Yesterday morning the High-street at Rushden was the centre of one of the busiest and most thriving towns in the county, providing useful employment for thousands of busy workers. To-day, on one side of the street there is blackness and desolation, bare and battered walls, blackened with smoke and flames, being all that is left to remind one of the splendid premises which occupied that part of the town. The huge factory of Messrs. Cave and Sons, with all its wonderful machinery, is no more, the smart and imposing shops which fronted the factory and lined a large section of the High-street are completely gutted, wreckage is strewn everywhere, and the gaunt walls, weird and forbidding in appearance, are faintly typical of the sorrow and desolation which has fallen upon the town.

But though the conflagration was of so terrible a nature there is great reason for thankfulness that the calamity was not of even greater magnitude. At one time, when the fire was at its height and the gigantic flames were leaping out in all directions, it seemed as if Mr. G. Denton's factory and the shops on the other side were also doomed. Indeed, four shops which, with their thatched roofs, provided easy prey for the greedy flames, were completely destroyed, and Mr. Denton's factory became ignited, but when things appeared most critical the wind providentially changed, and heroic firemen, working against desperate odds, were able to avert the danger which threatened that side of the street. Had the flames got strongly hold of Mr. Denton's factory and the adjoining shops there can be but little doubt that the damage would have nearly doubled the huge total which it is now estimated at.

The terrible extent of the fire was unfortunately largely due to the meagre supply of water which the firemen were able to obtain. For several years now the Rushden Urban Council have been doing their utmost to obtain an adequate supply of water, but their efforts have again and again proved unsuccessful. As a consequence of the recent spell of hot weather the reservoir has been extremely low and the Council have been at great difficulty in supplying the every-day requirements of the inhabitants. It may be imagined how miserably inadequate such a supply proved to meet the needs of the Fire Brigades and strong and eager men were compelled to stand idle and practically helpless during some of the most critical stages of the fire. During the afternoon and evening, we understand, the reservoir was practically pumped empty, and the people will be hardly pushed until rain falls to find water for their most pressing needs.

The report of the fire soon spread and attracted by the glare in the heavens thousands pressed into the town from the country-side. These thronged the streets leading to the burning buildings, but the crowd was most orderly and well behaved, and gave the police little or no trouble.

The Wellingborough, Irthlingborough, and Higham Ferrers rendered valuable assistance to the Rushden Brigade in combating the flames, and the Northampton and Kettering engines would also have been sent had the supply of water obtainable been sufficient for them to be of any real use.

How the Fire Spread
Description of the Premises Destroyed

There seems a general concensus of opinion that it was just before half-past one that the fire was discovered, a clerk in the "Argus" office being one of the first to observe that something was wrong by the smoke arising from the top of the factory, whilst one or two residents in Alfred-street had their attention drawn to the outbreak by the extraordinary and sudden rise of the temperature. The fire alarm bell was rung, and the words passed along in every direction, "Cave's factory is on fire." Everybody crowded into High-street and Alfred-street, the Rushden Brigade being early on the scene, but the tremendous heat that emanated from the fire, to say nothing of the tropical temperature, forced back the crowd. As is known from past experience, nothing burns faster or fiercer than leather, and ere one could hardly realise what was happening the fire forced its way from floor to floor, and as the boards gave way the valuable stock fell with crash after crash, and the flames belched up with renewed brightness, and around was a huge tower of smoke, which could be seen miles away. When the firemen began to operate, Rushden's weak spot was soon apparent, and the need of a proper water supply became terribly evident. Whilst the engine played on the flames the escape was brought up, and by means of this and a long ladder a hasty entrance was made into the factory with a view of saving something, but though

A Quantity of Boots

and shoes were thrown out, it was early seen that it was hopeless to attempt to save any quantity of goods of this description. Endeavours were then made to recover the books and valuables from the safe, but it was impossible to save much from the burning building. Whilst the factory was blazing away many anxious eyes followed the course of the flames, and noted that the wind was blowing from the south, and that the shops and houses between the factory and the post office were threatened. Thereupon, the occupants commenced a hasty flit, valuables being carried into the street, with a view to their removal elsewhere. The tremendous heat which emanated from the heart of the fire soon began to cause the occupants on the other side of the street to follow their example, and when everyone had got into the thick of packing the wind changed round towards the north.

Before the wind changed, however, hasty preparations had been made to demolish one of the houses to stop the flames, but the change of the wind led this work to be dropped at this point and transferred elsewhere.

At the back of the factory an alarming thing soon occurred, for before long part of the burning debris fell on to the premises belonging to the Rushden School board. The master’s house first caught fire, Mr Wood as many were aware, being away at the time recruiting his health. So threatening did matters become that the work of clearing the schools was begun in real earnest—blackboards, maps, globes, all being tumbled pell-mell into the playground. Inch by inch flames crept on until it was found necessary to cleave a passage through the building, and this and the playing of water at intervals had the desired effect, and

The Boys' Department was kept uninjured.

Unfortunately, relics of old Rushden had been allowed to remain in the heart of the town in the shape of thatched buildings, several of which stood on the other side of the High-street facing Messrs. Cave's factory. Although water was played on these and other roofs the flames spread across the road, and the thatch and the buildings below were quickly enveloped in flame and smoke. Several tradesmen on that side of the High-street, with the occupants of the many artisans' dwellings which are to be found in the yards between High-street and the Rectory-road, then began to get alarmed, and goods were hastily put out into the road and taken away, by hand or by vehicles. It was a sorry sight to witness the women and children weeping, wondering what next was to happen.

Shopkeepers emptied their stores, and valuable articles were strewn everywhere. Furniture vans, drays, and vehicles of every description were hastily brought into use, and any enclosed premises were quickly seized upon to deposit the goods. The Rectory garden was the temporary resting place for sundry pianos and other valuables, whilst the Public Hall and other places were used as storehouses.

Soon after the outbreak steps were taken to summon other Fire Brigades, and Northampton, Wellingborough, Kettering, Higham Ferrers, and Irthlingborough were appealed to. Northampton and Kettering did not respond with their steamers fearing it would be useless to undertake the journey owing to the

Dearth of Water,

but the other brigades and their manuals duly arrived and did their best. All the water in the reservoir was quickly exhausted, and then private tanks were resorted to, and by means of buckets the engines were fed, but they could only work at short intervals.

It was about three o'clock in the afternoon that the climax was reached, for then, it was feared that Messrs. Denton and Son's factory, and Succoth Chapel were on fire, but happily the wind changed and the firemen were able to preserve these buildings from destruction.

Curiously enough to relate, the Restaurant and the "Rose and Crown" escaped the fire, but it was a cruel fate which led the landlord to remove his furniture to a house at the opposite side of the road, where it was licked up with the flames.

The shops in the High-street that were gutted were:-

Messrs. Cave’s Side.

Mrs. Litchfield, second-hand furniture stores.

Messrs. Thomas and Potter (Northampton), upholsterers and cabinet makers.

Mr. Wm. Timpson (Kettering), boot shop.

City and Midland Bank.

Vacant shop.

Rushden Court Estate office.

Messrs. Edwards and Son's, china warehouse.

Desborough, fruiterer.

Everingham and King, drapers.

The Other Side.

Cartwright, general stores.

Chapman, boot shop.

Smith, hairdresser.

Wilmott's, greengrocer (only partly).

The cause of the outbreak is not known, but it is thought that the boiling over of a pot of solution in the sewing-room might have started the fire.

The factory and the shops underneath were insured with the Caledonian Company, as also were the shops adjoining. About 800 hands were employed on the works, and the serious matter of finding employment for these will early have to be faced. The total amount of damage is variously estimated at from £80,000 to £100,000.

First Impression of The Fire By a Man on the Spot.

Our Rushden correspondent writes from the "Argus" Office:—When the rolling stream of hungry workers came hurrying out of the massive folding iron gates that lead from Messrs. Cave's factory at the dinner hour nothing could be further from their thoughts than that they would never return. Very soon after one o'clock the High-street was almost deserted, for at Rushden all—high and low, master and man—dine at the same hour. The outbreak was first noticed in the south side by a clerk in our Rushden shop, who at once went to the whistle that communicates with the office, and as the ever awful word, "Fire! Cave's factory is on fire" sounded up the tube, we knew at once, by the tone of voice, that something serious had occurred. In a newspaper office we often have excited messages of huge fires which often turn out to be but small affairs, but a glance in the direction of the large factory was sufficient to convince one of the serious nature of the conflagration. The appearance of the dense volumes of black smoke rising like a thick cloud against the bright blue sky was awful to contemplate, and for a moment the brightness of the midday sun was dimmed. Suddenly the scene was changed, and tongues of fire leapt upwards, and then there was a great blinding flare, which could be seen for miles round. Immediately the deserted streets became alive with people, and within five minutes all was excitement, commotion, and bustle. The sounds of the fire bell now tolled out the sad news, and larger and ever-increasing crowds, gathered in all the streets leading to the front and the back of the burning building.

Consternation was upon almost every face when it became known how seriously the fire was raging in the middle of the factory, and willing helpers were at once at work carrying goods out of the various shops and houses in the immediate vicinity. At the London City and Midland Bank, by the activity of manager and clerks all the books and cash were saved, but their neighbour, Messrs. Timpson, boot factors, of Kettering, had a large job on hand to clear their shop, and long files of men and boys could be seen carrying boots and shoes to an apparent place of safety. So seriously and quickly, however, did the fire spread that at one time it was thought that they would again have to be moved. The same description would apply to all the other shops in the block, only instead of boots and shoes useful and ornamental articles of furniture, china, and earthenware and other articles were borne away. Everyone was eager to help, all felt that a calamity had come upon the town. For one thing there is reason to be thankful, and that is that the outbreak occurred at a time when the factory was empty; otherwise we should have had to chronicle not only the sad destruction of property, but also of life and limb. The police as ever rose to the occasion, and not only were the crowds kept in order, but also they sent round asking if there were any explosives in any of the shops and houses near, and also requesting that the gas should be turned off at the meters.

Checking The Flames.
How the Firemen Worked.

The fire brigades on the scene of action were Rushden, Wellingborough, Higham Ferrers, and Irthlingborough, and under the direction of the Wellingborough officials their work was admirably organised, heroic efforts being made to prevent the spreading of the flames.

The Rushden Brigade.

Unfortunately, the captain of the Rushden Brigade (Mr. Fred Knight) happened to be at Northampton, where he was witnessing the cricket match on the County Ground, but he was almost immediately acquainted with the calamity, and reached Rushden at the earliest possible moment. Fireman Bayes took charge pending his arrival. Firemen Staniland and Seckington were amongst the earliest on the scene, and the first-named gentleman, in course of a conversation with one of our representatives, said:—"The first I heard of it was from one of the young ladies in my shop, who, when outside looking up the street, suddenly exclaimed 'There must be a fire; look at the smoke.' I at once ran out, and it did not take many seconds to see that something serious was the matter. I called my neighbour (Fireman Seckington) and rushed for the hose-cart at the station close to. Going along the street we saw that the factory was on fire at a point which seemed to be not far from the centre of the block. Mr. Bayes and others were quickly about, and we took the hose-cart into Alfred-street, but in fixing the hose we found that there was scarcely a trickle of water in the mains. The water had been turned off, you know, and I am told that there was only six inches in the reservoir this morning. The fire bell had then been rung, and some of us fetched the fire escape. We did not know who might be in the building, but we knew that Mr. Arthur Cave was there trying to save the most valuable of the contents of the office, and we had to beg and pray of him to come out, but he would not do so until the flames had appeared in the room above him and he was pretty well hemmed in. We had tried a well of water in Tomlinson's yard with a view to getting at the fire from that side, and when the manual arrived we posted it near Mr. George Miller's and got a fair start from the town supply. We tried our best with this, but the factory was now ablaze right through, and there was no possible chance of saving it. All that could be done with any prospect of success was to stop the flames from reaching the adjoining property."

The Wellingborough Brigade.

Immediately it was seen that the fire was of no trifling character it was decided to secure the assistance of neighbouring brigades. The Wellingborough Brigade was wired for at about 1.45, and the new electric calls quickly drew the men to headquarters. Supt. Joseph Pendered, who was in charge of the Wellingborough Brigade, said:—"The horses were soon on the scene, and we got off in good time, reaching Rushden by about twenty past two. Seven of us had come on the engine, and the horse hose-cart followed with the remainder. The Rushden firemen were then in the High-street and we consequently took the rear of the factory, which was then all ablaze. Our engine was run into the gas-house at the side of the factory, and we devoted our attention to that corner, getting a fair supply of water from two tanks in the engine-house. But nothing less than a tremendous volume of water could have made the least impression on such a fire. We had not been there long before the falling of the rear walls into the street had fired the schools, and we then turned our attention in that direction. The school-house was the first to go, and although the people had had time to move out most of the furniture, the interior was practically burned out. The flames were also spreading through the roof of the school, one room being completely destroyed, but you will see that the greater portion of the block has been saved. The four cottages on the other side of the school-house were also decidedly in danger, but beyond the breaking of the windows and the blistering of the paint I think there is not much the matter there. We found plenty to occupy our time on that side of the fire, and decided to remain there as the other brigades were at work in the main street."

The Irthlingborough Brigade.

The Irthlingborough Fire Brigide (said Captain R. Groome) did not receive their call until five minutes to three. "We got off with a full number," continued the captain, ''eleven going on the engine and one was in front on a bicycle. It was about twenty past three, I think, when we got to Rushden, and at that time the whole street near the factory seemed ablaze. We turned up Queen-street to the back of the shops just below the chapel, and getting our water from a well in the yard, we were soon playing on the flames. We could see there was no chance of saving those places, though, as they were well alight, and the only thing to do was to try and save the chapel and the cottages at the back of the yard. One of the cottages, adjoining the shops, was burnt out, but I think we must have the credit of stopping the flames from going up the yard. We also put plenty of water on the front of the chapel, and except for scorched window frames there is not a great deal the matter there."

The Higham Brigade.

The Higham Ferrers Brigade were also called about three o’clock—the time when it was feared that the whole street must go. In the absence from home of Captain F J Simpson, Vice-Captain Martin was in charge, and the brigade were also posted for duty on the side facing the factory. They found their supply of water at a well behind Messrs Freeman Hardy and Willis’s, and they succeeded in preventing the fire breaking through into Mr Wilmott’s and the range of shops running down to the bottom of Queen-street. Captain Simpson who had been playing cricket at Stratford-on-Avon, arrived and took charge of the Higham men later in the afternoon.

The whole of the Brigades continued playing on the flames and the property adjoining until seven and eight o'clock, and some of the firemen remained for duty all night, their attention occasionally being mainly directed to subduing the periodic rising of flames from the smouldering ruins.

Description of The Burnt Factory

The factory is the largest in the town, there being few bigger in the county. It was a splendid building, occupying a tremendous area, with long frontage to High-street, whilst it extended at the back to Alfred-street. The middle portion of the factory was the oldest part, but the front was quite modern, and had only been erected some three or four years. When the front was built it was so arranged that there should be a fine row of lock-up business places, and with one exception these were all occupied. The occupants of these establishments fared a little better than the owners of the factory, for they were able to save a lot of their stock. The factory comprises several departments, for it is well known that Messrs. Cave have long been recognised contractors to the Government for boots and shoes for the army, navy, and postmen. They also do a good general trade, whilst another important feature of the firm is that they are patentees of several machines connected with the trade, and make them on the premises.

Seen From The District

When the news became known in the adjoining towns and villages, large numbers assembled at those points which commanded a view of Rushden. The flames were distinctly seen at Wellingborough, and when the Fire Brigade dashed through the main streets shortly before two o'clock many followed, and in the evening the trains for Rushden were thronged, extra carriages having to be provided for the accommodation of the hundreds who had been attracted to the scene of the disaster. At Wellingborough—and, indeed, throughout the whole district—much sympathy is felt in business circles for Messrs. Cave and the whole of the sufferers from the terrible calamity.

How Denton's Factory Was Saved

One of the greatest achievements of the day was the saving of Messrs. B. Denton and Son's factory. We gather that Mr George Denton, J.P., the senior member of the firm, and the manager (Mr. W. H. Brawn) were quite concerned about half-past two that there was no hope for the place, sparks flying from the burning factory into the windows and onto the roof, and many panes of glass were cracked by the intense heat. The books and valuable documents were removed to a place of safety, and a large gang of helpers was quickly organised among the employees and others in carrying pails of water from the large tank at the rear of the premises to the corner of the factory, which had become most heated. Thanks to this and the persistent efforts at this point of Firemen Goodwin and Burgess in playing upon the outside, and a slight change of the wind, the factory and the long range of business premises leading in the direction of the Coffee Tavern, together with Mr. Cunnington's factory at the rear, were saved. The damage to Messrs. Denton's factory, chiefly caused by the water, is estimated at between £400 and £500.

How The Chapel Escaped

One of the mysteries of the terrible disaster is—How Succoth Chapel escaped destruction? This edifice stood between the two blocks of thatched property which have been razed to the ground—on one side touching Messrs. Everingham and King's and separated from the burning shops on the lower side only by the narrow passage leading into the yard known as Succoth-place. The flames from the roof of Messrs. Everingham and King's licked the three front windows of the chapel, and the frame-work of one of them is badly charred, but the other two are only slightly scorched. The stuccoed front is cracked in one or two places, and the deacons will have to provide a new notice board, but the damage inside the sacred edifice is almost nil. The gable end of Messrs. Everingham and King's shop (a stone wall nearly two feet thick) doubtless prevented the flames from breaking through into the chapel.

The Dying Flames

Writing at eleven o'clock, a correspondent says: The crowd of sightseers have left us. The last train has taken over a thousand passengers to Wellingborough, Kettering, and Northampton. Conveyances with their heavy loads of people have returned. The man with the camera has gone, and a host of cyclists are making their journey homeward. Even some of the fire engines have gone away, and those who have not been burnt out of hearth and home have retired to rest, but many to-night will sleep—if sleep is possible—in strange beds, for their own are burnt and some are lost scattered about with their furniture in various other homes. All of us tonight are sorrowful and our hearts are very sad. Much sympathy is felt with the firm of Messrs. J. Cave and Sons; expressions of regret and grief are everywhere to be heard. The inhabitants of the cottage property situate at the back of High-street are greatly to be pitied. Some have lost their homes and all of their work, and much distress must follow this unfortunate calamity.

In The Twilight

As the darkness of the night drew on the walls that were left standing appeared lit up from within, and bright flames of fire were seen every now and then shooting along the charred ruins, while in the machine room of the factory there was a glow as of molten metal, and as the darkness became more dense, the glow increased in brilliance and was reflected in the skies for miles around. The streets, which had been crowded with eager sightseers from all the country round, gradually became thinner and as the watchers moved along their beat there came to the thoughtful mind feelings of the utter impotence of man, in face of such awful disaster.

The View At Midnight

Tine same correspondent, describing the scene at midnight, says: 'The streets are quieter now, but still there are many people about. The view at midnight is most impressive. A weird light is seen through the walls which are left standing. Occasionally a portion is lit up by an outbursting flame. Then you hear the sound of the firemen's whistle, and the men are quickly at work again at the fire, everyone pumping water on the outbreak. At the corner of Alfred-street and College-street, where the outer wall has fallen, you have the best view of the interior of the machine room, which appears to be one red hot mass of molten metal. The High-street for nearly a hundred yards is blocked as the heated girders are contracting, and great fear is felt that they may fall from their pillars of masonry and the whole collapse. At the rear of the factory is Alfred-street containing a row of houses where many of the employees lived. All these have not retired to rest, but are sitting on their doorsteps discussing the calamity of the day.

The Higham Ferrers Fire Brigade is still here and sharing with the Rushden Brigade the work of watching the ruins.

IMPRESSIONS OF A SPECTATOR
Another Account.

"I happened to be in the Northampton Fire Station (writes our County Town representative) when the telephone bell rang. It was a message from Rushden for steamers to be despatched. The very fact that the brigade were asked to turn out such a distance for itself indicated a conflagration of a more than usually serious character, but an enquiry elicited the startling information that the largest factory in the town was burned to the ground and a row of buildings in the main street fired. The next query of the inspector in charge was the very important one, 'What is the nature and extent of your water supply.' The answer, to the effect that it was even then practically exhausted, was sufficient to show the utter futility of despatching our powerful engines, some of which are capable of pumping 250 gallons or more a minute, with horses and men on a 15 mile journey in the broiling summer's sun, with no prospect of being any service when they arrived. Subsequently, when I saw one of the local manuals throwing

Spasmodic Jets

from a tub being supplied by buckets of water it showed how very pertinent was the fire inspector's query. And so the engines were not sent, but in view of the news I had heard I took the earliest train to Rushden, and it now falls to me to endeavour to give some few impressions of a conflagration which (without desiring to write in exaggerated terms) can have no other effect than that of paralysing the staple industry of that growing little town. In the train, soon after passing Castle Ashby a cloud of smoke was visible on the horizon, unnoticed by the good country folk following their peaceful avocations in meadow and garden in blissful unconsciousness that in the two short hours that had intervened since dinner hundreds of families had been brought face to face with ruin. Yet to one who understood its terrible meaning it was a portent of overshadowing disaster. Had it been dark I have no doubt the livid flames, which I was told leapt up to an almost incredible height, would have started the whole countryside. How far had the fire reached? I already knew that both sides if the street were aflame, and with

A Broiling Sun

and little water there was no telling where the damage would end. As we passed Wellingborough and neared Higham Ferrers it was evident that the news had spread pretty well around the district, and little groups of excited children could be seen scurrying across stile and footpath the direction of what was now a dense column of smoke. Driving through Higham Ferrers gave one the impression that the younger portion of the ancient borough's population had deserted the place—and so in fact, they had—for on every other doorstep old folks, many too feeble to tramp to the scene of the fire, were to be seen gossiping over the news, and probably recalling the occasion when, some years ago, rows of cottages on either side of the main street in their own town were

Burnt to the Ground

As Rushden was neared the excitement grew perceptibly greater, but the scene when the High-street was reached was one which will not readily be effaced from the memory. There, practically in a state of isolation, stood, or rather leaned, the front of the factory, only prevented from falling into the roadway by the solidity of its great central gateway. On the opposite side of the roadway was the Succoth Chapel with one window and a notice-board scorched, but otherwise undamaged. Next to it the Higham Brigade were intermittently playing upon the roofs of a couple of thatched shops; occasionally turning their attention to a little confectionery store at the corner of High-street and College-street, the water being drawn from a tub which had either been lent or commandeered and which was periodically filled with buckets passed by a number of

Energetic Helpers

A little further along the street stood the Wellingborough tender, and at the rear of the chapel was the Irthlingborough manual. There seemed to be little attempt hereabouts to control the crowd, who wandered aimlessly about as near the dangerous-looking shell of the factory, and in some cases nearer than prudence would appear to dictate. At the outer side of the building a barrier had been improvised across the street, and this was evidently of assistance to the small force of police in their efforts to keep the people out of danger. The Rushden Brigade were stationed near the 'Argus' Office and the Wellingborough firemen and engine at the rear of the premises in Alfred-street. From this standpoint the most vivid impression of the calamitous nature of the factory fire was to be obtained, and a terrible picture it was. A few tottering walls and a network of T-shaped girders, twisted window frames, bent water pipes was all that remained of what had a few hours before been some of the most completely equipped and up-to-date works in the county and it was

A Pitiable Sight

to see the costly and elaborate engines and machinery half buried beneath a heap of smouldering debris. The side of the building facing the Alfred-street Board School had fallen right across the street, where it lay flat, almost brick for brick, as it had stood. The outbreak which deprived Rushden of its best shoe factory also deprived the town of the main portion of one of its blocks of schools, for these soon get alight, and, by a cruel fate, while the headmaster was enjoying a seaside holiday his house was burned to the ground. It is to the credit of his neighbours, however, that they readily took upon themselves the task—not unattended with danger—of rescuing his household effects from the flames, and I was told that nearly all, if not the whole, of his valuable books and furniture was carried out to a place of safety. It was in connection with the fire at the schools that the Wellingborough firemen distinguished themselves by the business like tact with which they proceeded to isolate a portion of the building, and thus saved it from anything worse than a douching. It seemed ironical that the water

To Save This Block

should be drawn from the gasworks of the factory which had fired the schools. The Wellingborough Brigade, by the way, seemed to be the only one who had sufficient water to keep the pumps supplied for any reasonable length of time. Proceeding along the Rectory-road a touching scene met the gaze, for here appeared to have congregated most of the evicted families. Very tearful were the eyes of the poor women and girls, and very melancholy the expression of the breadwinners, as, seated upon a heap of household belongings, they had, for the first time, a few moments in which to reflect upon their altered position, changed with such startling suddenness—home destroyed, employment gone—prospects surely gloomy enough for many in better positions. When I left the firemen were obtaining a little water from the street hydrants, but this had to be conveyed to the engine tanks and thence pumped on to the still burning ruins. The 'Rose and Crown' in High-street had

Escaped The Flames,

but it was stated as a fact that the landlord had stored his furniture in the premises opposite, which were totally destroyed, and where the progress of the flames was finally checked. Opposite, the fire just scorched the Chestnut trees in the garden of Mr. John Cave, the founder of the firm, and then subsided. As evening gathered crowds of folk from the surrounding towns and villages flocked into the place to see the fire, and it appeared as though many might be crushed to death at any moment by the collapse of the threatening walls. Such, in brief, is the nature of a calamity which will rank among the most awful fires in the county, indeed, the only parallel in Northamptonshire history that occurs to me at the moment is the Wellingborough 'Great Fire' of 1788, or the devastating fire which burned down a great part of Northampton some years earlier. Taking a last look along the street, I could not but observe what an opportunity has been afforded—in a terribly dramatic manner, it is true—for a scheme of street improvement if the Urban Council are but alive to the importance of arranging a new and straightened building line at the corner near the chapel but, even more vital a consideration will be

The Lesson—Learnt At Last,

it may be hoped—that an efficient water supply is one of the surest guarantees of the safety, from every point of view, of our rapidly-growing communities. If the local governing body is by this fiery visitation induced to energetically push on with the scheme for ensuring a supply of water commensurate with the needs of the place, then the never-to-be-forgotten experience will not have been suffered in vain: on the contrary, it may even prove to have been a blessing in disguise to the town at large."

Notice To Messrs. Cave's Employees

The following notice has just been posted on the entrance door facing the street to the house of Mr. John Cave, the senior partner of the firm:

John Cave and Sons, Limited.
The employees are requested to call at "The Cottage" between the hours of 9.30 and 10.30 to-morrow morning.