The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-05 00:00:00

EXPENSIVE FIRE IN Ai

The most destructive conflagration with Man-
e.hest.-r has teen visited for some Te.,r• hrek- t.ut,
after Qtx o'el,ielc. in George-sre-f, that
aputars, that, about the
niorioniT, of Saturday last. town, on the
:war trroi imied, a smoke and flacees were. discovered by
-owr joiners and other persons in the enihtig and mend-
ing ro.ir in the basement story of Mr. Wiliiarn Bryan's
mot-house, No. 9, George street. The alarm was quickly
spread ; and, before notch time had elapsed all the eight
Manchester engines, and one of the Salford engines, were
on the spot.
When Mr. Rose arrived, the flames were rushing out
of the windows of the warehouse of Messrs. Nelson,
Knowles, and Co.; and they had also extended to the
back of a pile of buildings in Pine-street. Four of the
engines were got into working order within ten minutes
after their arrival; but, although there were crowds as-
sembled, the terrific appearance of the flames by this
time d-terred men from volunteering to work the engines
and Mr. Rose found it necessary to send to the police-
office, for the soldiers to take this duty. Mr. Rose, jun.,
also despatched a messenger to the infantry barracks on
the same errand • and several companies of the 32nd,
and, we believe, also, of sow her regiment, were sent in
succession, some with their arms to guard the property-
and to keep the streets clear, and others to assist at the
engines and in removing the piece goods to places of
safety. There was a fresh breeze (W. by S.) which car-
ried the flames towards York-street, and the whole of
the great pile or block of buildings in which the fire
originated was speedily enveloped in flames. The rapidity
of the conflagration was the result of the construction of
these warehouses, which were built only a few years ago.
All the outer walls, and, indeed, most of the walls of the
various floors, were lined inside with wood ; every ware-
house had its well-hole, and the whole were too much
connected in the attic stories and roofs ; so that when the
fire reached the top of one warehouse, to which it speedily
ascended by the well-hole, having made Its way to the
timber of the roof, it was carried by. the breeze, like
wildfire, along the whole range. Mr. Rose soon saw
that it was hopeless to attempt to save any portion of
this block, of which the roofs fell in as early as half-past
six o'clock, continuing till about seven o,clock ; and,
from that time, therefore, he directed his attention chiefly
to the surrounding warehouses, which, at various points,
were repeatedly on fire, and several of them in the most
imminent danger.
The block of buildings thus destroyed is bounded on
the northerly end by York-street, on the westerly side by
George-street, on the easterly side by Pine-street, and on
the southerly side by Chain-street amid St. James's
Churchyard. This block of warehouses was about sixty
yards (twenty-four windows) in length, by forty yards
(thirteen windows) in width, and was of uniform height,
comprising seven stories above the ground and a base-
went story. The entire pile was erected only a few years
ago by the Rev. James Taylor; but we believe it had
ceased to be his property. The warehouses fronting
George-street were numbered as follows :—No. 7, that of
Mr. Charles Townend, merchant ; No. 9, Mr. William
Bryan, merchant ; No. 11, :Messrs. Nelson, Knowles. and
Co., calico-printers; No. 13, Mr. Samuel Giles, calico
and mousseline-de-laine printer and commission-agent;
No. 15, Mr. George Dewhurst, commission-agent. At
the end of the block. fronting York-stieet, were the
entrar.ces to the warehouses of Messrs. Ainsworth and
Hilton, silk manufacturers, No. 32, York-street; and No.
34, Messrs Virinkworth and Procters, silk manufacturers,
(corner of York.iteeet and Pine-street.) Below this, in
the basement story, Was the warehouse of Messrs. Milne,
Travis, and Millie; but, feetunately for them, they had
removed only the preceding day to Moult street. Under
the warehouse of Mr. Charles Townend, in the base..
ment story, was that of Messrs. Joseph Thompson
and Sons, cotton spinners and manufacturers. In
York-street, at the opposite corner of Pine-street to
Winkworth anu Procter's, is the warehouse of Messrs.
John and Francis Makin and Co., silk-manufacturers.
This was on fire, and has sustained some damage; but,
by the exertions of the firemen, the flames were extin-
guished, and most of tin goods were got out. The next
warehouse to it, that of Messrs. Joshua Le Mare & Sons,
silk-manufacturers, was also damaged, and the goods
were all removed, as the danger was at one time conside-
rable. At tae back of the block, in Pine-street, was the
warehouse of Messrs. Amschel, Tobler. and Co., mer-
chants. This, we believe, is almost wholly destroyed,
as, indeed, are all the warehouses in the same block. On
the opposite side of George-street, opposite the warehouse
of Mr. Charles Townend, is a warehouse at present un-
occupied, but recently taken by Messrs. Wright and Lee,
and in which the joiners were at work ; but, we believe,
it contained no stock. It repeatedly caught fire, from the
great body of flames issuing from Mr Townend's ware-
house; but, with great exertions, the firemen were ena-
bled to prevent the flames from doing it much injury.
Owing to the direction of the wind, the warehouse of
Messrs. Henry Bannerman and Sons, 43, York-street,
notwithstanding the great width of that street, was in the
most imminent danger. The wooden cornice of the roof
was repeatedly in flames, as were several of the window-
frames in different stories. The wind drove the flaming
fragments of timber and of cotton goods from the burning
pile directly upon the roof of this warehouse; and, had it
not been for the constant and vig,lant attention of Mr.
Rose and of the firemen, there can be little doubt that
the whole of this pile, which, though only five stories,
was of equal height with the seven-story block which is
destroyed, would also have been in flames. In all pro-
bability the damage to this warehouse will be inconside-
rable, beyond that arising from time water upon the floors,
so far as the goods are concerned.

About ten-minutes after eight o'clock the flames were
ranging with so much fury at the end next the church, and
also from the upper stories of Mr. Dewhurst's warehouse,
No. 15, George-street, that the intense heat cracked the
windows of warehouses on the other side of the street,
and one branchman was constantly employed in throwing
water on the fronts of those buildings, to keep them cool.
The walls, and even the internal window-shutters in the
upper floor of the Literary and Philosophical Society's
rooms, were quite hot ; and, at the door of that house, the
heat was so intense as to scorch the cheeks of persons
standing there. Between this time and nine o'clock,
great portions of the external wall of the blazing pile next
George-street fell at intervals, some inward and others
outwards, so as almost to block up that street.
From an early period of the fire the contiguous church-
yard of St. James's was used as a temporary deposit for
the goods, as they were thrown out of the different ware-
houses.

At eleven o'clock all danger to the surrounding pro-
perty was at an end. The 'limes were then quite sub-
dued ; and the workmen were engaged in pulling down
such portions of the walls as, from their warped state,
threatened to fall. At the lowest computation, including
both the buildings and the stocks which have been con-
sumed, there cannot be a less amount of property de..
stroyed than to the extent of £100,000; but we fear this
sum will be very much under the amount, for we have
heard of three or four firms, who are said to be insured in
the West of England, the Phoenix, Royal Exchange. and
Imperial Offices, £5,000 in each, besides other:, making
the total amount of their insurance about £30,000. Mr.
Charles Towneud is also said to be insured in the County,
the Yorkshire, the Pi oenix, and the West of England,
with others, in all to the extent of £30,000. Mr. Wm.
Bryan, we are informed, is insured to the same atrount,
of which £2,000 is in the Alliance Office. Messrs. Nel-
son, Knowles, and Co. are insured, but we have not heard
in what office. We have not been able to learn whether
Mr. Giles, Mr. Dewhurst, or Messrs. J. and F. Makin
are insured. The buildings are said to be insured.
Although some days may perhaps elapse before the
amount for which the several firms are insured can be as-
certained with accuracy, the following is said to be a cor-
rect statement of the loss to each of the insurance-offices.
The statement is as follows:—Alliance, A;17,000; Impe-
;44ll. 13,800; Atlas, £9,000; West of England, £9,000;
Phoenix, £8,000; Manchester, £8 COO; Scottish Union,
£8,000; Sun, £6,000; Norwich Union, £6.000; Cale-
donian, £6,000; Royal Exchange. £5,000; County,
£5,000; North British, £5.300 ; London, £4,000; Globe,
£3,000; and Leeds and Yorkshire, £3,000; making a
total of £116,100.

A CHIP OF THE OLD BLOCK.—An old stranger in the
practice of robbing wrecks on the Cheshire coast, had
contrived to get a puncheon of rum on shore, and with
great caution had it conveyed to his own dwelling, and
placed it in his yard under some stale dung and other
manure. He had flattered himself that it was perfectly
safe, as not an individual but his own son had assisted
him, or had the slightest knowledge of the theft, or the
place of concealment. After a few days, finding every thing quiet, he resorted to his booty for the purpose of
drawing off some for sale. The cask was safe in the po-
sition in which he had left it ; but, diamond cut diamond,
the Bon had robbed his father of the rum in the night,
and disposed of it to his own advantage.

FlRE.—About half-past seven o'clock on Friday even-
ine, a fire broke out in a joiner's shop in Wood-street,
Tosteth-park. The owner is a person of the name of
Smith, and the shop was occupied by a Mr. Whittaker.
Underneath the shops there was a coal vault, and a place
which was used as a sort of varnish manufactory, by Mr.
James Carefoot. The flames speedily communicated with
the vault and varnish manufactory, and completely gutted
the whole of the premises. There were three engines
speedily on the spot, and those were vigorously worked
for about the space of three hours, although the supply of
water was at first rather scanty. The premises were in-
sured in the Phoenix Office for £1,000; but the stock,
about £lOO worth of which was totally destroyed, was
uninsured.

RUNNING AWAY FROM THE WORKHOUSE.—On Wed-
nesday last, a pauper named Hassall, was brought before
Mr. Rushton, charged under the following circumstances
It appeared the prisoner had been sent on business to the
new building at Kirkdale, about three weeks ago, and did
not return ; he had on, at the time, the parish dress, the
taking away of which was the cause of his apprehension,
Mr. Lowndes, who attended on behalf of the parish, re-
ferred to the act of parliament on the subject, which set
forth, that if a person was found with the clothes on him,
it should be evidence of the fact of running away. It was
also stated by Galloway that the prisoner had been in-
formed when he got shoes, that they were to be returned
when he left the house. Mr. Rushton said he knew of no
law to compel a pauper to come back when he was sent
out, and the man could not go naked. Mr. Lowndes ob.
served that he had no right to leave in the parish clothes.
Mr. Rushton said he knew the state of the law, and he
would administer it in the most humane manner possible,
under the present circumstances. The person who. keeps
the storehouse ought to tell the paupers the clothes be-
longed to the parish, and that when they left they must
be supplied with others—it ought to be printed on a large
placard, and posted up in the clothes-room. He said the
statement of Galloway, with regard to the shoes, had cer-
htoe bweeiumld-
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oi tnt
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prisoned seven days.