THE WHITELEY'S OF LIVERPOOL IN ASHES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5847, 9 February 1887, Page 3

THE WHITELEY'S OF LIVERPOOL IN ASHES.

JLXI _-VJI ■ !__*. j What proved to be the greatest and most destructive shop fire which has taken | place in Liverpool since the burning of | Compton House, just twenty-one years since, broke out last week about twenty ; minutes before 2 o'clock at Lewis' ex- | tensive establishment, in which they ! vended drapery, patent medicines, tin ware, food, confectionery, and many other articles ; besides which, in ono portion they j had, as a Christmas attraction, a Bmall j menagerie. The first signs of any out- j break were perceived coming from one of , the upper floors of the great clock tower, I which is nearly two hundred feet in height, and was visible from many parts of the outskirts. The flames spread with alarming rapidity, and by the time the firat engine arrived the upper part of the tower was well ablaze. The great plate glass began to crack and fall into the street. In less than 10 or 15 minutes the fire engines began to play upon the burning mass. At two o'clock the flames began to extend to the side along Lawton Btreet, and in a very few minutes all the fror.t was on fire. So great was the heat that it was found necessary, before half-past two, to play upon the central station building to prevent it catching fire. There were a number of firemen on the roof of Spiers and Pond's room, turning their attention to the station, when suddenly a portion of the top of Lewis' wall fell into Liwton street, leaving an immense gap of fi-unes. This was at about a quarter to ihree, and in a few seconds more the whole wall at that side, between the great tower and the smaller one at tbe l.Bek, f«-li out. with a dreadful crash. Al »i'«.nt 2 ii". ftm the fio«n« presented wis ..n- of ta« ui.-bt r__ Hik-iblo that has ever b*?cn seen in the many (rreat conflagrations that have occurred in Liverpool. The whole of the building was enveloped in flame. The fire seemed to have possession of the building, from the basement to the roof. The turret on the clock tower fell about three o'clock, and the flames raged for fully two hours afterwards. Nothing in the entire block was caved, the animals in the menagerie, including a magnificent Polar bear, all perishing. The damage is estimated at from J. 200,000 to .£400,000. "Koran oh BA_B."-Cle&ra ont Rats, Mice, Hooches, Flies, Ants, Bedbugs, Beetles, Insects. Skunks, Jack.nbbite, Spairows, Gophers, At chemists and drag-giste.