Andrew Wynter

Name: Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V — The great fire at London Bridge
Author: Andrew Wynter

Summary

“Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V — The great fire at London Bridge”, published in 1861, is a work by Andrew Wynter. It explores elements such as warehouses, London Bridge and fire.

Quotes from Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (Andrew Wynter)

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ Poor Braidwood, who has gone to his account, predicted long ago that our system of fire-proofing buildings was a delusion and a snare, and he also, with prophetic eye, foretold the time when fires would, through man’s cupidity and carelessness, grow beyond the powers of man to extinguish them. It would seem as though we deliberately planned these costly warehouses, in which the riches of the world are stored, to burn, as we lay the fuel in the grate for the same purpose. Oil and tallow will rarely, if ever, be found stored alone ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ These warehouses, he was often heard to say, are inaugurating an era of gigantic fires, against which the efforts of the Brigade will be powerless. The buildings, too, are so constructed as to render the firemen afraid to enter them. Iron girders, supported by iron columns, hold up the floors of these enormous buildings, and when these become red hot, in consequence of the fierce blast to which they are subjected, the fireman plays upon them at his peril, as the water suddenly contracts them on one side, and they snap and shiver in an instant, bringing the whole building down with a run. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ But access must be easy between one part of a warehouse and another, and this is usually given by means of fire-proof doors, which are supposed to be always closed when not actually in use: and as fire-proof warehouses, even of the best construction, are no stronger than their weakest part, we have this source of danger always to apprehend. When a fire occurs it is generally too late to shut the door from the inside at least; but we think some plan may be devised by which either these doors may be closed from the outside, or they may shut themselves on the approach of fire. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ The girders which support the floors are sure to expand, and their action must then be to destroy the strongest walls. For all we know to the contrary, poor Braidwood met his death in consequence of the thrusting out of the walls from this very cause. In order to insure the safety of our so-called fire-proof buildings, the only reliable method is to build with solid bricks, all vaultings being made of the same material. The interior of each warehouse should be so subdivided by these fire-proof walls, that the body of flame and heat in each should not affect its neighbour. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ The public should demand a constant supply at high pressure, in which case the one element would always be ready to combat the other at whatever ordinary elevation it may show itself. If the magnitude of the disaster which has just befallen the insurance companies, leads them to call the earnest attention of the legislature to the points which we have pointed out to our readers, even the three acres of ruins, now to be seen from London Bridge, will not tell their tale in vain. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ At one time it was the normal condition of Liverpool to have several of her largest cotton warehouses destroyed in the course of the year, and so great was the danger from fire that insurances ran up from eight shillings to thirty-five shillings per cent. In 1841 it was determined to cope with the evil not with fire-engines only but with an act of parliament, which forbad the use of continuous roofs, wooden doors, and penthouses, and enjoined the running up of party walls four feet between each building. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ But it is not our purpose to paint possible disasters, and to frighten our readers with suppositious calamities; we have quite enough to do to awaken the attention of the public to the dangers that are imminent, but which we have yet time to avoid by judicious enactments. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Andrew Wynter, Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (1861)

“ In short, this last catastrophe has demonstrated that fire-proof buildings, as at present constructed, are neither fire-proof against themselves when of large area and filled with combustible materials, nor against neighbouring fires of great magnitude. ”

Andrew Wynter

Summary

Quotes from Once a Week, Series 1, Volume V… (Andrew Wynter)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature