The San Francisco call., 1897-11-20

LONDON, Nov. 19-One OF the most
disastrous hres in I-ondon's history since
1900 broke out IN a large block OF buildings
lying eastward Of Alder gate street. and
between that thor0ugh!are and Red Cross
rect just alter o'clock tn s Afternoon.
| The flames we're famed BY strong wind
ard were fed by highly jn1ammable
49, l7s-o O. Ebris'1oas fancy goods and flimsv
dress materials OF ali descriptions that
Oiled every floor OF the six-story building
IN the ola street. Consequently the con-
fagration gained headway with surprising
rapidity, and vas soon far beyond the
posi- bility Of being checked by the few
engines which were early on the spot.
For four hours and half tie flames mad
their own way, and it was only after more
than hundred eng nes had worked an
hour that the chief OF the fire brigade
sent out tile signal that the fire was under
control.
At Il o'clock tonight the fire is still the
scene OF great excitement. Fifty engine
are playing upon the ruins " gons are
hurTving up coal and tons OF water are
pouring into tae fiery debris.
Thousands OF people are trying to pen
etra,e the Gordon maintained by a thou.
sand policemen, re-enforcements for whom
were hurried up when, soon after o'c oek,
an increase in the outbreak lei Com
mander Wells to make a requisitiou for
more engines upon the outlying stations.
The scene must occupy the FIRE brigade
for several days especially in view of the
grave danger Of the collapse of shells OF
buildings which iall now and again with a
loud report. The latest accounts indicate
that nearly a hundred warehouses have
beer DESTROYED, while the 10 will be
nearly 65 900 900
The historic church Of st. Giles has
been much damaged, the principal dam
lge being TO the roof The old windows.
ne bsptismal fount and Milton's statue.
HamseI street was the scene of the out
break Of the fire, which was due to an ex-
plosion in connection with 4 gas-engine
on the premises OF Walter Brown & Co.,
mantle manufacturers, at number 80
on that thOrou hfare. Their factory was
crowded with girls when the fire broke
out and it was instantly the scene of a
semi-panic, the frightened operatives
rushing 10 the roof of the building and
thence crossing to other buildings and so
effecting their escape while the flames
were pouring out of the basement.
In less than quarter of an hour the
flames had enveIoped the al djoining ware
house, and thence they Ieaped across the
street to an enormous paper warehouse.
which was in flames in less than ten min
utes.
By this time it was evident 10 the fire.
men that they were face to face with a
oil
sent out. Then from ali the fire stations,
even those five miles from the scene OF the
disaster, engines were hurried to the spot
and the police gathered about the neigh
borhoOd IN great force. This display OF
strength on the part OF the police was re-
Quired, as the crowd swelling in size every
moment, soon amounted to tens OF thou
sands of people, and the freme required
every possible freedom OF action, as their
fight was one of the greatest dlfbculty,
owing TO the narrowness OF the old,
crooKed streets, which are the features OF
that part Of Londcn, combined with the
height Of The warehouses, which cut on
the fremeu from all fair chance OF comm
ing the outbreak. The excitement mong
the onlookers, VINO crowded every possibly
point OF view, was very great, as NAV be
.3dged from the fact that fremen had 20
\ 1e repeatedly rescued by their comrades
by the aid OF fire-escapes from buildings
which had caught fire after the firemen
had mounted TO their roofs TO fight the
names IN adjoining structures.
Inc rescue OF operative by the tlremen,
the hurrying of hosts of clerks who wee
trying to save books and valuable papers
from the ire, and the rushing here and
there OF many employees who were at
tenn pting 10 carry to places of safety costly
merchandise or other vaIuables, p I'd TO