The Breckenridge news., 1897-11-24
BIG FIRE
IN LONDON.
Loss Will Reach Twenty-Five
Million Dollars.
Fully One Hundred and Fifty Ware
houses and Factories and Their
Contents Destroyed.
A Hundred Engines Called Out to subdus
The Flames

disastrous fires in LOndonB history
since the great fire of 1868 broke out in
large block of buildings lying east
ward Of Aldersgate street and between
that thoroughfare and Red Cross street,
| just after O'Clock yesterday afternoon
The flames were famed by strong
wind and were fed by highly infiam-
mable stocks of Christmas fancy goods
and fiimsy dress materials of all descrip-
tions that filed every floor of the six
buildings in the old street. Consequent
| ly the conhagration gained headway
| with surprising rapidity and was soon
| beyond the possibility of being checked
by the few engines which were early on
the spot. For four and one-half hours
the flames had their own way and it
| was only after more than q hundred en-
| gines had worked an hour that the chief
Of the fire brigade seut ont the signal
| that the fire was under control.
Hamsell street was the scene of the
| outbreak of the fire which was due to
an explosion in connection with q gas
| engine on the premises of Walter
Brown q Company, mantel manufao-
/ furers at No 80 ON that thoroughfare.
| Their third factory was crowded with
girls, when the fire broke out and it was
| instantly the scene of semi panic, the
| frightened operatives rushing TO the
roof of the building and hence crossing
to other buildings and so effecting their
escape while the flames were pouring
out of the Easements. In less than a
quarter of an hour the flames had en-
veloped the adjoining warehouse, and
thence they leaped across the street to
an enormous paper warehouse which
fsr1l In 1srwk s,.l
BY this time it was evident to the
iremen that they were face to face with
q great disaster and a general alarm
was sent out. Then, from all the fire
stations, even those quite five miles
from the scene Of the disaster, engines
were hurried to the spot, and the police
gathered about the neighborhood in
great force. This display Of strength
on the part of the police was required,
as the crowd, swelling in size every mo-
ment, soon amounted to tens of thou.
sands OF people. and the fremen re.
quired every possible freedom Of action,
as their fight was one of the greatest
difficulty, owing to the narrowness of
the old, crooked streets, which are the
feature of that part of London, COM
bined with the height of the ware
houses. which cut off the firemen from
all fair chance OF con6ning the out.
break.
The excitement among the on-lookers
who crowded every possible point OF
view was very great, as may be judged
from the fact that firemen had to be re-
peatedly rescued by their comrades, by
the fire escapes Of the buildings, which
had caught fire after the firemen had
mounted to their roofs to fight the
flames in adjoining structures.
The rescue Of operatives by the fire.
men the hurrying of hosts Of clerks
who were trying to save books and
valuable papers from the fire, and the
rushing here and there Of many employees
who were attempting to carry to places
Of safety costly merchandise or other
valuables, added to the confusion. The
heat was so intense that several fremen
where obliged to direct their operations
under showers of water poured upon
them. But in spite of exertions Of the
dremen, the fire crept on very steadily
until Nicholl square, which is situated
at the far end of Hamsell street. was
reached.
AT little after Q O'Clock dozen
hose pipes. each with a 12-foot spread,
poured water into the blaze from an op-
posite roof. from the street below and
from the burning premises themselves,
but it did not seem 20 have any effect.
The water rushed out Of the windows
and from the ground floor like water
fall. while the flames leaped higher and
higher and as the floors fell In the
place still blAzed, a gigantic display of
FIRE and smoke, till the building was
completely gutted and the walls keeled
over.
The confusion in the streets increased
as the fire spread. Suddenly there was
an explosion Of gas meters. sounding
like the reports Of field guns, followed
by a momentary hush After that the
wild rushing here and there was re-
sumed with increased energy. Men
risked their lives In desperate efforts TO
save daybooks, ledgers, feathers, Jew
elry, valuable chinaware, etc. One
man actually hazarded his life to fetch
his hat and cane, 200 feet of stonework
and glass falling at his heels as he
emerged from the building.
Several firemen 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 fire
hose IN all directions, while tons OF
fiery matter were falling in every di-
reclion.
There was no abatement Of the blaze
before 3 80 d. m Then the check came
in Jewin street and In Well street,
where the collapse OF q wall ON the
right hand side Of that thoroughfare
was the means Of saving the last build |
ing Ia the street. Tha width OF Red |
Gross street. comparatively broad |
thoroughfare. also formed a barrier
there.
The district ravaged by the fire Is
bounded by Aldersgate street. Red |
Gross, Maiden Head Court and Brad |
ford avenue. and includes the interme-
diate streets. Jewin, Hamsell, Well and |
Edmund and JoWin Crescent. and part |
of Australian avenue. Pauls alley, |
Cripple Gate churchyard. Wood street |
square, Monkwell street, Nichol square
and Fore street
It. Is officially reported that 100 ware
houses have been Quilted An estimate
OF the damage done places the amount |
at 81. .O00. 900 sterling. or go 900. 000
Nearly all Of the British fire insur' 4
ance companies are inyolved and hro |
Insurance. shares are practically nnsalo |
able on the s{ock ExchauEo
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