The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1881-12-17 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

EXTENSIVE FIRE.  On Tuesday morning last at about two o'clock two men employed at the Steel Works discovered that the works of Messrs. Ashburner, shipbuilders, smiths, drc., was on fire. One of them immediately called up Mr. IL Ashburner, who resides on the premises at the shipyard the other, John D. Webster, at once hastened to the Fire Station and gave the alarm. Superintendent Gabbatt, with a force of 22 members of the Fire Brigade, arrived at the Keno of the conflagration in about twenty minutes from the time the call was given, bringing with them a hose reel and manual engine, which were quickly brought into action. So rapid had been the progress of the fire that it was found upon the arrival of the Fire Brigade, that part of the roof of the boiler and engine house had fallen in. The efforts of the brigade were directed to the adjoining buildings, consisting of the cabinet and upholstery works, and to the schooner Warsash. which was on the slip for repairs. A scarcity of water supply militated against the well directed efforts of the firemen, and though the fire was got und-r by four o'clock it was not until after four hours hard work that the remaining portion of the buildings might be considered safe. The steam fire engine was not brought into requisiou in consequence of there not being a place from which a water supply could be obtained. Although the hydrant is only 27 feet from the yard there is only a three inch main Lid, which in this case was inadequate for the supply for the hose alone. After four hours hard struggling the firemen succeeded in saving the lower storey of the cabinet works containing some very valuable machinery, the cabinet and upholstery works, and the slips. The engine and boiler house have been completely gutted, and much valuable timber and furniture destroyed. The approximate value of property destroyed amounts to £2700, which is only partly covered by insurance to the extent of £l4OO in the Loudon and Staffordshire Insurance Company. One result of the fire has been to throw twenty-four men out of employment, most of them have lost their tools, only one of them having taken the precaution to insure, and that only to the extent of £lO, while the value of his kit amounted to £3O. A considerable stock of timber in the yard was by the exertions of the firemen saved from the flames. Captain Foll, with a staff of men, were on the spot, and rendered very valuable service in keeping order. Owing to the intense frost existing at the time the firemen's tunics were completely frozen stiff.  On Tuesday evening, the Right Hon. G. C. Bentinck, M.P., for Whitehaven, was present at the annual dinner of the Whitehaven and District Licensed Victuallers' Association; and in pro. posing the toast of the evening, said he would not hesitate to state to them his opinion why he considered he should support them all he possibly could, and assist to keep them up. As to the great drink question, he was forced to the conclusion that drunkenness WAS a vice that was sadly pre. Talent in this country. It was deplorable to see that in the vice of drunkenness they were so far behind foreign countries. He hut always endeavoured to lid a remedy, and he thought this was to be found in persuasion, example, and seeing that all sellers of drink were respectable men. Another thing was the punishment for drunkenness. Some people thought, and he was not at all sure that he disagreed with them, that drunken men were not sufficiently punished. The opponents of the licensed victuallers were concentrating their efforts to surpress the licensed victuallers altogether. What is the cause of it? Why were the licensed victuallers singled out for this particular sacrifice? So far as he was able to gather, the licensed victuallers were not guilty of all the crimes laid to their charge. In all well-regulated houses there was very little drunkenness. He considered the raising of the licensed victuallers' taxes a very unjust imposition, especially as other parties in the same trade had not been subjected to the same encums The Birmingham police are making every effort brance. While all the enemies of the liquor traffic to discover the whereabouts of an absconded memwere being directed entirely against licensed ber of the force, who is charged with having victuallers, other channels of supply were con- shockingly outraged a girl who was entrusted to stantly open, not only ay grocers and refreshment hie charge while on duty. houses, but also by clubs, established all over the At the inquest an George Wader, the abs-onding country for mere colourable purposes, where drink Birmingham poor-rate collector, who committed was supplied right and left, and totally without suicide at Seacornbe on Friday evening last, the supervision. The persecution of the licensed jury on Tuesday returned a verdict of felo de se, victuallers would have nothing whatever to do with and the body was interred without ecclesiastical the agitation against drunkenness in this country. rites between nine and twelve at night. Let them cast their eyes to what lay before them