Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-01-07

friar's Bridge the Flames Reach st.
Benet's Church - Warehouses and
Stores in .Ashes-Little to Stay the
Flames.
LONDON, Dec. OLA terrific conf1agra-
ton is raging in London this afternoon.
The scene of the fire is in Queen Vic
toria and Thames streets, near Black
friars bridge. The fire origi-
mated in the building occupied
by c. Davidson & Sons, paper
and paper felt manufacturers
and paper bag makers, at 119 Queen
Victoria Street. This building extend
ed back into Upper Thames Street It
was large structure, and was COM
pletely Quilted, as was also that of
Adolph Frank & Co., manufacturers of
pipes and importers of tobacco, at 121
Queen Victoria Street. From this point
the spread of the confagration was
rapid and unchecked.
Fourteen fire engines were soon upon
the spot, and the tiremen did their ut
most, 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 flames and clouds of
hot smoke were frequently hurled dan
gerously near the struggling fremen,
who met with little or no success in
their battle with the fiery element. The
large wholesale fur mandatory of Re-
villon Freres, extending from 127 to al
Queen Victoria Street, was said to be
doomed shortly after the fire gained
strong Roadway.
Following this news was the informa-
ton that large paper warehouse, a
number of fancy goods stores and the
Gulcher electric light and power COM
pany's building was also complete
prey to the flames. The fire spread as
rapidly on all sides as if there were no
firemen or fire engines present. I'm
mense crowds of people gathered on the
bridges over the Thames, and in the
streets running down to the river, where
good view of the confagration could
be had.
Old st. Benet's Church, Paul's Wharf,
between 225 and 226 Upper Thames
Street, a famous Welsh Church, also
one of the most striking features of the
grandly terrible scene The fremen
at one time managed to obtain control
OF the flames at this peint,
and the confagration so far as
| ST. Benet's was concerned, was for
| time arrested. At the hour Of sending
| this dispatch-d30 p M.-what would be
| termed in New York four large "blocks"
of buildings were in flames and bRrning
steadily. They will all, to judge from
present appearances, be Quilted by the
| flames
| The thousands of people who stood
about and watched the flames leap from
| building to building and block to block,
expressed the hope that this disaster
would at last bring about reform in the
London fire brigade, and it's long need
| ed remodeling upon the plan OF the
! New York Fire Department. 1t
| seems strange to many people,
in view of the terrible fire
of week or so ago, when
nearly dozen buildings were destroyed
on Pr9d Street, that old-fashoned
manual fire engines should still be in
use in the London fire brigade, while
the few steamers or steam fire en-
i behind the times AS the fire
progressed it spread to the head
quarters of the Salvation Army, illumi-
mating that red-painted "blood and
fire" building in most ominous man
ner. The salvationists are working like
beavers in their efforts to place the
records and other property of the Array
In place of safety before it is too late.
At this hour a P. ND the fire is rapid
| ly spreading in all directions. All the
buildings from the corner of Benefits
| 70 o%0
either blazing fercely or else are
Quilted, smouldering red ruins,
with scorched, blackened shells around
them. And all 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 en-
gines upon the scene. The latter, how
ever, might just as well be in the British
museum as operating upon such con-
| f1agration as this.
Ats p. NJ. the flames had won another
| victory over the firemen and st. Benet's
/ Church was completely destroyed. On
| the other hand the fremen, at that
hour, had managed TO save the Saliva
| ton Army's headquarters from de-
struction, and it was announced that the
members of the London fire brigade
were 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 depart
ment, with twenty nine engines on the
spot, was pouring water on mountains of
smoldering debris.
A rough estimate of the damage done
| places the amount at J:30O, 600 or ST $780,
| 900, but this estimate is thought to be
! under the real amount. Two million
dollars it is said, may eventually prove
to be the cost of the fire.