Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-11-25
SEVERAL BLOCKS OF WHOLE
SALE HOUSES DESTROYED.
DAMAGE ABOUT 100000
Most Disastrous Conllagration Since
the Great Fire OF leftover 100
Engines Fight the Flames For
Several Hours-Great Crowds Wit
ness the Spectacular Scene.

London, Nov. 20.-One Of the most
disastrous fires in London's history
since the great fire OF 1866 broke out
in a large block of buildings lying
eastward of Aldersgate street and be-
tween that thoroughfare and Red
Cross street just after l o'clock Fri
day afternoon. The flames were
famed by strong wind and fed by
highly inflammable stocks OF Christ
mas fancy goods and flimsy dress
filled the six-story buildings in the
old street. Consequently the confia-
grafton gained Roadway at surpris-
ing rapidity and soon was far beyond
the possibility of being checked by the
few engines which were early on the
spot. For four hours and half the
flames had their own way and it was
only after more than 100 engines had
worked an hour that the chief of the
fire brigade sent out the signal that the
fire was under control. At II o'clock
at night the fire was still the scene
of great excitement. Fifty engines
were playing upon the ruins and
thousands of people were trying to
penetrate the Gordon maintained by
1000 policemen, reinforcements for
whom were hurried up, when soon
soon after 6 o'clock an increase in
the outbreak led Commander Wells
to make requisition for more en-
gines upon outlying stations. The
scene must occupy the fire brigade
several days, especially in view of the
grave danger of a collapse of the
shells of buildings which fall now and
again with a loud report. The latest
accounts indicate that nearly 100
warehouses are destroyed while the
loss probably exceeds 100000 pounds.
The historic church of st. Giles has
been much damaged, the principal
damage being to the roof, old win
dows, baptismal font and Millions
statue. Hamsell street was the scene
of an outbreak oil fire which was due
to an explosion of a new gas engine
Co., mantel manufacturers. Their
factory was crowded with girls
when the fire broke out and it was in
stantly the scene of a semi-panic, the
frightened operatives rushing to the
Roof Of the building and thence cross
ing other buildings and so effecting
their escape. In a quarter of an
hour the flames enveloped the adjoin-
ing warehouses. 1t was evident to
the firemen that they were face to
eral alarm was sent out. Engines
hurried to the spot and the police
gathered about the neighborhood in
great force. The excitement among
the tens of thousands onlookers who
crowded ever possible point of view
was very great as may be judged
from the fact that the firemen had to
be repeatedly rescued by their COM
rades by the aid of fire escapes from
buildings which had caught fire after
the tiremen had mounted to their
roofs to fight the flames in adjoining
structures, The rescue of operatives
by the firemen, the hurrying hosts of
clerks who were trying to save books
and valuable papers from the fire and
the rushing here and there of the
many employees who We're attempting
to carry to places of safety costly
merchandise or other valuables added
to the confusion. The heat was so
intense that the firemen were in many
cases obliged to direct their opera
lions under showers of water poured
upon them.
The confusion in the streets in
creased as the fire spread. Suddenly
there were explosions of number of
gas meters sounding like reports of
field guns, followed by a momentary
here and there was resumed with in
creased energy. Men risked their
lives in desperate efforts to save day
books, ledgers and valuable merchan-
disc, Several firemen were almost
buried in the ruins, as front after
front of The flaming warehouses fell
In, hurting tons of brick and masonry
into the streets, bursting and cutting
the fire hose in all directions, while
tens of fiery matter were falling in
every direction, making it impossible
to foresee where the contiagration
would stop, as roof after roof caught
IRE ana window frames all about the
scene began to smoke AS the after
neon wore on the crowds increased.
until it was estimated that many hun
dfeds OF thousands of people surround
Ell the big fire BY dusk the picture
presented was extremely brilliant.
-Four streets We're blazing on both sides
and there was plenty to interest the
gambling spirit of onlookers in bet
ting as to whether or not the venerable
tower of st. Giles church could stand
that hail of sparks and burning frag-
ments with which 1t was enyeloped.
There were no abatement of the blaze
before p. m. Then a check came In
lewin street and in Well street where
thn an11nrN@n f1f q -