The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-11-21
MANY BIG BLOCKS GO UP
IN SMOKE.
100 ENGINES CALLED OUT.
over one Hundred and FIuy ware
houses Destroyed One OF the WORST
Confiagratiops Since 186G-Hls-
torio Church OF 81. Giles,
where Cromwell Was
Married, Is Damaged.

LoNDoN, Nov. 2O-One of the most
dlsestrous fires in London's history
since the great fire OF 1866 broke out
in large block of buildings lying
eastward of Aldersgate street, and
between that thoroughfare and Red
Cross street just after o'clock yes
terday afternoon. The flames were
famed by strong wind, and we're
fed by highly inflammable stocks OF
Christmas fancy goods and fimsy
dress materials of all descriptions that
filed every floor of the six-story build
ings in the old street Consequently,
the conflagr9tion gained headway
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
IF the fire brigade sent out the
signal that the fire was under control
At II o'clock last night the fire was
still the scene OF great excitement
Fifty engines were playing upon the
ruins, wagons were hurrying up coal,
and tons of water were pouring into
the fiery debris. Thousands of people
are trying TO penetrate the Gordon
maintained by thousand policemen,
reinforcements for whom were hurried
up when, soon after Il o'clock an in
crease in the outbreak led Commander
Wells to make n requistion for more
engines upon the outlying stations
The scene must occupy the fire bri.
gade for several days, especially in
view OF the grave uanger of the col
lapse of shells of buildings which fall
now and again with loud report
| The latest accounts indicate that
nearly a hundred warehouses have
been destroyed, while the loss will
probably reach S25, 600, 900
| The historic church of St Giles has
been much damaged the principal
damage being to the roof, the old
windows, the baptsmal fount aud
| Milton's statue.
| II is officially reported that so ware
houses have been gutted. Nearly all
the British insurance companies are
involved, and fire insurance stocks
were practically unstable on the
Stock exchange after the fire was well
under way.
The fire will cause an enormous adj
vance in the price of ostrich feathers,
which rose 30 per cent this evening.
Two feather firms alone have lost
SIS, 900
a very large force of Grcmen and
about twenty engines have been work.
ing at a high pressure all night. The
district ravaged includes part OF Aus
tralian avenue. Paul's alley, Cripple
Gate churchyard, Wood Street square,
Monkwell street, Nicholi square and
Forex street, and is bounded by
Aldersgate street, Red Cross, Maiden
lhead court and Bradford avenue.
The vicarage of St Giles Cripple
gate, was destroyed and the vencra-
BILE church was damaged. The latter
was built in i545. 1t is approached by an
archway in Red Cross street, also with
in the scene of the conhagration, and
contains among other things the tomb
of John Milton who died in 1914;
the tombs of Fox, the martyrologist;
Frobisher, the voyager, who died in
l9i, and Speeir, the typographer, who
ldied in 1929. Oliver Cromwell was
married in the church August 20, 1920,
and the parish register contains an
entry OF the burial OF Daniel DeFoe,
the author of "Robinson Crusoe, who
ldied In 1881. Milton is commemorated
there by bust by Bacon and the late
George w. Childs of Philadelphia
erected a stained glass window in this
church TO the poets memory.
The great loss of property seems TO
be due TO the delay in summoning the
fire department. One published re-
port says that the police officer who
first detected the flames blew his
whistle loudly for assistance, bu;
several minutes elapsed before the
alarm was heard. Again there was
an unaccountable delay OF twenty
minutes before the first engine aP
! peared. Then the dimensions of the
fire were apparent and it was decided
TO circulate a call throughout the
whole rnetrODOlitau district