Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-30
A Confagration in London That
Burned Itself Out.
DAMAGE CAUSED IN THIS COUNTRY
Capture of the Man Who Commit.
ted the Broderick, Pa. Murders.
STOCKS QUIET AND STEADY
FIERCE FIRE IN LONDON.
One Of the Worst Conaagrations In Its HE
tory Raging.

tory Raging.
LONDON, Dec. 3O--A terrible confagra.ion
broke out this afternoon in this city. The
scene of the fire was in Queen Victoria and
Thames streets, near Black Friars bridge. Nu-
merous warehouses were blazing and London
seemed to be destined to suffer one Of the lar
gest and most destructive fires in its history.
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
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 fame and clouds of smoke
were constantly whirling over the struggling
firemen. who met with little or no success in
their battle with the fiery element. The large
wholesale fur mandatory Of Eeyillon Freres.
extending; from 127 to 14l Queen Victoria
street, was said to he doomed shortly after the
fire gained strong headway.
FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY.
Following this news was the information that
large paper warehouse. number of fancy
goods stores and the Gulcher Electric Light
and Power Company's building we're also a
complete prey to the flames. The flames
spread as rapidly on all sides as if there were
no fremen or fire engines present. Immense
crowds Of people gathered on the bridges over
the Thames and in the streets running down to
the river, where a good view of the confagra-
ton could be had. The housetops seemed TO
be alive with people bent upon seeing all they
| could see of London's latest Wholesale destruc-
tion of property by fire. and many people ex-
pressed the hope that this disaster would at
last bring about reform in the London fire
brigade.
THE FIRE MA,HISEs CRITICISED.
1t seems strange to many people, in view Of
the terrible fire Of a week or ago. when
nearly a dozen buildings were destroyed on
Praed street. that old-fashioned manual fire
engines should still be in use in the
London fire brigade. while the steamers or
steam fire engines in use seem TO be utterly
behind the times. As the fire progressed il
spread to the headquarters of the salvation
Army. illuminating that red-painted blood
and fire" building in a most omInous manner
| The Salrationists are working like beavers in
| their efforts to place the records and other
property of the army in place Of safety before
! it is too late.
THE FIRE ENGINES USELESS.
4S0 PN.-At this hour the fire is rapidly
| spreading. All the buildings from the corner
of Benefits Hill to No. 1876 Queen Victoria
street are either blazing fiercely or else are
gutted, smoldering red rilins with scorched
| blackened shells around them. and this ruin
has been done and much more is being done to
/ all appearances, unchecked, in spite of the
presence of twenty steam fire engines, two fire
escapes and large number of old manual fire
| engines upon the scene. TIE latter. how
ever. might just as well be in the British
Museum as operating upon such a confiagration
as this.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
| Upon the authority of the London fire bri-
| gade chiefs upon the scene of the disaster il ID
announced that the fire originated in the build
ing occupied by G. Davidson 4 Son, paper and
paper felt manufacturers and paper bag man.
| ufcaturers at 10 Queen Victoria street. The
building extended back into Upper Shames
street. 1t was large structure and Was COM
pletely gutted, as was also that of
Adolph Frankau and Company. manufacturer
of pipes and importers of tobacco at l2l Queen
| Victoria street. Old st Benet Church be-
tween No. 125 and 226 Upper Thames street.
a famous Welsh church. also caught fiye. its
blazing steeple forming one of the most strik-
| ing features of the grandly terrible scene. The
firemen at one time managed to obtain control
of the flames at this point and the confiagra-
tion, SO far as St. Benets was for time arrested.
At the hour of sending this dispatch what
| would be termed in New York four large
| ''blocks" of buildings are in flames and burning
steadily. They will all. to judge from present
appearances, be gutted by the flames.
THE FIRE BURNS ITSELF OUT.
At pm. the flames had won another victory
over the firemen and St. Benet's Church was
completely destroyed. On the other hand the
the fremen at that hour managed to save the
Salvation Army shed from destruction and il
| was announced that the members of the Lon
don fire brigade we're once more happy and in
| full control of the situation and the ruins In
other words, the fire had about burned itself
out and the fire department and twenty mine
engines Oh the spot were pouring water on
estimate of the damage done places the amount
at f3O0, 900, 81 .50c. .0o0. but this is thought
to be under the real amount Two million dol
lars, it is said, may eventually prove TO be the
cost of the fire.