The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-17 00:00:00

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GREAT FIRES AT MANCHESTER.

On two evenings in succession—those of Friday
and Saturday last—Manchester has been the scene
of disastrous conflagrations; the second being the
most extensive destruction of property from this
cause that has been known in that city for many
years past, while the first was attended with the
death of one of the firemen and injury to three
others.

The fire on Friday evening was at a mill in
Ancoats-vale, near to Palmerston-street, the three
lower floors being occupied by Messrs. W. Bailey
and R. Crawshaw, reed makers, and the top story
tenanted by Mr. S. Hamer, indiarubber manufac-
turer. The fire seems to have begun about half-
past eight and made very rapid progress. It is
thought, but not ascertained, to have been caused by
the boiling over of some inflammable matter in the
top story. In half an hour the roof fell in, and for
a moment the flames seemed to have been checked,
but there was a gentle breeze at the time which
fanned them speedily into tenfold fury. The sky
was aglow for many miles around, so brilliant was
its blaze, fed with the naphtha, oils, and resin, of
which the building contained abundance, An im-
mense quantity of water was poured on the mill
from six fire-engines, under the command of Mr.
Rose, the superintendent of the Manchester fire-
brigade.: No efforts, however, could save the pro-
perty, and in two hours a heap of smouldering ruins
was all that remained. A row of cottages were
slightly burnt, and the inhabitants too hastily de-
stroyed their own furniture by hurling it from the
windows to be saved. Some other property was in
serious danger. The heat all around was extreme
and fearfully scorching, both to the neighbouring
buildings and to persons who ventured within its
range. After the fire had been completely over-
come part of the walls of the mill fell out-
ward, killing a fireman named Holmes, a very
valuable member of the force who had been in it for
20 years, and leaves a widow and family. Three
other firemen were injured and taken home, but it
is thought they will not prove to have been very
seriously hurt. The damage was about £12,000.
The property is said to have been uninsured; and
it is a circumstance in which sympathy will be
curiously enlisted on opposite sides, that Mr. Hamer
had just concluded to dispose of his business pre-
vious to a tour on the continent, the transaction
awaiting only the formal handing over of the
works to other owners, who have thus narrowly
escaped all the less.
On Saturday evening, about half-past five
o'clock, information was brought to the station of
the Manchester Fire Brigade that one of the most
extensive manufactories in the city—that of Messrs.
Parr, Curtis, and Madely, who are makers of cotton
machinery, had been discovered to be on fire. A
member of this firm, Mr. Matthew Curtis, is the
present Mayor of Manchester. The works were in
Chapel-street, Ancoats, and consisted of a main
building seven stories high, each having 30 win.
dows to the front, connected by wings or wooden
galleries with the joiners' workshops, four stories
high, which were on the opposite side of a yard
between 30 and 40 feet broad. The origin of the
fire is not known; but it began in the workshops,
where large quantities of timber were in store. A
strong east wind carried the full force of the flames
towards the main building, which was soon a prey
to them, and was also reached by the progress of
the fire along the connecting wings. In a very
short time the whole yard was filled with flame.
Mr. Rose proceeded to the spot with the whole
strength of the Manchester brigade, and brought
12 jets to bear from the mains and fire engines ;
but from the first he had no hopes of saving any
part of the premises. In two hours the whole of this
great property was enveloped in a vast blaze,
which, although it was still in broad daylight,
was a sight of terrible magnificence. The roof
of the main building and of the workshops fell
in, and one after the other all the floors
crashed in, followed at intervals by the greater
part of the outer walls, and burying in the mass of
ruin a large amount of valuable machinery, which
was very near completion. The fire was not quite
subdued till nearly midnight. Every avenue of
approach was densely blocked by the thousands of
spectators, who were at first seriously in the way
till the heat became so intense as to make them
keep their distance without the almost ineffectual
efforts of the police to control them. The works
had been 91,osed at 2 cl'eleOlc iu tha., Alteruo9n, glad

there were only left in the workshops 10 or 12 men.
for some repairs. One of these injured himself
needlessly, and had to be taken to the infirmary,
by jumping from the third story before ladders
could be brought, and while the staircase was still
available for his safe descent. The loss to proprie-
tors will not be less than between £70,000 and.
E,80,000. We understand the property is insured
in various offices for about half that amount.

Although this was the disastrous result of the
fire, the efforts of Mr. Rose and the firemen were
throughout most energetic and praiseworthy, and
were rewarded by a consequence which is not to be
overlooked—the preservation of the great neigh-
bouring buildings, including the cotton-mill of
Messrs. Haworth and Co., and a great deal of house
property, all of which had actually been attacked
by the fire.

THE 1r 1I STERIOUS MURDER AT
KINGSWOOD RECTORY.

KINGSWOOD, SUNDAY EVENING.

We are enabled to state, that by an extraordinary
discovery—the particulars of which transpired last
evening—Mr. Superintendent Coward, of the
Surrey constabulary, and Sergeant Robinson, of
the London detective force, who have the manage-
ment of this case, have been put in possession of
most important information, which leave little, if
any doubt, that within a very brief period, the per-
petrators of this barbarous murder will be appre-
hended. _ _ _

It may be remembered that the only article sup-
posed to be stolen fr DM the Rev. Mr. Taylor's house,
was a brooch belonging to one of his servants who
usually slept in the room where the outrage took
place, and that when the body of the murdered
woman was discovered, there was a coloured silk
handkerchief, brought by the assassins, tied tightly
round her mouth, and fastened at the top or back of
her head. A good deal of doubt was entertained
whether the brooch had really been taken away.
Although the box in which it ought to have been
found was empty, it was thought the articles of
jewellery, which were of trifling value, might have
fallen down or have been thrust aside by the vil-
lains while they were ransacking the drawers. Mr.
Superintendent Coward decided upon making a
strict search in all parts of the room, and proceeded
to execute the task himself. While he was so engaged
he found a small packet of papers, which had
hitherto escaped the notice of several persons who
had inspected the apartment. Upon being examined
these papers proved for the highest importance, and
there is small doubt Tint that they will lead to the
apprehension and conviction of the murderers.
There is a letter or letters written in a foreign lan-
guage, dated as recently as the Friday prior to the
committal of the murder on Monday last. For ob-
vious reasons it would be unwise to public the con-
tents of the document referred to, but without being
at all likely to frustrate the ends of justice, we may
state that the letters contain names, addresses, and
other highly important particulars, both as regards
the sender and receiver, and that, in point of fact,
the police authorities may be said to know the very
name, at least, of one of the murderers, who is
clearly a foreigner, and considering the secluded
spot where the murder took place, and that Mr.
Alcock's house and that of Mr. Taylor were two
residences likely to yield a good harvest to a gang
of burglars, it is generally believed that the mur-
derers must have been aware of that fact, and have
started from London (where it is believed they re-
side) for the express purpose of committing rob-
bery, accompanied by acts of personal violence, if
necessary, for the successful accomplishment of
their designs.

COUNTRY .MA.R.KB2'B.

CAMBRIDGE-JUNE 15.

A moderate supply of wheat, with a quiet demand, and
prices is to 2s lower—white, 59s to 635; red, 48s to 568.
Barley in short supply, malting 36s to 40s, grinding 27s
to 325. Oats scarce, from 20s to 28s. Beans also scarce,
and a dull sale, from 40s to 45s per qr.