The Destruction by Fire of Jackson’s Rope Walk – We had merely time and room yesterday to note the destruction by fire of Jackson’s Rope Walk, on First Hockley Lane, between Eighth and Ninth streets, which occurred at an early hour yesterday morning. The estimated loss on business, machinery and stock is about $45,000 as follows: In the North American, Philadelphia, $3,000; State of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, $2,500; German, Philadelphia, $2,000; Manufacturers’, Philadelphia, $2,500; Amazon, Cincinnati, $3,000; Columbia, Columbia, $3,000; Schuylkill Valley, Norristown, $2,500; Lycoming, Money, Pa., $5,000.

The active efforts of Chief Engineer Boyer, Assistant Engineers Frees and Goodhart and the Fire Department generally saved the surrounding buildings belonging to Mr. Jackson and the Reading Steam Forge, fronting on Eighth street.

The greatest sympathy is felt and expressed for Mr. Jackson. It took forty-four years of active business life to build up his extensive establishment, and in two short hours the efforts of a life time were consumed by an element which is insatiable in its greed and knows neither friend nor foe. The fire was evidently the work of spontaneous combustion. By this fire forty mechanics are thrown out of employment. Whether Mr. Jackson will rebuild or not is uncertain but it is hardly probably that a man of his active business temperament can long remain inactive, and we hope shortly to chronicle a rebuilding of Jackson’s Rope Walk on a more extensive scale than ever.

The Eagle of yesterday evening contains the following interesting facts relating to Mr. Jackson’s long business life in this city :

“Since Mr. Jackson has been engaged in the rope-making business in Reading he has been unfortunate three times; twice by flood and once by fire. He came to this city in June, 1829, a poor boy. His father was a rope-maker in Bermingham and Derbyshire, where the son learned the business. Thomas Jackson erected his first ropewalk in Reading shortly after his arrival, on the premises at present occupied by the gas works. He removed from thence in 1836 and built as “walk” on the island. On the 7th of June, 1841, he met with his first loss, when the high water carried everything away. He found friends, and in a short time the place was rebuilt. Business proceeded very well until the memorable freshet of September 2d, 1850, when the water again carried the result of his hard earned dollars away.

“These were the days when the trade of the Schuylkill canal amounted to a considerable sum. Being tired of water-wrecks, Mr. Jackson moved to his present location.

“A little over a year after the second freshet, which would make the time in the winter of 1851, the initial commencement of the building destroyed by fire last night, was begun. Additions have been made from time to time until the entire work was some 1400 feet long, and occupying very valuable property in that section of the city. Since that date Mr. Jackson has been carrying on a flourishing business, giving employment to a number of hands and shipping to all parts of the country large quantities of rope.

“In conversation with him this morning he stated to a representative of the Eagle that it was difficult to tell whether or not the works would be rebuilt. That if he were certain it had been set on fire, he should not rebuild, but discontinue the business at once. Mr. Jackson knew nothing of the fire until 8 o’clock this morning. His theory is that the fire, if not the work of an incendiary, must have resulted from spontaneous combustion, and not in the engine room, as he had that department specially placed separate from the main building in order to procure insurance at lower rates. He has been paying fire insurances on the premises ever since their erection.

“Mr. Jackson is a member of the Rope Makers’ Association of this country, belonging to which are about 25 manufacturers. A remarkable thing is, every single rope manufacturer, with the exception of Mr. Jackson, had been burned out previous to this morning, but the fates decreed that even he should not be spared, and at last the fire fiend has gathered them all in. Some have been burned out two or three times.”