The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-08-06 00:00:00

DREADFUL FIRE-SIX LIVES LOST.

On Saturday night last, a litt.e before twelve o'clock, one of
the watch wen, on duty in ScoLand-road, observed an appearance
of tire in the thud nom of a flour warehouse, beanignig, to Mr.
John Fail bust, who carries on the business of a baker in the
lower part of the buil hug, the shop having been open a few
ininices before. The alarm was inztanttv given; but, before
anything, in the way of prevention could be done, the Hawes
burst out through toe windows tvi.h fury. They quickly reached
the upper story, and showed themselves through the toot: =the
warehouse being considerably higher than the surrounding
haimings, the mire had an aiarining appearance. The
iuuabt-
tants of the adjoining houses instantly took the alarm, and
commenced removing their goods and furniture, while Mr. ho-
hefts, who owned toe timber yard and joiner's shop next the
euip..oyed men to convey his property to a place of
safety.

'Tie fire-engines were promptly on the spot ; and, though there
was, for a few minutes, some delay in procuring water, it is
oniy right to add, that we do not recooect any fire at which
there was a inure abundant supply, the principat supiLy being
from the Beotle Waterworks. 's tie Lxchaiwe engine
was the first on the z,:,mnd, and rendered most essential service.
The Norwich Union engine followed; the Sun next; and these
were quick:), succeeded by the Manchester and the Imperial.
Before the turneocks arrived, Mr. Owen, of the Castle mills,
willingly afforded all the water on his premises, and this tem-
porary supply served to prevent the ex,ension of the lire to his
own mills aul the dwe.liug-houses opposite.
In the meantime., the ife.fp.e had got out most of their furni-
ture; Mr. Fairhurst's flour had hem conveyed to a waggon, and
a large quantity of Mr. ltoberis's dews and were carried
into the streets, By twelve o'clock the entire loot of the ware-
house was on lire, and at half-past twelve it felt in, sending up
in its fall a terrific and sudden boat, of flame. The warehouse,
we ough,t to have previously in:iumued, was situated on the east
side of Scotland-road, exactly opposite l'epper-street. It ex-
tended into Meadows-street, having Mr. liouerts's timbet-yard
on the south, and several dwellni-tin uses on the north, between
it and Pepper-street. There walnut, we undeistaud, much pro-
perty in it, and, as it seemed slightev built, apptehensions were
ear.y.fett for the strength of the wails. The people who were
engaged in icinoving the property from Mr. Itooerts's yard
were repeatedly warned by sonic of the Captains of the Watch
to desist, as the high slue watt above the yard looked particu.arly
dangerous. Several wisely took the advice so thoughtfully
but seine unfortunate men, we regret to say, persevereu ill
retaining their pieces either in or on the verge of the sawpit.
At about twenty minutes after one, the interior of the ware-
house had hearty burnt out, and, as the end to Meadows-street
was very narrow, and the walls very high, the aspect it pie-
seated was very threatening. Still several men remained in
the yard, whiie others continued to view the tire from the routs •
of low dweding-huuses on the south side of the timber-yard. At
twenty-five minutes after one the tall side wall was per, eived to
give way : the cry of " "l'is coining!" was given, anu alt tied
with the exception of some men who welt, in or on the sawpit,
and (mite man on the roof of it, who had nut time to escape be-
fore the wa.l lea forward with a most ti emendons crash, extend-
ing across the yard, ant carrytug with it the joiner's shop, the
rig of the sawpit, atm the sine wail of the adjoining dweidnie-
house. The crash was so heavy, and the sound so dismal, that
they were distinctly heard by ate people in bed in the upper
part of Everton. The crowd Meadows-street gave a 54:1 Cain
of horror, but it was not known in Scotland-road for sonic mi-
nutes that any one had been bulled is the ruins. Several who
had escaped ft oin the roofs through the public-house asserted,
that all had escaped; but we lament that they deceived them-
selves,*for there were no less than six feitow-cleatufes but icd in
the ruins. The fact was known to Mr. Parlour, who, on the
dust subeiding, rushed in with others, and instantly commenced
removing the !alien mul6ish, bricks, and timber In a few mi-
n:des the cry f.oni one underneath was heard, and soon after
a dead body was visibie. They now redoubled their efforts, and
• a man's head was soon teleasea from the rubbish. To the de-
light of ail present, he breathed and spike. Water was pro-
cured, and he looked wildly around him; still, his whole person
was buried in the ruins, and when, with great mificulty, a por-
tion of the bricks ant dust were 'moored from his chest, it was
discovered that a large heavy piece of timber lay right across
his thighs. Several efforts to remove this in a speedy manner
proved ineffectual, and udimately a saw was procumrd, and it
was sawed across between his lees. Ropes wee then las.ened
to it, and several men puLed but it woual not yield.
Mr. Par our and his assistants, however, pei severed ; •and,
after labouring for an hour and a half, they had the satismeion
to lift the poor Mall limn his pet Loos situation. A door haying
been procured, he was cart led into the Coach and Horses pub-
lic-house, Seotland-road, and Mr.' Superintendent Whoty
having Previously seemed the assistance of Mr. Ackerley,
surgeon, of Great Hoinei-steer, who humanely and pi ocaptly
attended, the poor man, under toe came of al anti Mt.
Bradshaw, Captains of the Watch, was carefully conveyed to
the infirmary, whet e, we are glad to hear, hers doing %vett, with
every prospect of a speedy iecovery. At first, it was thought-
that his legs were crushed; but fortunately, they were on-Y
greatly bruised. His name is William hey es, mid lie bore his
sufferings with the utmost composine. His wife having been
admitted to see him, he said, •' Cheer up, lass ! soon be
weE." It is only right to state, that he is indebted for his life
to time personal exertions of Mr. Parlour, whose humanity and
labour on this occasion entitte him to more than urutuary
praise.
The safety of this man having been secured, the search after
the other men was continued With great zeal. Two bouies wele
found on removing Her es, and these were conveyed into the
same 'mink-house. Another than was found not far from
where they ; and at tour o'c.ock another was taken out.
'these unfortunate men apreated as if they had been caught
just as they were hurrying funn the sawpit, and one of them
lay across the plank that served to rest the timber on. 'The
sawpit was on the extreme south of the yard, and almost six
feet below it another body was found within a few inches of the
surface. it was dreadfully bruised, and was, no doubt, the per-
son who sat o t the roof. The features of the otheis were flieht-
fmly disfigured, black and sworn.
Their nalms were as fotlows, and they are put down in the
order in which they were, taken out :—Joseph Swinnertun, a
turtle); James M'bougall, a bookbinder; Seth Jones, a brick-
laver; John ktriataltlßoliert Perkitt, a cabinet-maker; anti
a inan unknown. M`Dougall was foreman with Mr. Thomas
Taylor, of thistle-street, in whose empary he had been for t
thtee years, a fact which bespeaks his excellent character. he
was thirty•thur years of age, and hasleft a wife and one Oriel.
Seth Jones, we are tined, was a burgess, and had buried his wife
that eery tray. Peppot was also a ticeman, and has lett a wile
anti two infant chitorcu. Ile was so dreadfutte disfigured that
even his grandfather, one of the jury, did not know lmo. A
female relative knew him by his shirt.

On Sunday morning Mr. Holmitson Gladstone attended with
a coroner's jury to view the bodies, after which they were given
up to their relatives, with the exception of the unknown body,
which was conveyed to the Dead-house. As alt these unfortu-
nate men have left helpless families it is to be hoped that their
wt vcs and children will experience the benevolent e of the public,
who will not be slow to come forward, should a subset iption be
opened.
All the engines having been brought to bear on the fire, it
was compleiely got under before filleee o'clock, and entirely ex.
ting,uishen by six. Ihe Impeliol, however, remained on the
ground all- day on Sunday. The firemen deserve p; a ise for their
effective services, and Mr. Whdebouse exerted himself most
latlab.y during the entiie night.
Owing to We arrangements made by Mr. Superintendent
Whitty, the best possible order was everywhere preserved, and
the crowd showen no disposition to offer any annoyance to the
Watch or their officers,who remained on duty until lialf-past
eight yesterday mottling.
llis worship the Mayor, accompanied by Mr. T. B. Horsfall
and Mr. Hobert Horsfatt, was on the ground soon after the com-
mencement of the tire. Ile gave the necessary directions, in-
spected the different points, and did not 'care nail all fears of
lutther mishief wet e removed.
Since writing the above, we'have been told, that another body
was fonnd on :-..tanlay evening, making seven in all, in additicu
to the man sent to the Infirmary.

Our readers will, we ate convinced, read with pleasure the
advertisement in another part of our c.olmuns, announcing the
opening of a subsciiption tar the reet of the widows and ail.
(trot of the poor wen whose lives have been so calamitously
lost. It a ease like this to appetL limn us is necessary to io-
dine the humane and of this place to come forward
with their accustomed Wet at.ify. Books are opened at the
°Rice of The Standard fur the rec;:ipt of subscriptions.

We beg to recommend to the perusal of our readers Captain
Stuit's narrative of his two ex peartions into the interior of
Son harms Australia ; it abounds with the most va,nable informa-
tion to set,lers in that iising colony, contains much that is in-
teresting to the naturalist, and is ienuered attractive to the
general reader by amusing anecdotes reiated in that natural
and easy siva, which generally characterises writes of Captain
Stunt's profession.
It will be in the recollection of our readers, the honourable
.mention that was made by Admiral Napier in his despatches
detailing the engagement oil Lagos, of the Steamer William the
Fourth, C.:ptain James Wirsou, belonging to Messrs. Watson
and Pan, of this town. si e have been informed, that as a fur-
ther mark of distinction he has been selected to convey the
Duke of I.4ageithe awl suite L.= uporto to Lisime.