'The steam furniture-manufactory, carrie age works, &c., of Messrs. Miller, and Fisher, in' the Nanking road, have "been destroyed by fire. The buildings were of extensive proportions, running ok from the roadway for a length of upwards of 200 feet, by about 50 in width; in addition to which there was an open yard, in which were stacked piles of wood and other inflammable materials used in the business, the building being divided into various rocms—machine-room, room, work-rooms, showrooms, &e, it was of two stories, and was bounded in close proximity on the east by tae premises of Messrs. H. Miller & Ca., watchmakers and jewellers, and the Temperance j and on the west by the large block known as Commercial Bank Buildings, which are divided into tence ments and are occupied by several tenants Mr. Wennmobs' outfitting ana Mir. Voelkel's chemist's establishment adjoining it on the west front. To the south were the godowns of the hong formerly occupied by Messrs.
linon & Go., in the Kiukiang road; the northern boundary being the The alarm was given about 11 a.m, Friday, and the sound of the different fire-bells quickly caused the Companies to muster and hasten to the scene of dis aster. But before their arrival the flames had got firm hold of the roof—in that part of which covering the paini-room it is believed the fire originated, though the cause is, we are assured, a mystery, there being no gas on the premises nor any reason for lights being faon anglers near the spot whence smoke was first seen issuing. The only remaining presumption is that. the. overheating of a flue or the ignition of a beam leftin.a chimney, the inflamma" materials of which the roof was composed—lathe, tarred felt and pine-board, covered outside of all by corrugated iron or zine. Such roofs' as {hese are. popularly known in America as "chain-lightning," a not inappropriate term when the' uncontrollable rapidity with which the flames travelled along the roof of the building destroyed is considered.
Before the engines and Hook and Ladder Companies had arrived, many neigh-hours and others had jaimed in the work of salvage, and much valuable pro-in the shape of furniture, paintings, pianos, &c., was brought' out of the burning' premises, and carried for safety into: the roadway, from whence they were as quickly as possible removed into the compound and piazza of the residence of W. Goodwin, Esq., opposite, 'This willing work of salvage' wont on rapidly aril the socumulation of smoke and fre rendered it no longer safe to traverse the rooms or even to mount the stairs.
The engines were as speedily as possible (Detuge) and No, 7 (Victoria), together with into position, the steamers No. 4
two French manual engines, being stationed at the pond in the Cuthedral Compound No. 6 steamer (Lo Torrent) taking water from the Hwangpoo at Lipaleo jetty; and No. 2 steamer (Hongkew) also' from the Hwangpoo, at a neighbouring jetty—each of these engines not having less than from 1,800 to 1,400 feet of hose out. Some. of the engines were throwing two or more streams, and when all wore in fil play no fewer than ten powerful jets encircled the burning building, which in less than half an hour had become a roaring furnace, the flames, in spite of the torrents of water poured upon them, seeming literally to lick up everything they touched.
command of several officers, from H.B.ML.'s A large party of, seamen under, the corvette Juno, were sven upon the scene, and rendered most efficient aid at great risk to themselves, in saving more property. While the fire was raging above them, and streams of water were pouring in all directions, they unhesitatingly plunged into the blinding and almost. suffocating smoke and heat of the lower story, and brought out numbers of articles which must otherwise have been destroyed. The courage of these men, map; of them comparative youngsters, attracte mitchattention, and wasthetheme of general remark, It is to be regretted, however, that some of them, continuing their efforts a little too long, were overtaken by failing debris and. struck down, one man being dangerously cut about the head and neck, besides being injured about the body. He was extricated by Mr. Percival as soon as possible, and carried into a neighbouring house, where his hurts were carefully attended to, and he was afterwards removed to the Hospital. Several others were more or less bruised. Later on, Mr. E. B. Souper, while actively engaged in the work of salvage in another part of the pile, was also over~ whelmed by falling "bricks and beams, sustaining the loss of part of the middle
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.