The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-11 00:00:00

(From the Northern Daily Express.)
Yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon intelligence
was received in Newcastle that au alarming fire had
broken out on Scotswood Railway-bridge, and
which threatened the imminent destruction of that
structure. On proceeding to the scene of the confla-
gration w e succeeded, with some difficulty, owing
to the confusion incidental to these catastrophes, in
gleaning the following facts :—lt appears that in
consequence of the frequent expressions of public
opinion as to the unsound state of the bridge, an
eminent engineer was sent down from London by
the Home-office to inspect and report thereon. This
gentleman in due course arrived in Newcastle, and
at 9 o'clock yesterday morning left this tO*n by
special train, accompanied by Mr. Tate, engineer to
the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway Company, and
Mr. Bourne, engineer to the North-Eastern Com-
pany, to make a survey of the bridge. They com-
menced operations about 10 o'clock, and continued
their experiments till about a quarter past 12
o'clock. These experiments were made by means of
two of the heaviest engines in the service of the
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway Company, named
the Alston and the Planet. They were first of all
run abreast to and fro upon the bridge; then the
Alston, being the heaviest, was tried singly. The
Planet was next yoked to a heavy train of coke
waggons, about 44 in number, and, after passing
and repassing,over the bridge, was brought by
slow degrees to the centre, and the deflection of the
bridge under the pressure taken. At the conelu-
sion of the experiments, the Government inspector,
having made a few practical suggestions as to
strengthening it, &c., expressed himself satisfied
as to the safety of the bridge. The party then re-
turned to Newcastle. About ten o'clock the train
from Carlisle passed over the bridge, and all seemed
right at that time. Many different reports were
afloat as to the time the fire broke out, varying from
two o'clock to three ; but the latter seems to be the
more general account, as about half-past 3 o'clock
information was given of the occurrence to the loco-
motive department of the Newcastle and Carlisle
Railway, when Mr. A. Hall at once despatched a
special engine with a body of men and a fire engine.
By a simultaneous action on the part of the officials
of the North-Eastern Railway, another engine, also
with a body of men and fire engine, was despatched
from the central station—the latter arriving first.
Tho fire had commenced about the third arch from
the Scotswood end of the bridge, and was first dis-
covered, we believe, bThos. Hall, the man who has
chargé of the bridge n order to clear it of any cin-
ders that may fall from the engines in passing over
it. He at once attempted, but in vain, to subdue the
flame. The wind was blowing strong at the time
from the west end of, and so right along the bridge,
which, from its inflammable nature—being con-
structed entirely of wood, thickly tarred and as-
phalted—soon took hold, and was very soon, from
end to end, one mass of flame. By half-past four
the whole of the parapet had fallen in, leaving
nothing but the piers standing with the wreck of
rail—twisted into all sorts of grotesque shapes by
the intense heat—and the remains of the telegraphic
wLres, to say that there had once been a railway
bridge there. By the time the engines arrived the
fire had assumed such alarming proportions, it was
at once seen that all they could do was to direct
their attention to the abutments at either end, so as

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to save, if possible, the property in the immediate
vicinity. At the west end they were successful in
this, as by keeping a plentiful supply of 'water
playing upon that part it received little or no 114-
jury beyond being slightly discoloured from the
smoke and the action of the fire upon it. The
mason work is entirely saved; and the platelayers,
under the direction of Mr. A. Hall, assisted in
cutting off the communication by knocking in
the joints of the rails, so that it might go
clean away. At. the Scotswood end of the bridge,
however, they were not so fortunate, as they had
the effects of the strong west wind that prevailed
against them. Almost immediately on the fire
commencing, it communicated itself with the pre-
mises of Messrs. N. Grace and Co., paper-makers,
which immediately adjoin the bridge on that side;
in fact, the bridge itself is the boundary wall on
that side of the mill. Here, too, was an immense
amount of material to feed the fury of the destruc-
tive element. Between the mill and the river the
Messrs. Grace have a wharf, which also extends to
the bridge, on which was lying at the time of the
catastrophe from 100 to 150 barrels of resin. The
attention of Mr. Maule, the esteemed manager of the
mill, was of course first directed to this, and he gave
the necessary instructions to have it at once re-
moved ; but before they could get them away the
fire had extended to the stonework of the bridge,
and so into the yard, and with such velocity that the
immense quantities of resin was in a blaze, defying
the men to come near it, and running like liquid
lava over the quay wall into the river. As soon as
the resin took fire, it commenced with the Mechanics'

shop at the western extremity of the premises, in
which, in addition to the workmen's tools, &c., was
stowed upwards of 100 tons of old rope. This was
also soon on fire, but by the united exertions of the
watermen in connection with the mill they suc-
ceeded in partially extinguishing it before the ar-
rival of the engines, by bearing buckets of water
and throwing it on the burning mass. About five
o'clock the Newcastle fire engine arrived, and took
up its position on Messrs. Grace's premises, Having
the hydraunts in the yard in connection with the
Whittle Dean, the hose of the engine was attached
thereto, and getting to play upon the flames, soon
I stayed their progress. To the east of, but closely