Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-31
LONDON IN DANGER.
A Great Confiagration Rages in the
Heart of the Big City.
SALVATION, BUILDING IN PERIL.
An Old Church and Many Stores and Large
Factories Burned.
TIE LOSS is TWO MILLION DOLLARS

LONDON, Dec. 30.-A great fire broke out
in the heart of the metropolis to-day, which
for time threatened the destruction of large
part of the city. The scene of the fire was
in Queen Victoria and Thames streets, near
Blaekfriars bridge.
Fourteen fire engines were soon upon the
spot, and the firemen did their utmost, but
with little success, to check the course of the
flames. A high wind was blowing, and it
materially added to the fury of the flames.
while hindering the firemen in their efforts
to save property. Terrible sheets of flame
and clouds of hot smoke were frequently
whirled dangerously near the struggling
fremen, who met with little or no success in
their battle with the fiery element.
The Progress of the Flames.
The fire originated in paper factory.
The flames spread as rapidly on all sides as
if there were no tiremen or fire engines pres
ent. Immense crowds of people gathered on
the bridges over the Thames aud in the
streets running down to the river, where a
good view OF the conhagration could be had.
Many people expressed the hope that this
disaster would at last bring about a reform
in the London Fire Brigade, and its long
needed remodeling upon the plan of the
New York fire department.
A large fur factory, paper warehouse, a
number OF fancy goods stores and the
Gulcher Electric Light and Power Com
pany's plant, were quickly licked up by the
flames. As the fire progressed it spread to
the headquarters of the Salvation Army.
The Salvationists worked like beavers in
their efforts to place the records and other
property of the army in place of safety
before it was too late. However, the fire.
men managed to save the headquarters by
hard work. The fire spread in all direc-
tions from this point, destroying st. Benet's
Church and great number of stores. ami
hilatIng more than five squares of buildings
AT this time about 25 engines were playing
upon the flames.
Fighting Fire Under Difficulties.
At 6 P. NJ. careful examination of the
scene of the battle fought between the Lon
don fire brigade and the fire fend showed
that parts of -St. Benet's Church were not
destroyed. In justice to the London fire.
men it may be said that they had hard
tussle with the weather, as we'll as with the
flames. 1t was so cold that the water
almost froze in the air, formed ice
all over the apparatus and over the fremen.
The cold weather also hindered the engines,
the fremen say, from working smoothly,
and when the fremen fastened two ladders
together, for instance, in order to climb to a
point OF vantage. their fingers and hands
were so numbed with cold that they were
unable to grasp the rungs of the extended
ladders. There was no loss of lite and but
/ few accidents among the fremen. One man,
it is true. was taken to Charing Cross hospi-
tai in partially suffocated condition, but
he is SAID to be in no danger of losing his
life.
The cause f the fire is unknown and the
amount of damage done is now estimated to
be e4OO. 900, o, 81, 100000.