The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-19 00:00:00

THE FIRE AT WEST KENT WHARF.

This fire is probably the most remarkable that
has taken place in the metropolis for many years ;
and although four weeks and four days have
elapsed it is not yet entirely extinguished. During
Sunday, and also on Monday night the flames broke
forth with great vehemence, to the evident alarm
of the inhabitants living near, many being appre-
hensive that the property of Mr. Alderman Hum- ,
phrey (Hibernia Wharf) would also become
enveloped in flames. Mr. Henderson, the chief
officer of, the D district, and engineer Metcalf have,
therefore, been obliged to have the water repeatedly
scattered over the burning mass of some thousand
quarters of oats, wheat, barley, &c., to stop the pro-
gress of the fire. Mr. Hodsell, and his son William
with Mr. Charles White, of the County Fire-office,
and Mr. Bennett, the head warehouseman to Messrs.
Hartley and Co., and Mr. Seaward, the superin-
tendent of the wool department, have rescued an
enormous amount of property from the ruins since
our last notice of this tremendous fire. Among the
property got out, under the superintendence of the
above-named officials, were 800 bags of seeds, of
various descriptions, consisting of fine rib grass,
&c., 120 bags of canary seeds, 100 qrs. of tares, 90
bales of feathers have likewise been safely housed.
Mr. Bennett has also got out from among the debris
seven tons weight of other description of seeds.
2,000 firkins of butter have been rescued from the
ruins. Four days have been spent in getting the
bacon, lard, and hams out. From 400 to 500 bales
of bacon have also been taken out of the ruins ; 60
casks of ham, 150 sacks of flour over the 200 pre-
viously reported a few days ago ; 707 bales of jute
have likewise been extricated, but only 16 have yet
been delivered. In addition to the canary seed
above alluded .to 120 qrs. have been since got out.
Men are still employed in a most dangerous descrip-
tion of work—viz., in pumping water outof the well,
in order to get out 800 bundles of hides. The stench
from this place is so great that ss. per hour is ob-
liged to be paid to the men for this work. Another
18 qrs. of wheat have been saved, but there still re-
main 300 qrs. to be delivered ; 80,000 qrs. of barley
and 21,000 qrs. of oats have up to this time been
saved, but 800 to 900 bags of rye grass have been
destroyed, as well as an immense quantity of wheat
seed. A large quantity of clover seed has likewise
been consumed. £4OO worth of furniture has been
saved belonging to Mr. Wright, and 1,400 pieces of
valuable blankets; 50 or 60 chests of tea, and other
valuable descriptions of merchandise have likewise
been recovered, and safely housed in different ware-
houses in the metropolis. A very unfortunate ac-
cident took place in connexion with the fire ; a man
named Edward Large, while employed erecting the
great scaffolding for the use of the men to pull down
the external walls, fell to the ground, and was ob-
liged to be removed to Guy's Hospital, where he
remains in a very precarious state, and he has a
wife and seven children at home in a state of utter
destitution. In the old warehouse a tremendous
quantity of oats, barley, and wheat have been re-
scued. In the West Kent Wharf, ground floor,
wheat and oats have been saved to the number of
some thousand quarters. In the back warehouse
have been saved a vast quantity of maize, wheat,
and oats. In the second floor a great deal of fine
wheat has been recovered, as well as some hundred
quarters of oats. In the same part of the building
eight sacks of red clover seeds were packed away
and sold on Monday by Mr. Hodsell, and 24 sacks
of grass seeds ; 48 sacks of red clover seeds were
also taken from the first floor. In Montague-close
o 4 bales of rye grass were taken out and 40 sacks
of tares.