The herald., 1897-11-20

caught fire and window frames all about
the scene began to smoke.
AS the afternoon wore on the dense
crowds were still further enlarged, until
lit was estimated that many hundreds of
thousands of people surrounded the big
fire. These excited masses Of humanity
had to be constantly pressed back by
the police, as the area Of the fireswept
spot increased in size. and operations
became more and more difficult as the
owners and employees Of the warehouses
adjacent to the scene began the work Of
saving their valuables.
By dusk the picture presented was
extremely brilliant. Four streets were
blazing on both sides, and this was plen-
ty to interest the gambling spirit Of the
onlookers, in betting as to whether or
not the venerable tower Of ST. Giles
church could stand the hail Of sparks
and burning fragments with which it
was enveloped.
The red flames from every point shone
out against the black sky and through
the widespread mass Of dull, leaden
smoke tinged with tongues of yellow
fire, and here and there where the fire
had subsided somewhat the street lamps,
strippeS by the heat of their burners and
frames, blazed with big jets from the
open pipe like monster danger torches.
There was no abatement of the blaze
before p. M; then the check came in
Jewin street and in Wall street, where
the collapse Of a wall on the right hand
side of that thoroughfare was the means
Of saving the last building in the street.
The width of Red Cross street, a COM
paratively wide thoroughfare, also
formed barrier. At o'clock this even
ing the fire was reported to be under
control. Cripple Gate church is saved,
but is badly damaged.
SOME FAMOUS BUILDINGS.
The general postoffice is on st. Mar
tins LIE Grande, on both sides of the
street, the new building being a magni-
flcent structure that cost over 81, 500, 900.
On the east side of the street is the
general postofiice east built in the La
conian style. This building is 800 feet
in length.
Opposite the general postof1ice east is
the general postoffice which was built
in 1892. The large telegraph galleries
measure 300 feet by 80 feet and contain
500 instruments, and the numberIof tele-
grams conveyed in the year is about
70,000,0Q0. This building cost over $2,..
100000. In November, 1870, the founda-
ton of the general postoffice north was
laid. 1t was finished in 1898. 1t con-
tanned the offices Of the Postmaster
General and cost over $780, 900.
The church Of st. Giles was built in
1545. 1t is approached by an archway in
Red Cross street, also within the scene
of the confagration, and contains the
tombs of John Milton, who died in 1874; !;
Fox the martyrologist; Frobisher, the
voyager who died in 1894, and Speir, the
typographer. who died in 1874.
Oliver Cromwell was married in the
church of St. Giles, August %, 1920, and
the parish register contains an entry of
the burial of Daniel Defoe. author of
Robinson Crusoe. who died in 1851.
Milton Is commemorated by a bust by
Bacon and the late George w. Childs
of Philadelphia erected a stained glass
window in this church to the poets mem
ory.
In the church yard is an old bastion
of the London wall.
Aldersgate and Cripplegate are nam
ed after two of the gates in Roman Lon
don.
UNDER CONTROL
a. ma very large force of firemen
and about twenty engines have been
working at a high pressure all night.
The district ravaged includes part of
Australian avenue, Paul's alley, Cripple
gate churchyard, Wood street square,
Monkwell street, Nicholl square and
Forest street, and is bounded by Alders-
gate street, Red Cross, Maidenhead
court and Bradford avenue
1t is officially reported that $50 ware
houses have been gutted. A later esti-
mate of the damage done places the
amount at nearly ;e5,6vO,0OO. Nearly all
the British fire insurance companies are
involved and fire insurance stocks were
practically unsaleable on the stock ex-
change after the fire was we'll under
way.
The fire will cause an enormous ad-
vance in the price of ostrich feathers,
which rose 80 per cent last evening. Two
feather firms alone lost 915,0O0 sterling.