DESTRUCTION OF THE LIVER POOL LANDING STAGE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 111, 8 October 1874, Page 3

DESTRUCTION OF THE LIVER POOL LANDING STAGE.

(From the Home Nova )

The most disastrous fire that has occurred in connection with the port of Liverpool throughout all the period of its history broke out on July 28th, and resulted in the total destruction of the landing-stage, the most extensive and magnificent structure of the kind in the world. The fire broke out about ten minutes past three p.m., and so rapid was its spread that in less than half an hour afterwards the entire population of both sides of the river were made aware of the fact by the rising of dense volumes of smoke that in the neighborhood of the river a fire of great magnitude had broken out. It was generally supposed, in the first instance, that one of those great blocks of warehouses which face the river, and which are so suggestive to visitors of the vastness of the trade of Liverpool, formed the scene of the conflagration, and as fires within the structures are far from being rare events, few people troubled themselves for the moment to inquire further into the matter. Fears also arose that some vessel in dock had taken fire. Soon, however, the incredible story went round that it was the landing-stage which was on fire ; but the possibility that a floating structure, isolated but for the iron bridges connecting it with the piers from every other structure, could be the scene of a giganticconflagration could scarcely find place in the ordinary mind. But the smoke arose in great volumes, and after a brief time it became known that, in spite of the ample supply of water, there was every probability that the splendid promenade was doomed to destruction. Liverpool will not soon forget the alarm this looming mass of smoke rising from the river at first occasioned. The afternoon was fine, clear, bright, and warm. There had been showers during the forenoon. The afternoon settled into the clearness that as a rule follows rain, and the scene on the river was in consequence as cheerful and gay as it usually is in ordinary times. The river itself was thickly studded with craft, ferry-boats, and tugs innumerable, plying their ordinary trade, In mid-river were three of our magnificent ocean steamers —the Parthia, a Ounard liner, outward bound ; twm Allan steamers, one of which also had her voyage before it; and the huge steamship Spain of the National line. The landingstage itself had been immensely thronged during the day, and it was in the very height of the commotion that the alarm of fire was raised —an alarm that left the least possible interval for saving anything from inevitable destruction. The whole length of the stage, which had been recently completed by the addition of a new portion joining the old George’s, and the more recent Prince’s stage, was nearly a quarter of a mile. The cost of the structure was nearly a quarter of a million sterling. It is conjectured that the origin of the fire was a gas explosion underneath the newly added portion, which was being fitted with gas pipes. The fire spread quickly underneath the deck of the stage, catching the timber work over the pontoon. In 1847, the engineering skill of Sir William Cubitt put an end to the an iquated system of embarkation that had existed on the shore of the Mersey for many years. He designed the George’s landingstage. and that structure, which occupied a considerable time in formation, was on the Ist of June of that year fixed to the moorings to which it is attached until a few days ago, when it was removed to make way for a stage so adapted as to join that portion of the structure which was destroyed on July 28th. It consisted principally of thirty-nine iron pontoons and a wooden decking five inches in thickness. In length it was 507 ft, and in width 180 ft 9in. Its weight was 2000 tons, and it could bear 40,000 persons. With the bridges, the total cost of the stage, which was built under the superintendence of the officers of the dock committee, a body which at that time performed the duties of the present Dock Board, was about £40,000.

The fire continued to burn throughout the night. There was little hope of saving anything except the new pontoon bridge, which runs far in towards the street. This structure in itself is valued at about £25,000. The loss occasioned by the disaster will, we believe, fall almost entirely on the Dock Board, from whom no intimation has been given as to any portion of rhe structure being covered by insurance, Bome legal questions may arise between them and Messrs Rrassey and other contractors as to whether the latest additions cvere formally handed over to the board. So admirably did the George’s stage fulfil the purpose for which it was intended, that it was decided to provide additional accommodation of the same k'nd, Accordingly, Sir W. Cubitt’s services were again brought into requisition, and from designs furnished by him the Prince’s stage was constructed. The total cost of the fabric was about £l4O 000 It was opened on the Ist September, 1857, Notwithstanding the extent of the accommodation provided by the two stages, one of which was devoted to river and the other to coasting and foreign traffic, it scon becamapparent that still further improvements would become necessary, and various schemes were proposed for the improvement of these and the extension of the stages One was at last selected, and two years ago the operations embraced in the design prepared by Mr G. F. Lyster, the engineer to the board, commenced. The chief features ol his scheme were the union of the two stages and a floating bridge extending from the street known as the New Quay. A few weeks since, as has already been stated, the George’s stage was moved and united with the Prince’s stage, and a structure was thus formed that was unrivalled in the world. It was upwards of 2000 feet in length, joined by seven bridges, one of which, the Pontoon bridge, is 590 feet in length and 38 feet in breadth. The principle adopted in the construction of the Prince’s and George’s stages was employed in that of the addiiiuis that were made to it, the woodword of which was impregnated with creosote for the purpose of rendering it less liable to the action of the water, and tar was plentifully used between the planks and elsewhere, and this, of course, made the upper part of the structure exceedingly inflammable. Messrs Brassey and Co, Birkenhead, made the pontoons for additions to the main stage. Messrs Vernon and Capper, Liverpool, provided those on which the great bridge rests The Dock Board said they would complete the work within three years, and when just about to fulfil that promise, their intention has been frustrated. Upwards of £150,000 was the estimated cost of the latest scheme in its integrity. It was from the river that the full extent of the fire could best be seen, The spec-

tacle was grand, and would have been terribly so had darkness prevailed instead of the sky being clear and unclouded. The wind was light from the north-west, but gradually freshening, and it carried the smoke with it southwards. At this time a portion of the stage to the southward of the embankment was burning bnghtly, the flames being red and clear, with comparatively little smoke, while the northern half was wrapped in impenetrable smoke, through which lurid flames played only at intervals. Just beyond could be seen the tall masts of the shipping in the Prince’s Dock. The quays, both to the north and south, were crowded with spectators. The appearance of the river and the boats moving to and fro remained but little changed throughout, but as the fire progressed, the Cheshire stage and the Cheshire shore became nearly as crowded as the opposite one, rendering the appearance of the whole scene when the fire was at its height, one of a very remarkable character. The most striking feature of the scene was the immense piles of burning timber lying about the centre of the stage ; these blazed grandly, and stood out against the dark background of smoke ; with smoke dense, impenetrable, unbroken, on the one hand, and a stretch of steadily burning woodwork in the other. At certain points, men might be seen plying axes as though endeavoring to sever the various sections of the stage, but they worked fruitlessly. In this way the fire continued burning for many hours.