The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-01-20 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL CONVLAGRATIO:

Visited

metropolis for many years broke

evening, about seven o'clock, in the floor-cloth mane
factory of Mr. Josiah Rolls, situate near the cana
bridge, in the old Kent-road. The premises occupied
a most commanding situation, fronting the main road,
and extending to a width of about 60 feet, running
back to a depth of 150. The progress of the flames
was terrific, and the whole building was on fire from
the top to the bottom in less than ten minutes from
its first discovery. Messengers had been despatched
on horseback to town for the engines, but from the
great distance (nearly four miles) a very long period
elapsed before their arrival. The fire meantime in-
creased in a most extraordinary manner, and the heat
from the burning mass became so intense that it was
found necessary, although the road is in this spot
nearly 80 feet wide, to throw water on the houses op-
posite to prevent their igniting. Two houses in Ranger-
place were from the first considered in great danger,
and all the moveable property which could be got at
was thrown out of the windows into the street. An
extensive factory belonging to Mr. Goulson, a very
lofty building, rising to a considerable height over the
dwellings in Ranger-place, was exposed to the full
action of the flames, which shot through the roof of
Mr. Roll's warehouse. A very short time elapsed be-
fore the rafters of this building caught fire, and the
most fearful apprehensions were felt for the safety of
the whole neighbourhood. The workmen and others
in the service of Mr. Goulston had been some time
previously engaged in removing the property, and con-
tinued to labour incessantly until long after the flames
had reached the second floor of the warehouse, when
the heat became so intense that they were desired to
desist.

Two of the brigade engines arrived shortly before
eight o'clock, and were quickly followed by the West
of England engine. The hose was immediately con-
nected and conveyed to the canal, the only source from
m jointse shortly after giving
skeleton ; every timber
burning whichashowever
water a
cot thisuld
tbe obtained. Mr. Rolls's factory
was
i m
e a re
y'arnud the
cture fell to the ground at once
withvehrcole tremendouseist crash. The flames had now also
‘a y,
athe fi
whole
communicated to the two dwellings in Ranger-place
before alluded to, which divided the factory of Mr.
Rolls from that of Mr. Goulston, and the whole range
was one mass of flames. Other engines now arrived ;
but all hope of saving any part of the premises to
which the fire had already communicated was at an
end, and the labours of the firemen were confined to
the salvage of the surrounding premises, on which a
large quantity of water was thrown by the engines.
The rapidity with which the terrible element spread
was most extraordinary. Mr. Bradford states that by
the time lie reached the scene with the engine from
Watling• street station, a period of not more than 25
minutes after the fire had been discovered, both the
immense factories of Mr. Rolls, as well as that of Mr.
Goulston, the other floor-cloth manufactory, together
with that gentleman's dwelling-house, that of his
father-in-law, Mr. Gibbs, with the extensive outhouse
attached, were enveloped in one mighty mass of flame,
to approach which within 200 feet was utterly impos-
sible.

It is a singular fact that Mr. Rolls and Mr. Goulston
were formerly in partnership, and when a dissolution
took place the latter gentleman erected a new factory
near that of his former partner; both are now
destroyed by the same unfortunate accident.

Most of the property consumed is insured. The
different offices that are sufferers by the destruction of
Mr. Rolls's premises are reported to he as follows :
Sun Fire-office, £5,000; Phoenix, S 5,000; Imperial,
£3,000; Union, £3,000; Atlas, £3,000; London,
£2,000; Royal Exchaiiße, £3,000. Total, £24,000-
Mr. Goulson's factory is also insured in the follow-
ing offices, and their several losses are given out as
subjoined :—Sun Fire-office, £3,000 ' • Licensed Vic-
tualler's-office, £2,000; York and Londc,n, £2,000;
two others, £1,700. Total, £8,700.
The fire insurance companies will suffer by the
calamity a loss of between £30,000 and £40,000.