Isle of Wight Observer March 13, 1858
THE MERCURY OFFICE FIRE – While the men employed on the Mercury were gone to dinner on Thursday, a fire broke out in the office in Cross-street. The cause of the disaster was the old one: the stove ignited the building, and the fire speedily reached the roof, and would soon have completely destroyed the whole building and stock-in-trade had not the fire brigade been in attendance very promptly. By the means of a hose affixed to a fire-plug close by the fire was soon got under, but not until considerable damage was done, especially to the type in the cases, as well as “pieing” the matter set up for the journal. Judging from what we casually observed, we should hardly imagine that it will be possible for the paper to be issued this week. We do not know whether the building or stock is insured, but the damage from fire alone is not very heavy; it is the breaking of the matter, and the confusion thereby, that will be the most felt.
