Dreadful Fire.
The Times, 1824-11-09T00:00:00

(From the Bath Journral.) On Fridav cvening last, the extensive clothr manufactory of M!essrs. Cooper, Brothers, and Co., at Staverton, near Bradford, was discovered to bse on fire, by some of the men at work on the lowest floor at the FuUing AEills they first saw the flames issue through the floor above their hcads, so that the firc had alreadv committed great destruction to the various machinery anud other valuable pro. perty in the utiper rooms, and, by the timc of the arrival of tlC fire- engines, which was effected with the utniost dexterity, the ragibg element had attained so much power, that every effort to subdlue it proved unavailihg. The factory was thie Largest in that part of' the county, and the fire, about a quarter-past aine o'clock, presented one ofthie grandest ald most awful spectacles tbat can be imagined. It was only a few hours before the whole of this truly noble building was razed to the ground, and its valuable apparatus and stock of cloth reduced with itt to a heap of ruins. It was with great difficulty the-firemen wcze enabled to save the dwelling-house of Mlr. Cooper, which stands contiguous to the factory, from destruction: the furni. E-re was unavoidably much damaged in being removed. lWhat adds to this dreadful calanmity is, the circumstance of eAes-rs. Cooper and Conipany having, only a short time previous, made im- proveinents and additions to thc premises at a great expense. lThe destructon of this factory has deprived of employment uDwards,of one thousand Poor inhabitansw of Bratlford and t,t r! who are now destitute ot the mrans ot obtaining a livelihoos. Dur- ing the bustle and confusion occasioned by the fire, some miscreants were base enough to plunder the dwelling-house of its furiture as fast as it was rescued from the flames but, we are happy to learn, one of the wretches was detected with the goods in his possession, and is now in custody. The property, we understand, is insured, but very inadequately to its value. FtnltTItIat PARTICULARS. MELrstiAIt, Nov. fi.-The damane ocasioned by the fire at Staverton is estimated at about 100,0001., atifl it is reporLed that the insurances covler only 50,00a1.: 300,entls of cloth were burned. The lady of the spirited proprietor was in a peculiarly delicate situation at the tinie, and was under the necessitv of being removed from the dwelling-house, while a diabolical villain within tpok advantage of the distress. and robbed the house of the plate. He is in custody. TnowninrDGE, Nov. 6.-Last night, about ten o'clock, this towvn vas alarmedl by the ringing of fire-bells; the cause was, Sta- verton factory on fire ; the situation is nearly two miles from us, but in this parish, and was the most considerable establishment for the manuf;aeturing of woollen cloths in the county of Wiltl. The buildinig was six stories high, and the whole was, about half-past nine, in one nmass of flames, and about a quarter-past ten the roof began to fall in. The fire was augmentedl by the quantity of oil used in the working of the wool in its difereat proceEses. Every attention was given by the inhabitants of this town and B,adford, a fire-engine from eAch place being there, in addition to the one kcpt on the premises, and to the skilful managementof which, the preser- vation of the othier building adjoining is to be ascribed. FURT1IER r'A)tTIClLARS. We regret to have to announcc the destruction, by fire. of a very I extensive woollen factory, near Bradford, in this county, which, be- sides the loss of property it has occas.ioned, has thrown an immense numlber of people out of emplov. Staverton-mill, the property of the respectable anti well-known firm of Cooper, Brothers, and Co., wax burnt to the ground on Friday night last; and we are informed, by an eye-witness of the disaster, that the flames spread so instan. taneously and so rapidlv, that almost at the moment the fire broke out the entire building was one terrific blaze, baffling all humax efforts to suibdue it. Providentially, the night vas perfectlv calm, owing to which the exertions of the firemen, directed to the pr.eset- vationof the suiroun,dingdetacbed buildings, were renderedsuccessfal. Weunderstand the property was insurod to a considerable anmount; hut if the actual loss were covered by it, still the injury arising from the stoppage of such works cannot be compensated for. The fire is not supposed to be otherwise than accidental. Fortunately, no lives were lost.-.Saligbury and Winchepter Journal. Later accounts state, the injury will not prove 8o extensive as was at first supposed, as, in consequence of the detached buildings being saved, the business can still he carried on to a considerable extent; so that the greater part of their numerous work-people will continue to be employed as before, while the factory is being rebuilt. DREdDFtLr, FIRE.