The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-02 00:00:00

PIOT AZ' 6 FIRE-A BRIGADE ALAN

STA BBED.

Late on Saturday night the inhabitants of White-
chapel were thrown into a sate of considerable et-
citement in consequence of the sudden outbreak of
a fire in some premises belonging to Messrs. Merry
and Netter, wholesale cheesemongers, carrying on
business at 133 and 134, High-street, Whitechapel.
Tire lire commenced from seine unexplained cause
in the cart-house, situate in Old Castle-court, and
septated from the stabluig by a narrow paved
yard, so that at one time the dessruetion of several
valuable horses appeared inevitable. The moment
the fire was seen several persons entered the yard,
and fortunately succeeded in getting the whole of
the home out, sad they were taken to Messrs.
Maneets' brewery for the night. Owing to the in-
flammable nature of the property in the cart-house
the fire extended with unusual rapidity, and in the
course of a few minutes three vans, two carts, and
a chaise became ignited, when the flames shot
through the roof and rose so high as to illuminate
the whole of the East-end of London. 1 his had the
effect of drawing to the spo‘, almost immediately
afterwards, tlree or four thetuaed parse s, whe
took possession of every vet leading to the scene
of conflagration.
The engines having been sent for, s.vetal of the
London brigade froth Jeffrey-street, Wellcloat-
vgnare, Watling-street, and Whiterross-street at-
tended, under the direction of Mr. 'Pogo, the fore-
man, and Engineers Bridges, B Maidm en,
and a full corps of firemen. This force was attended
by a private engine from the brewery, that of the
parish, and the one belonging to the West of Eng-
land office.

For some time a scene that baffles description
took elace, for th:l mob seized the engines and
would not let'go their hold of the handles or levere,
so that the firemen and plice hid the greatest
difficulty in get,ing their machines into working
order ; and one man, who had been ordeied away
from the Jeffrey-squire engine, drew a poniard
from his belt and deliberately plunged the weapon
into the leg of a fireman, named William Withers,
whilst he was on the engine, stooping to take the
dam out to feed the engine with water. The un-
fortunate fellow cried out that be was slabbed, and
blood instantly flowed from the wound and ran
down his trousers. He was removed to the Prin-
ces Alice Tavern, where the landlord strapped up
the wound, and applied all that was necessary to
meet the emergency of the care. The firemen,
finding the crowd was completely crippling their
exertions, were, as a dernier resort; compelled to
fight their way with their enaiues tc get near the
burning pile. The mob, however, would not be
interfered with, and they struck right and left at
the firemen; until they were obligd to use their
belts and splinter-bars to protect themselves. The
man who stabbed the fireman was seized by some
of the bystanders, but the mob tore him away, and
up to last night he had not been recaptured.
Mr. Superintendent Stead and Inspecters Gernon
and Constable, with Acting-Inspector Meloy, for-
tunately came up with a reinforcement of officers,
and by great perseverance they managed to get a
way clear for the engines to pass to and fro ; and a
good supply of the East London Company's water
having been obtained, the firemen went to work in
an admirable manner; but d'ering the time that
had previously elapsed the flames had made fearful
progress, and they were attacki' g the private resi-
dence of Mr. J. Kingstone, and the stables and
stalls on the opposite side of the yard.
By a judicious distribution of water over the
burning buildings, the firemen were enabled to cut
off the further extension of mischief ; but the fire
could not be entirely extinguished until a serious
loss of property had taken place, which is thus
officially reported by Mr. Braidwood, the super-
intendent of the London Brigade :
"July 31, 1858.—Called 1.30 p.m., to a fire
at Messrs. Merry and Nutter's wholesale cheese-
mongers, in Old CaAle-court, Whitechapel. Three
vans, two cart, and one chaise, with loft.over,
burned, and roof off—insurance unknown. Ditto
(opposite), windows of stabling and stalls damaged
by fire—insurance not known. Ditto, Mr. J.
Kingstone, private side windows burned out, ceil-
ings damaged by water, and furniture by hasty re-
moval—insured for contents in the Union Fire-
office."
Several of the other firemen were much knocked
about by the snob, and so great eves the pressure
that some of the wooden railings in Commercial
street were forced down, and the crowd fell into
the excavation for the new house', but it is under-
stood that none ate seriously injured.