The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-20

man actually hazarded his life to fetch
his hat and cane, 200 feet of stone
work and glass falling at his heels as
he emerged from the building.
Several firenen were almost buried
IN the burning ruins, as front after
front of the flaming warehouses fell in,
hurting tons Of bricks and masonry into
the streets, bursting and cutting the
lire hose in all directions, while tons of
fiery matter were falling III every direc-
ton, making it impossible to foresee
where the contlagration would stop as
roof after roof caught fire and window
frames all about the scene began to
smoke.
AS the afternoon wore on the dense
crowds were still further enlarged, IN
til it was estimated that many hun
dreds of thousands of people surround
ed the big fire. These excited masses
OF humanity had to be constantly
pressed back by the police as the area
OF The fire swept spot increased in size.
BRILLIANT PICTURE.
BY dusk the picture presented was
extremely brilliant Four streets were
blazing on both sides, and there was
plenty 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 widespreading mass of
dull, leaden smoke tinged with tongues
OF yellow fire, and here and there,
where the fire had subsidized somewhat.
the street lamps, striped by the heat
OF their burners and glass frames
blazed with big jets from the open
pipes like monster danger torches
FLAMES CHECKED.
There was no abatement of the blaze
before $50 u. 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
broad thorouShfare, also formed a bar
rier there.
The constable who first detected the
flames blew his whistle loudly for as
slstance, but several minutes elapsed
before the alarm was heard by any of
his comrades. AS soon as assistance
reached him the officer was dispatched
TO summon the fire brigade But here
again, there was an unaccountable de-
VI ~ iAA4iiNICS DeLOIG the IRE en-
CINE appeared. Then the fearful dimen-
sions OF the fire was apparent, and it
was decided to circulate call through
out the whole metropolitan district.
IMMENSE LOSS.
1t is officially reported that $50 ware
houses have been Quilted. A later esti-
mate o. the damage done places the
amount at nearly $4,000, 00O
Nearly all the British fire insurance
companies are involved and fire in
surance stocks were practically unsafe
able on the stock exchange yesterday
afternoon (Friday) after the fire was
well under way. Nearly 300 telephone
wires have been cut, thus interrupting
communication with many of the big
provincial towns.
The fire will cause an enormous ad-
vance II the price of ostrich feathers.
which rose 80 pei cent last evening
(FridaD. The feather firms alone have
lost e15,o00 sterling (s75,0O0.)
THE DISTRICT RAvAGED.
a. ma very large force of firemen
and about 20 engines have been work
ing at high pressure all night. The
district raVaged includes a part of Aus
tralian avenue, PaulS Alley. Cripple
Gate Church Yard, Wood Street square,
Monkwell street, Nicholl square and
Fore street, and is bounded by Alder's
Gate street. Red Cross, Maidenhead
court and Bradford avenue