Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-11-25
SWEPT BY THE FIRE FEND.
Flames Destroy Property in the
City of London Valued at
Fully $25, 900, oooo.
OVER A HUNDRED WAREHOUSES; BURNED
For Four Hours md "A Half the Flames
Had Their Own Way-NO Loss of
Life So Far as Known-HistorscaI
-. Giles Church BadIy Damaged
The RayaGed District.

London. Nov. 2o.-One Of the most
/ disastrous fires ID Iondon's history
since the great fire Of 1865 broke out il
large block Of buildings lying east
ward Of Aldersgate street and between
that thoroughfare and Red Cross street
just after one o'clock Friday afternoon
The flames were famed by a strong
wind and were fed by highly inhamma-
bic stocks of Christmas fancy goods
and fin 50 dress materials of all de-
scriptious that filed every floor of the
six-story buildings in the old street
Consequently the confagration gained
Roadway with surprising rapidity and
was soon far beyond the possibility of
being checked by the few engines which
were early on the spot. For four hours
and a half the flames had their own
way and ii was only after more than
hundred engines had worked an hour
that the chief of the fire brigade sent
out the signal that the fire was under
control. At midnight the fire is still
the scene Of great excitement. Fifty en-
gines are playing upon the ruins. wag
ons are hurrying up coal and tons of
water are pouring into the fiery debris.
Thousands Of people are trying to PEN
citrate the Gordon maintained by thou
sand policemen, reinforcements for
whom were hurried up when. soon after
six o'clock an increase in the outbreak
led Commander Wells to make a reoui-
stiOn for more engines upon the outly-
ing stations.
Loss Over S@5,OOO, 900.
The scene must occupy the fire bril-
gade for several days, especially in view
of the grave danger of the collapse of
the shells of buildings which fall now
and again with loud report. The latest
accounts indicate that nearly hundred
warehouses have been destroyed, while
The loss will probably exceed 6 5000, 900
The historic Church of ST. Giles has
been much damaged, the principal dam
age being to the roof, the old windows
the baptismal font and Millions statue
II is officially announced that $50
warehouses have been Quilted. Nearly
all the British fire insurance companies
are involved, and fire insurance shares
were practically unsaleable on the stock
exchange Friday afternoon after the
ire was we'll under way. Nearly 500
telephone wires have been cut. thus in
terrupting communication with many
Of the big provincial towns. The fire
Will cause an enormous advance in the
price Of ostrich feathers. which rose SO
per cent. Friday evening. Two feather
firms alone have lost G15.000 (S15.000)
The Burned Area.
very large force of firemcn and
about 20 engines worked at high pres
sure all night. The district ravaged
hy the fire is bounded by Aldersgate
street. Red Gross, Maidenhead court
and Bradford avenue. and includes the
Intermediate streets. Jewin, Hamsell.
Well and Edmund. and Jewin crescent.
The ravaged district alsc includes
part of Australian avenue. Paurs al.
ley, Cripple Gate churchyard. Wood
street square. Monkwell street. Nicholl
square and Fore street
Due to an Explosion
Hamsell street was the scene of the
outbreak of the fire, which was due TO
on explosion in connection with a gas
engine on the premises of Walter Brown
q Co. mantel manufacturers at No. 80
on that thoroughfare. Their third fac
tory was crowded with girls when the
fire broke out, and il was instantly the
scene of semipanic, the frightened
operatives rushing to the roof of the
building and there crossing TO other
buildings and so effecting their escape
while the flames were pouring out of
the basement. In less than a quarter of
an hour the flames had enveloped the
adjoining warehouse and thence they
leaped across the street to an enor-
nous paper warehouse which was fully
alight in less than ten minutes.
There was no abatement of the blaze
before $3.50 p. N. Then the check came
in Jewin street and in Well street
where the collapse of wall on the
right-hand side Of that thoroughfare
was the means Of saving the last build
ing til the street. The width Of Red
Gross street, a comparatively broad
thoroughfare, also formed a barrier
there.