, 1897-11-20
.B|G LONDON FIRE.
MANY VALUABLE WAREHOUSES;
DESTROYED AT A LOSS OF
SIS, 900, 900.

AhSS Wv SuS ~
Were Declared to Be Under Con.
trol-Many Scenes of Excitement
Attending the Big Conflagration.
London. Nov. 19.-One Of the mos
disastrous fires in London's history
since the great fire OF 1866 broke GU,
in a large block OF buildings lyinl
eastward Of Aldersgate street and be.
tween that thoroughfare and Red Cross
street. just after / o'clock this after.
noon. The flames were famed by q
strong wind and were fed by highly
infiammable stocks of Christmas fancy
goods and flimsy dress materials of ali
descriptions, that filled every floor Of
the six-story building in the old street
Consequently the conflagration gained
Roadway with surprising rapidity. and
was soon far beyond the possibility OF
being checked by the few engines
which were early at the spot. For
four hours and a half the flames had
their own way. and It was only after
more than a hundred engines had work
ed an hour that the chief Of the fire
brigade sem out the signal that the
fire was under control.
At II o'clock tonight the fire IL
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.
Thousands of people are trying to
penetrated the Gordon maintained by a
thousand policemen, reinforcements for
whom were hurried up when. soon
after 6 o'clock, an increase in the out
break led Commander Wells to make
a requisition for more engines upon
the outlying stations.
The scene must occupy the fire brigade
for several days, especially in view of
the great danger Of the collapse Of
shells Of buildings. which fall now and
again with a loud report.
The latest accounts indicate that
nearly a hundred warehouses have been
destroyed. while the loss will probably
exceed $4,000, 900.
The historic church Of st. Giles has
been much damaged. the principal
damage being to the roof. the old win
dows. the baptismal fount and Millions
statue.
Hamsell street was the scene of the
outbreak Of the fire, which was due
to an explosion In connection with a
gas engine on the premises Of Walter
Bown and Co.. mantle manufacturers
at No. 30 on that thoroughfare. Their
third factory was crowded with girls
when the fire broke out. and 1t was
instantly a scene of a semi-panic, the
frightened operatives rushing to the
top OF the building and thence crossing
to other buildings and SO effecting their
escape. while the flames we're pouring
out Of the basement. 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
was fully alight In less than 10 min
utes.
A GENERAL ALARM.
BY this time it was evident to the
firemen that they were face to face with
a great disaster. and a general alarm
was sent out. Then. from all the fire
stations. even those quite five miles
from the e 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 &C.
tion. as their fight was one of the
greatest dimculty. owing to the narrow
ness Of the old, crooked streets, which
are the feature Of that part Of London.
combined with the height Of the ware
houses. which cut of the 1remen from
all fair chance Of combining the out
break. The excitement among the on
lockers. who crowded every possible
point Of view was very great, as may be
judged from the fact that firemen had
to be repeatedly rescued by their com
rades, by the aid Of the fire escapes,
from buildings which had caught fire
after the aremen had mounted to their
roofs to fight the flames in adjoining
structures.
The rescue q operatives by the IRE
men. the hurrying Of hosts of clerks
who were trying to ave books and val
ua0ls papers from the IRE, and the
rushing here and there Of many en-
ployss who attempting to carry
to places Of safety costly merchandise
ard other valuables. added to the CON
fusion. The heat was 70 Intense that
several Aremen were Obliged to direct
their operations under showers Of VA
ter poured upon them.