The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-11-24
LONDON'S GREAT BLAZE.
Fire Sweeps Away Property VAL
ued at $25,OOO,OOO.
II One of the Greatest Fires of the
Century - Historical Church OF
St. Giles Damaged - Many
Squares I'm Ruins.

since the great fire of 1866 broke out in
large block of buildings lying east
ward of Aldersgate street and between
that thoroughfare and Red Cross street
just after one o'clock Friday afternoon.
The flames were famed by a strong
wind and were fed by highly infamma-
BILE stocks of Christmas fancy goods
and fimsy dress materials of all de-
scriptions that filled every floor of the
six-story buildings in the old street.
Consequently the confagration gained
Roadway with surprising rapidity and
was soon far beyond the possibility Of
being checked by the few engines which
were early on the spot. For four hours
and half the flames had their own
way, and it was only after more than
hundred engines had worked an hour
that the chief of the fire brigade sent
out the signal that the fire was under
control. At midnight the fire was still
the scene of great excitement. Fifty en-
gines were playing upon the ruins, wag-
ons were hurrying up coal and tons of
water were pouring into the fiery de-
bris.
Loss Over $25, 100000.
The scene must occupy the fire bril-
gade for several days, especially in view
of the grave danger of the collapse of
the shells of buildings which fall now
and again with loud report. The lat
est accounts indicate that nearly a
hundred warehouses have been de-
stroyed, while the loss will probably eX-
coed e5,OO0OOO.
It is officially announced that $50
warehouses have been Quilted. Nearly
all the British fire insurance companies
are involved, and fire insurance shares
were practically unstable on the stock
exchange Friday afternoon after the
fire was well under way.
Due to an Explosion.
Hamsell street was the scene Of the
outbreak of the fire, which was due to
an explosion in connection with gas
engine on the premises Of Walter Brown
G. Co., mantel manufacturers at No. 80
on that thoroughfare.
The Burned Area.
The district ravaged by the fire is bound
ed by Aldersgate street, Red Cross, Maiden
cludes the intermediate streets, Jewin,
Hamsell, Well and Edmund, and Jewin
crescent. The ravaged district also In
cludes part of Australian avenue, PauPs
alley, Cripple Gate churchyard, Wood
street square, Monkwell street. Nichon
square and Fore street.
Many Historical Associations.
Aldersgate street leads into Goswell road,
and from the latter runs Old street, "the
oldest way In or about London, and prob
ably older than London itself, forming the
road from the eastern to the western coun-
ties" John Milton went to live in JeWin
street, off Aldersgate street, in 1861, and
here he married his third wife. The church
Of st. Giles, Cripplegate, was built about
the year HOO, close to the ancient city gate
of that name where cripples were permit
ted to congregate to ask for aims of travel
ers. The church having suffered from fire
in 1545, was then partly rebuilt In 1t Oliver
Cromwell, then only q years old, was mar
ried to Elizabeth Boucher, August 20,
1920 In this church are the tombs of John
Milton and his father and also the tomb of
Fox, who wrote the Book of Martyrs"
In the southwest corner of st. Giles
churchyard are the remains of bastion of
the old Roman wall which once surrounded
the city. The funeral services of Daniel
Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe," were
held in st. Giles church. The stained-glass
window injured by fire was erected to
the memory of Milton by the late George w.
Childs, of Philadelphia. This venerable
church Is approached by an archway in
Red Cross street. through which the fire
Swept