The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-10-16
A $l5,OOO,OOO FIRE.
Famous Buildings in London AL
mott Totally Destroyed.
Thirteen Large Warehouses Con-
sumed-London's Great Fires.

A fire which broke out at ) o'clock the other
morning in the Charter House buildings, a
row of thirteen eight-story warehouses in Al
dersgate street, London, spread with such
rapidity that in few hours all the struc-
lures, including their contents, were de-
stroyed. The origin of the fire is unknown
The houses were occupied by fancy goods
dealers, furriers, toy stores and printing off,
ces One bank was also in the buildings
This was the only concern that escaped total
loss. 1t was badly damaged, but not de.
stroyed. The Gremen had great difficulty in
getting the streams from the engines to play
on the upper stories of the buildings. Many
narrow escapes were recorded owing to the
desperate attempts of the firemen to get at
the flames The damage is estimated at $15,-
100000.
Previous to the great fire of London, two
serious contlagrations occurred in that city /;
one in 1857, destroying st. Paus cathedral
and many blocks of buildings, and one in
1912, by which 5000 lives were lost at Lon
don bridge and considerable portion of the
city burned. From September , to 6, 1866,
the great fire ragged, devastating 400 streets,
covering 436 acres with ruins, and
destroying eighty-nne churches, many gov
eminent buildings, and Is, POO houses In
March, las 200 houses were burned in Corn
hill Ward. In April, 1880, there was a great
fire in the docks and shipping at Horsley
Down, and in June of tine same year New
gate prison and many other buildings were
destroyed by the Gordon MODS. November
3, 1888, saw 100000 lost by fire in
Aldersgate street, and on July 81, 1894,
fire at Mapping destroyed $50 houses,
and an East India warehouse con-
tanning $4,000 bags of saltpetre; the loss was
$1,000, 900 Three West India warehouses
were burned with loss of 81 10000, in Feb
ruarv, $500, and in 1902 and 1903 great fires
occurred in Tottenham Court road and Soho
Rotherhithe, Mile-end and Smithtield were
devastatedin 1870, 1921 and lS22, respectively,
with 100000, $l,OJOOO) and $500, 900
losses. Parliament houses went in 1884,
and two years later fire at London bridge
made loss of Sl,25 600. In 1871 the Tower
armory was burned with 2SO,OO) stand of
arms. June, 1871, saw four hop warehouses
worth S13OOOO, burned, and three fires of
SoOO,OOO loss each, occurred in 1853 The
Etna Steam battery fire, May 1850, made
loss of 100000, and there was lost $780,
600 in the Shat Thames flour mill fire
of July, 1856 Fire and explosion at London
docks in 1858 destroyed property worth
$'5O,OOO, and at West Kent and New Hi
hernia wharveS on August II, 1850 began n
fire which lasted nearly a month, with loss of
SlOOO,OOO. Another months fire began June
y, 1851, at Cottons wharf, near Tooley
street and made loss of $4,000, 900. The
Grant warehouses, worth $jO0,00), were
burned in April, 1868 St Kathernes docks,
January, 1866; Nicholson's warehouses,
October, 1871; Grants printing house,
loss 100000. August, 1876; the Man.
chester warehouses, loss Sl,OO0,O0O. jan
uary 1878 In February, ISL, the Victoria
docks were burned with 81 POO 900 loss. In
December 1882, the Alhambra theatre was
burned, with S15O,0JO loss, and a few hours
later two acres of silk and other stores in
Wood street were destroyed, the losses ag-
gregatng about Sl5 600 600 The naSt
notable fire occurred in Paternoster Row,
April ?, 1884, in which st. Paul's cathedral
escaped only by a favorable tur. Of the
wind Loss. $780, 900