, 1866-06-22

ed as usual had 1t been, the damage
would have been far greater, but it con-
tanned property the estimated value Of
which considerably exceeds ESQ, 900.
One firm alone, which had stored large
quantities of goods in No. 1 warehouse,
are said to be sufferers to the extent of
at least 100000. The rapid devasta.
ton caused by the flames was such that
hardly a Vestige of the immense property
thus sacrificed remains, save a number of
charred and blazing heaps, which will
continue TO burn or shoulder for days,
despite the tons Of water that are con
stantly being poured upon them from the
freman's Jets. Fragmentary portions of
the shattered and d~isigured walls now
mark the site Of the structure, which
was 60 yards in length by 26 in depth,
and about G0ft. in height. At right an
giles with this building there was situa-
ted another immense ediice, of which,
like the former, only a wreck of disman-
tied walls and heaps of blackened ruins
are now left. The two blocks were divi-
ded by an intervening space of several
yards, but connected by a wooden bridge.
1t was in this last mentioned building
that the fire originated, and spread with
such OVermaStering violence as to resist
every effort made to conquer it. This
was used as a storehouSe for oil, soap,
chemicals, and other combustible stuf;S,
copper, grain, and -four and contained
property to the amount of probably over
100000. Some adjoining stores were
damaged, but, it is hoped, not to any
serious extent, by the water used in keep
ing off the fire. The property thus Sc
cured from the ravages of the flames is
Of immense value; but the Etotal loss by
the calamity will, it is thought, approx
innate to somewhere about 93OO,OOo.
The fire was first discovered about half
the employ of the London and North
Western Railway Company. They i'm
mediately fixed hoses provided to the
stand pipes, which are kept ready /; and
at once despatched messengers for help
at the principal fire stations in Manches-
ter and Stafford. A strong breeze famed
the fierce flames, which appeared greedi-
ly to lick up everything that came with
in their destructive influence. The en-
CINE men of Ashton-under-Lyne saw the
unwonted illumination so far off, and,
guessing rightly at the cause, quickly
horsed their engines and galloped stout
ly in the direction of the beacon fire,
where they arrived not too late to be of
material assistance to those who had so
promptly come to aid. Presently the
silence of night was disturbed by loud
conclusions, which literally shook the
people in their beds who dwelt near the
scene of the confagration. The explo-
sions arose from the bursting of vessels
containing oil, and other combustible
liquids. Roof after roof, floor after floor,
and beam after beam fell crashing down
wards into the fiery abyss below. Good
service was rendered by the Broughton
and Pendleton volunteers who, with the
Stafford Brigade, made a gallant stand at
the tramway bridge connecting No. 8
warehouse with the western end of No. /,
adjacent TO Water-street. The outward
end of the bridge was demolished, but
the fire was effectually cut off from that
end Of the threatened building. The
south wall Of No. 1 fell with a terrific
crash soon after three o'clock, and broke
off one of the stand pipes, which put a
stop to the operations in that quarter.
About n on oOo{bor oa~ti0o &C tho ~rol1