The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-11-27
LONDoN's $40, 900 FIRE.
About One Hundred and Fifty Ware
houses Destroyed.
GREATEST FIRE SINCE 1865.

LONDON, Nov 20.-The most disas-
trous fire in london history since ihe
great Ere of 1866 broke out in Ian ge
block Of buildings lying eastward of Aldels
gate street, and between that thorough
fare and Red Cross street, just after l
o clock yesterday afternoon.
The flames were famed by strong
wind and were fed by highly inAamnable
stocks of Christmas fancy goods and fimsy
dress materials of all descriptions that occu-
pied every floor of the six-story buildings
in the old street.
Consequently the confagration gained
headway with surprising rapidity- and was
soon far beyond any possibility of being
checked by the few engines which were
early on the spot
For foue hours and a-half the flames
had their own way, and it was only after
more thar one hundred engines had worked
on the flames that the chief of the fire
brigade sent out the signal that the fire
was under control.
At ii O clock tonight the fire is still
the scene of great excitement. Fifty
engines are playing upon the ruins, wagons
are hurrying up coal, and tons of water
are pouring into the fiery debris.
The scene must occupy the fire brigade
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
st. Giles Damaged.
The historic Church of St Giles has
been much damaged, the prnf;fpal damage
being to the roof, the old windows the
baptismaf font and Milton statue
Loss is $40, 100000
1t is officially reported that $50 ware
houses have been gutted. A later esti
mate of the damage done places the amount
At nearly e., 900, 600 (S10, 600. 000).
Nearly all the British fire insurance
companies are involved, and fire insurance
shares were practically unstable on the
stock exchange yesterday afternoon { Fri
day) after the fire was well under way.
Nearly three hundred telephone wires
have been cut, thus interrupting commu-
nication with many of the big provincial
towns The fire will cause an enormous
advance In the price of ostrich feathers,
which rose 80 per cent. last evening Fri
day). Two feather firms alone have lost
Els, 600 (s75. OO0).
A very large force of tiremen and about
twenty engines have been working at high
pressure all night,
The district ravaged includes parts of
Australian avenue, Paul's alley, Cripple
Gate Churchyard Wood-street square,
Monkwell street, Nicholl square and Fore
street.
Hamsell street was the scene of the out
break of the fire, which was due to an
explosion in connection with a gas engine
on the premises of Waller, Brown & Co.,
mantle manufacturers at No. 30 on that
thoroughfare.
The Great Fire of 1866.
The great fire of 1866 broke out on
| September 2 in a baker house near the
bridge and spread with such rapidity that
no efforts could stay its progress until a
large part of the city was destroyed The
inhabitants, says Hume, the historian,
were compelled to be spectators of their
own ruin, and were pursued from street to
street by the flames which Unexpectedly
gathered round them. Three days and
nights did the fire advance, and it was
only by the blowing up of houses that it
was at last extinguished. About 400
streets and 13, 600 houses were reduced to
ashes. The causes of the calamity were
evident The narrow streets OF London,
the houses built entirely of wood, the dry
season and violent east wind which blew
these were so many concurring circum-
stances which rendered it easy to assign
the reason of the destruction that ensued.
But the people were not satisfied with this
obvious account, and, prompted by blind
rage and eagerness to find victims to whom
to charge such great calamity, some
ascribed the guilt to the Republicans.
Like the fire of Chicago, the London fire
proved blessing in disguise. The city
was rebuilt in very little time and care
was taken to build the streets wider and
more regular than before, and the inter
minable rookeries which the fire devoured
were replaced by better and fairer struct-
uses, resulting in better health and com-
fort for the city.