The record-union., 1897-11-20
firemen the fire crept on very stead
lily until Nicholl Square, which is sit
uated at the far end of Hamsell, was
reached


uated at the far end of Hamsell, was
reached.
At a little after 2 O'Clock a 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 to have any effect.
The water rushed out of the windows
and from the ground floor like a 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 Quilted 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 momentary hush. After that
the wild rushing here and there was
resumed with increasing energy. Men
risked their lives in desperate efforts
to save day books, ledgers, feathers,
jewelry, valuable chinaware, etc. One
man actually hazarded his life to fetch
his hat and cane, 200 feet of stone work
and glass falling at his heels as he
emrged from the building.
Several firemen were almost buried
in the burning ruins as front after front
Of c~n
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-
rection, making it impossible to foresee
where the confiagration 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, un-
til it was estimated that many hun
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
and operation, which became more and
more difficult as the owners and en-
ployes of the warehouses adjacent to
the scene began the work of saving
their valuables.
By dusk the picture presented was
extremely brilliant. Four streets We're
blazing on both sides, and this was
plenty to interest the gambling spirit
Of the onlookers in betting as to wheth-
er 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 widespread mass of dull, leaden
smoke, tinged with tongues of yellow
had subsidized somewhat the street
lamps, stripped by the heat of their
burners and glass flames, blazed with
big jets from the open pipes like mon
ster danger torches.
There was no abatement of the blaze
before 3:30 p. m. Then the check came
in Jewin street and in Wall street,
where the collapse of wall on the right
hand side of that thoroughfare was the
means of saving the last building in
the street. The width of Red Cross
street, a comparatively wide thorough
fare, also formed a barrier there.
The Constable who first detected the
flames blew his whistle loudly for as
sistance, but several minutes elapsed
before the alarm was heard by any
of his comrades. AS soon as assist
ance reached him the officer was dis
patched to summon the fire brigade.
But here again there was an unaccount-
first engine appeared. Then the fearful
dimensions of the fire was apparent,
and il was decided to circulate call
throughout the whole metropolitan dis
trict
Nov Goth, a. ma very large
force of firemen and about twenty en-
gines have been working at a high
pressure all night. The district raw
aged includes part of Australian ave-
nue., Pauls Alley, Cripple Gate Church
yard, Wood street square, Monkwell
street, Nicholl Square and Foster street
and is bounded by Aldersgate street,
Red Cross. Maiden Head Court and
Bradford avenue.