The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-01-06 00:00:00

MOST ALARMING AND DESTRUCTIVE FIRE

Yesterday evening, about twenty minutes past five o'clock.
a fire was discovered to have broken out in the extensive
premises of Messrs. Foster and Stewart, architects and
builders, Lawton-street. The building is situated on the
west side of their large yard, which extends to Newington ;
is in the form of a large warehouse of four stories high from
the ground; and extends lengthwise, from north to south,
apparently 70 to 80 yards—occupying, almost immediately
behind the houses and other buildings on the east side of
Lawton-street--nearly the whole distance between the Ar-
cade and Cropper-street. The large rooms throughout
were occupied by the workmen employed in the various
departments of wood-working, &c., connected with the
extensive business of the firm, and from the nature and
quantity of the combustible materials employed, as well as
that of the floorings and roof of the building itself, it
is easy to conceive that if a fire within it once gained even a
slight head,it would become very soon uncontrollable—par-
ticularly as the approaches for fire-engines are few, narrow,
and incommodious. There was also the large yard on the
east filled with logs of square timber on one side, and con-
taining, on the other, t great stock of deal boards mounted
on horses. To add to the danger, the premises and yard are
closely bounded on both sides by buildings. Lawton-
on the west; Cropper-street on the south. Luckily,
ever, the fire was confined almost wholly to the premises in
which it broke out, and in which it was found impossible to
restrain its ravages. But, however, for the great and well-
directed exertions of the fire-police, there is no doubt but it
would have swept away a large breadth of valuable property
—crossing Bold-street in the south-easterly diiection.
The alarm was received at the fire-station about twenty
minutes, or a quarter before six, and engines, with a strong
body of the fire-police and others were on the ground in a
few minutes. In a few minutes no fewer than nine engines
were present. In we believe less than half an hour after
the fire was discovered, the whole building it may be said
was internally in a blaze. The roof soon fell in piecemeal ;
and so rapid was the combustion that in ten minutes after
we heard the fire alarm at the top of Lord-street, the whole
atmosphere in that direction was illuminated, and as we
passed along Church-street the flames rose over the height
of the Lyceum, and the Waterloo Hotel intervening a
height of occasionlly sixty to seventy feet, When we reached
Waterloo-place, the houses in all the streets that faced or
had even a slanting aspect towards the blaze were brightly
illuminated. This was beautifully (if we may so express it)
developed in Ranelagh-street on the south side of Bold-street
and Waterloo-place, in all of which parties had crowded to the
windows, and some even on the roofs—their persons and at-
tire being distinctly visible. The principal and direct inlet
to approach the fire was Fairclough-street, leading from
Ranelagh-street into Lawton-street, and terminating almost
at the immediate scene—there being only a row of smaller
buildings on the other side of Lawton-street, (which is nar-
row) and a yard, of no great breadth, between the spectator
and the fire. The only and main approach, was by a gate
or cart-way on the south, and close to the office of Messrs.
Foster and Stewart. When we reached the mouth of this
entrance, the body of the fire, in the middle part of the ware-
house, was immediately before us, and presented an awful,
and magnificent sight. The floors had not yet entirely
fallen, and the general combustion of numerous pieces
of timber from top to bottom of the walls, aided by
the strong draught from the N.W., was so perfect, .as to
fill the whole warehouse with an immense mass of flame,
of the purity and intensity of gas. The heat evolved
was so great that even the firemen could proceed but
a short distance up the yard for a long time, and the engine
which here played—one only could get up the passage—was
rom under the gateway, was chiefly used to prevent the
offices of Messrs. Foster and Co., and two small buildings be-
tween them and the houses lower down Lawton-street, from
taking fire. Such was the heat that without contact with the
flame or sparks (which were to leeward) much of the wood-
work at the back of the office, and even that over the top of the
gateway on the east became ignited. The offices being thus
in imminent danger, the whole of the valuable plans and
drawings, &c., were removed in drawers, cases, &c., as well
as most of the valuable furniture. In this work a number
of the workmen, and many gentlemen were busily engaged,
at a time, too, when a back door of the office opened appa-
rently upon a white hot furnace. Happily the whole was
saved with, we hope, little loss; and though the building it

self has been preserved, with some damage behind, the pre
caution in removing these valuable articles evinced, we think
great prudence. _
. .

The fire went on with great rapidity, presenting, from time
to time, varied, but still fearful appearances. Portions of
the brick-work also fell occasionally but reluctantly, showing
that the premises were as good as " brick-work and timber
could make them."
Great anxiety was evinced at the height of the fire by Mr.
Whitty and the officers immediately under him, how it were
best to act. The approaches were difficult, and how best to
husband and manage the comparatively small resources at
their command became a question, similar to that of a crew
at sea, caught in a gale in a vessel that must be tenderly
managed. They, however, persevered, and their efforts to
prevent the further spread of the fire were successful.
Mr. Rushton, our police magistrate, was early on the
ground, as was the Mayor and several official gentlemen.
They all rendered efficient service. The inhabitants of part
of Lawton-street, and nearly all of those in Cropper-street,
in the immediate vicinity of the fire, removed their furniture
in alarm at an early period, and much loss and breakage ne-
cessarily occurred. The timber in the yard on the east of
the building was, for the most part, preserved. From this
(the Newington end) the scene was throughout fearful and
magnificent. The burning premises emitted columns of
flame varied, as the combustion proceeded, and the smoke
from the timber was sometimes almost suffocating, and at
all times such as to draw painful tears from all within its in-
fluence. The clouds of smoke and showers of sparks that
fell in all directions to leeward were continuous for some
hours. Soon after six o'clock, a detachment of the 15th
Regiment now at the barracks were taken to the ground by
their officers, and rendered most efficient assistance by keep-
ing the neighbouring streets clear of all who could not assist
in the general operation.

About half-piist six o'clock, a portion of thel south gable
end of the building fell, with a crash towards the arcade,—
which had before been considered in danger,—and at the
bottom of which an engine was stationed. An alarm was
given to the parties within a moment before by an inspector
of police, otherwise the fatality would have been great. A
mass of materials fell upon the roof of the Arcade, just above
the Crescent (covered with glass) near the lower end ; and
crushed in the roof, and demolished seven of the shops.
Several persons, it was at first supposed, were crushed be-
neath the ruins, which extended along the Arcade from 50
to 60 feet of its length. Mr. Rushton, Mr. Whitty, and
many other gentlemen, police-officers, &c., were soon on the
spot, and a short time were heard the cries of a man beneath
their feet. All turned to work to remove the wreck with
which he was covered, although a fearful portion of the
gable wall with the fire raging within was close to them, and
in a few minutes they succeeded in extricating the poor man
Mr. Whitty was most active in the good work : also firemen
191 and 137. He was found not to be very seriously injured,
he having fallen under a beam of the roof of the Arcade,
which broke off the otherwise fatal pressure of the materials.
His name is William Wilson, residing at No. 8, Albion-
street, and he was carried home. It is stated that a boy is
still under the ruins, but we hope this will prove to be
unfounded.

All the shopkeepars in the Arcade had moved their goods—
some to a distance, others merely across, or into adjoning
yards—with, in bulky articles, much damage. Much of the
fine furniture, &c., in the lower shops was left in the crescent,
tinder the glass roof, and must have suffered injury from
dust, water, &c.

About half-past 8 at night it might be said the fire had
done its worst. That side of the premises next to Lawton-
street, presented then a most perilous appearance—so much
so, that all but the firemen were ordered out of the yard, the
mayor and some few others excepted. By nine o'clock all
was got under, so far as further danger was apprehended. It
is not ascertained how the fire originated, or in what particu-
lar part of the building. We have not learned the loss.
Eight years ago the premises of Messrs. Foster and Stew-
art were the scene of a similar devastation ; the whole of
their extensive workshops, &c., having been consumed by
fire, on the 20th December, 1534. On that occasion the
destruction of the premises was complete in a few hours, and
from what transpired afterwards, it appeared that that fright-
ful conflagration was not the result of accident. The value
of the tools belonging to Messrs. Foster and Stewart's work-
men, was not less than £2000; to meet which, a handsome
subscription was raised.

A HINT TO LOOK all societies it is advisable to
associate, if possible, with the highest ; not that the highest
are always the best, but because, if disgusted there, we can
at any time descend ; but if we begin with the lowest, to
ascend is impossible. In the grand theatre of human life, a
box ticket takes us through the house.—Lacon.
" 1 played in ' Macbeth' last night," said some scrub of
an actor to a friend of John Kemble. " You ?—I was in the
house, but I don't remember seeing you." " No?—well, I
wonder at that; I played rather all important character."
" Indeed! may I ask what it was, for I really—" " Oh,
yes ; I played the English general—Kemble the Scotch
one !"—Ainsworth's Magazine.
AN INTERRUPTION.—CoIeridge relates, " It is not easy
to put me out of countenance, or interrupt the feeling of
the time by mere external noise or circumstance ; yet once I
was thoroughly done up. I was reciting, at a particular
house, The Remorse,' and was in the midst of Athadra's
description of the death of her husband, when a scrubby
boy, with a shining face set in dirt, burst open the door, and
cried out—' Please, ma'am, master says, will you ha', or will
you not ha', the pin round ?' "
A man in Missouri planted some beans late one afternoon,
and next morning they were up—thanks to his hens.—The
most alarming thing in nature is a mad bull ; in art, a woman
going into hysterics.—" Be-ware .?" as the potter said to the
lump of clay. " I'll be burnt first," saucily responded tile
mud.—Why do red-haired men make the best soldiers?
Because they always carry their fire-locks.—Kissing a girl is
now rendered " being electrified by a gal-vanic battery."—
American paper.

SWORD-DANCING IN NORTHUMBERLAND.—TiIere is a
very singular custom, called " sword-dancing," prevalent in
many parts of Northumberland, and, I believe, in the county
of Durham also, during the Christmas holidays, which it
may perhaps interest some of your readers to describe, as I
am inclined to think that it is peculiar to this part of the
kingdom. The sword-dancers are men entirely or chiefly
composed of miners or pitmen, and of persons engaged in
the various other vocations of a colliery, who, during the
week intervening between Christmas and New Year's-day,
perambulate the country in parties, consisting of from 12 to
20, partly in search of money, but much more, I believe, of
adventure and excitement. On these occasions they are
habited in a peculiarly gaudy dress, which, with their dan-
cing, principally attracts attention. Instead of their ordi-
nary jackets they wear others, composed of a kind of varie-
gated patchwork, which, with their hats, are profusely deco-
rated with ribands of the gayest hues, prepared and wrought
by their sisters or sweethearts, the sword-dancers being usu-
ally young and unmarried men. This, with slight individual
variations, is the description of dress worn by all the mem-
bers of a sword-dancing party, with the exception of two
conspicuous characters invariably attached to the company,
and denominated amongst themselves respectively the
" Tommy" and the " Bessy." Those two personages wear
the most frightfully grotesque dresses imaginable; the for-
mer being usually clad in the skin of some wild animal, and
the latter in petticoats and the costume of an old woman ;
and it is the office of those two individuals, who play by far
the most important part in sword-dancing excursions, to go
round amongst the company which collects to see them
dance, and levy contributions in money ; each being fur-
nished for this purpose with a huge tin or iron box, which
they rattle in the faces of the bystanders, and perform other
antics and grimaces to procure subscriptions. A fiddler also
is an indispensable attache: to a company of sword-dancers;
and it is the business of another of the party to carry about
a change of wearing apparel for his comrades, which becomes
necessary when they make protracted journeys, as they
sometimes do, into the country, going round amongst the
towns and hamlets, and farmsteadings, and exhibiting their
dance before the inhabitants. This is a peculiar kind of
dance, which I should in vain attempt to describe.' I can
only say that it bears some resemblance to an ordinary qua-
drille dance, with this difference, that the sword-dancers are
each furnished with long steel wands, which they call swords,
and which they employ with a very peculiar and beautiful
effect during the dance. Of late years I have missed the
visits of the sword-dancers to our town. At all events, they
have not come in such great numbers; and from this I am
inclined to think that sword-dancing, like many other of ou r
local usages and manners, is, for obvious rreasons,s, rapidly
sinking into desuetude, and will soon only exist
re-
collections of the people, and eventually become a matter of
uncertain local tradition.—Times.

MEETING OF THE BIRKENHEAD COMMIS-

SIONERS

The commissioners under the act for the improvement and
regulation of Birkenhead held their general monthly meeting,
at seven o'clock on Tuesday night, in the Town-hall. John
Deane Case, Esq., chairman, presided, besides whom there
In.) Mr.

were present—Mr

chai

3. S. Jackson,

sir. Green, Mr. Applet