marlborough-101,%.
Mr. Horlock's hds., Tues., Bowden Hill.

Duke of Beaufort's hds., Mon., Batt's Lodge.
Mr. Locke's hds.. Tues., Haskingi Penning; Thurs., Pert-
wood Turnpike Gate-11.
Sir R. Sutton's bds., Tues., Glaston ; Wed., the Bull, Wi-
tham Common; Fri., Titton Wood; Sat., Langham.
Quorn hds., Mon., Shearsby Inn; Tues., Retcliffe Hall;
Thurs., Houghton on the Hill; Fri., Ratclife Hall.

Mr. M. Ingram's lids., Mon., Chartley Park ; Thurs., Ked-
leston Inn ; Sat., Swarkston Bridge.
Dorrington lids., Mon., Cotgreave Village ; Wed., Keg-
worth Station ; Sat., Hathern Turn—i to 11.
Barton hds., Mon., Fiskertfm Low Wood; Tues., Banl-
ney ; Wed., Wellinore ; Thurs., Hackthorn ; Fri., Gate Bux-
ton ; Sat., Lanworth Bridge-11.
Mr. Hellier's lids., Mon., Tuthill; Tues., Merehani on the
; Spilsbury ; Fri., Hamton ; at., Welton Wood
—l2.

Sherwood hrrs., Tues., Mansfield Racecourse; Fri., King's
Mill-11.
Mr. Deacon's hrrs., Wed., the Thorn on Roborough Down ;
Sat., Sheepston Village-10.
Mr. Horudon's hds., Mon., Viverdon ; Thurs., St. Stephen's
Down, Launceston.
Cheshire lids.. Mon., Daresbury Hall ; Wed., Bruera Staple-
ford ; Thurs., Oulton Park ; Sat., Tatton Park-10i.
Sir W. W. Wynn's hds., Mon., Plas Teg ; Tues., Dudles-
ton Chapel ; Thurs., Carden ; Sat., Peulev Hall.
Montgomeryshire hds., Tues., Coffronnid ; Fri., Kerry.
North Staffordshire hds., Mon., Stapleford Bridge; Wed.,
Stallington ; Fri., 'Whitmore Station-10i.
Badsworth lids., Tues., Scorsby Bar ; Thurs., Askern ; Sat.,
Ackworth Moor Top-10i.
Holderness hds., Mon, Whitlecross ; Tues., Londesbrt;
Gate; Thurs., Brandesburton Moor; Sat., Bainton New Inn..