The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-20

London, Nov 19.-One of the most
disastrous fires III London's history
since the great fire of 1906, broke out
in a large block of buildings lying east
ward Of Alder's Gate street and be-
tween that thoroughfare and Red
Cross street, just after / O'Clock this
afternoon. The flames were famed by
d strong wind and were fed by highly
inflammable stocks of Christmas fancy
goods and fiimsy dress materials of all
descriptions that filled every floor OF
The SlX-Story building in the old street.
Consequently the coniagration 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 a half the flames had their
own way. and ii was only after more
than a hundred engines had worked
an hour that the chief of the fire
brigade sent out the signal that the
fire Was under control.
SCENE OF EXCITEMENT.
At II o'clock tonight the fire is still
the scene Of great excitement. Fifty
engines are playing upon the ruins.
wagons are hurrying up, and tons of
water are pouring into the fiery debris.
Thousands Of people are trying to
penetrate the Gordon maintained by a
thousand policemen, reinforcements for
whom were hurried up when soon after
clock, an increase in the outbreak
led Commander Wells to make a requi-
sition for more engines upon the out
lying districts.
The scene must occupy the fire
brio. n for. in
view of the grave danger of the col
lapse OF the shells of buildings, which
fail now and again with a loud report.
The latest accounts indicate that near
ly a hundred warehouses have been
destroyed. while the loss will probably
exceed e3,000,0OO
OLD LAND MARKS DEFACED.
The historic church of St. Giles has
been much damaged, the principal
damage being to the roof. the old win
doWs. the baptism,G 1ont and Milton 5
statue.
Hamsell street was the scene of the
outbreak of the fire, which was due to
an explosion in connection with gas
engine. by which the premises of
Walter Brown &. Co. mantle manu-
facturers at No. SO on that thorough
fare, were consumed. Their third fac
tory was crowded with girls when the
IRE DIQh1 OUT ana IL WAS INSTANTLY lHC
scene Of a semi-panic. the frightened
operatives rushing to the roof of the
building ard thence crossing TO other
buildings and SO ofecting their escape
While the flames we're pouring out of
the basement. In less than a quarter
OF al hour the flames had enYelOped
the adjoining warehouse and thence
they leaDed across the street to an
enormous paper warehouse, which was
fully alight in less than ten minutes.
GENERAL ALARM SENT IN.
BY this time it was evident to the
f1remen that they were lace 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 scene of the disaster
engines We're hurried to the spot and
the police gathered about the neighbor-
hood in great force. This display of
strength on the part of the police was
required, as the crowd, swelling in size
every moment, soon amounted to tens
of thousands of people and the firemen
required every possible freedom OF
action. as their fight was one OF the
greatest difficulty, owing to the mar
roWness OF the old, crooked streets
which are the feature of that part of
London. combined with the heighth of
the warehouses, which cut off the fire
men lIOlll d-i lar ELdutH VI GDullIillS
the outbreak. The excitement among
the outlOolIers. who crowded every pos
sible point of view, was very great, as
may be judged from the fact that fire
men had to be repeatedly rescued by
their comrades by the aid of the fire
escapes from buildings which had
caught fire after the fremen had
mounted to their roofs to fight the
flames in adjoining structures.
HEROIC FIREMEN.
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 en-
ployees who were attempting to carry
to places of safety costly merchandise
or other valuables, added TO the con-
fusion. The heat was so intense that
several firemen were obliged TO direct
their operations under showers of water
poured upon them. But in spite of the
eXertions of the firemen, the fire crept
on very steadily until Nicholl square
which is situated at the far end of
Hamseli street, was reached.
At little after , o'clock a dozen hose
. pipes. each with a 12-foot spread.
poured water into the blaze from an
opposite roof from the street below,
and from the burning premises them
selves, Dul IL ulu hoO seem 10 nave
any effect The water rushed out of
the windows and from the ground floor
like a waterfall. while the flames leaped
higher and higher, and as the floors
fell in the place still biazed-a gigan-
tic display of fire and smoke-till the
building was completely Quilted and the
walls keeled over.
CONFUSION INCREASED.
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-
sunled with increased energy. Men