The Nevada Democrat., 1861-08-01
The Great Fire In london, OF june aad.
TFrOm The london Times Of June 26sh.l

AeaNoA
TWAS not in the dead Of night, but on 3
summer afternoon, that the Ore brigade in
Waiting street was summoned to Uoston's
wharf, close to london bridge, on the south
side Of the Thames. The engines, directed
by the chief Of the brigade in person, we're
quickly on the spot, when IL was found that
fire had broken out in the bret story of o
warehouse. The building was perfectly
new, and constructed on approved princi-
pies Of architecture strong party walls.
provided with iron doors, divided she fabric,
and Tue warehouses In the Vicinity we're re-
puted 10 be fire-proof also. The place had
not been abandoned for the night, the
wOrkmen were slill on the spot, and one of
them actually discovered In small piece
OF smoking hemp, the germ Of that cOnfla-
grafton which before night was represented
by three acres of flame. Unhappily, the
smoke at that early period projected the
fire. So dense were lis volumes as TO forbid
all approach, aud the fame was lefI to do
its work. Still there was a vast array of
engines in The street as well as on the
stream there was trained brigade of fire.
men, conducted by courageous and ex-
perienced leader there was strong body
Of police TO aid in keeping order, aud there
were iire-proof walls TO contend against
IRE. But, of all these appliances, not one
availed TO control the flames They burst
forth from the first warehouse aud seized
another. Iron aud brick, though they did
not actually blaze, yet burnt through aud
through till they became red-hot masses.
Mr.. Braidwood, the chief Of the brigade, at
once diseerned the true state of the case,
and predicted from his survey the magni.
tude Of the con6agratiOn. Il was the last
opinion be was fated to utter. A fcw min
utes later, as be was placing bis men at
their posts, and encouraging them by his
directions aud example, he met bis death.
A tremendous explosion of seltpetre in
vault shook down the entire frontage of q
warehouse, and he was buried under the
ruins His fall dismayed bis men, already
distressed by the severity Of their duties,
aud yet they rushed like brave followers to
bis rescne-but in vain. A second explo-
sion drove them from the spot, and the as
tendency Of the fire was now complete. II
does not seem indeed, that there was much
chance of subduing the flames even from
the 6rst, but from this moment the contest
was decided. The brigade was powerless.
All our great engines and all our trained
fremen were OF no avail. Our 1re.proof
buildings failed to keep out the flre, and il
depended simply on the force and direction
OF the wind how mneh Of Southwark might
be left standing on Monday morning.
Providentially. the night was calm; yet
every now and then, when o little gust
n ha rfu hsa aHos cd ue4k 4k.
flames aud the flakes of fire launched into
the atmosphere showed the magnitude of
the peril. Even as II was, the spectacle and
the ruin are alike without parellel In our
time. Three acres of ground we're gradu-
ally covered with mass Of fire, glowing
and cracking at white beat like lake of
molten iron. The satpetre. the tallow, the
tar. and other cOmbustibles stored 10 the
warehouses ran blazing into the river, un-
Ill Lbe very stream appeared to be covered
with flames. Ships were burned as we'll as
houses, aud the danger TO life was almost
as great on the Thames as In the street.
The glare Of the coniagration was not only
visible, but strlkingly conspicuous, thirty
miles Off The multitude of spectators was
enormous, aud the excitement incredible.
We may truly say, indeed, that never, for
two centuries. has the metropolis seen such
a catastrophe.
The original account seems to indicate
pretty clearly The probable origin Of the
fire. 1t is not the first time that hemp and
jnte have been fOuno IN spontaneous com.
bustiOn but two circumstances are report
ed which may have cOnduced 10 the spread
of the conhagration, and the helplessness of
those who attempted 10 subdue it. The
workmen employed in the warehouse had
omitted. il is said, to close the iron doors
by which communication was maintained
between the several divisions Of the build
ing, and for the first hour or sO-lhat is to
say. at the very time when the play of the
engines would have been most effective
there was little water to be obtained
Whether the flames could have been got
under at this particular conjecture must
now remain a matter Of speculai on only;
but il seems plain that by six o'clock, the
fire bad obtained its mastery, and that
mans efforts we're vain. From that time
was seen how limited are the powers of
modern science. The new buildings would
have resisted an ordinary fire, but not
fire like this. The most prodigious jets of
water went for nothing agains. acres of
Game. A steady breeze from the river,
and half Southwark might have been 10
ruins Happily. the ar was still but 80
terrible has been the danger that we may
l1oI- ..or .,nn. th;o arnftu In tha limit of