GREAT FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1494, 28 February 1887, Page 2

GREAT FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Wellington, February 27. The moßt eerioua fio which has occurred m Wellington broke out about 4 am. ta-rlfiy m Huxley's tailoring establishment; Lambton Qiay The ultimate result was the destruction of the great3r part of the best business block m the oity-namoly, that bounded by Lambton Quay on the west, Featheraton street , on the cant, Brandon street on the northj and Panama street on the bou h The whole front of thq lat»er was ocoupiecf by three or four rtory warehouses and marts, bub unfortunately all were built of wood with one exception. This was the largo brick bond and general store belonging to Johnston and O<\ Here the fire was eventually stiyed, bat not until the top story of the bond was thoroughly burned out, and all parishablo contents la tho remainder ruined, On the Larabton Quay frontage everything Was destroyed except Wilaon aid lliohardson'a main building. The fire made its way to Brandon street, bat did little damage on this side, and m Foatherston Btreet, where tha buildings aro of an Inferior oharaoter, all remained intact. The area burnt off Is comparatively small, and bears no oomparison m that reape.ot with the Te Aro House fire, but owing to tho valuable nature of the contents of tho warehouses, particularly Thomson, Shiunon and 00. and Johnston's, both the loss and Insurances are muoh heavier that m that inatanoe. -■■ . When the fire was notlrod, shortly after 4 am, It had, obtained a good hold of Huxley's three-story shop at the baok, and was already spreading along the refcjr" of Laery, Oambell and Oo.'s, produce 'and commission motohants. which stood at the oorner of Panama street and Lambton Qaay. This was a tall wooden building of four stories, and very soon the flames had complete possession of it. From the very first it was evident the fire was going to be an extremely serious matter, for the water would not reach the top of any of the structures m Panama street. The ohlef water supply from Wainui o« mata had been out off to allow leakages m the race to be inspeoteJ, and all the brigades had to depend on for the first hour was an inferioripresßure from the Polhill Gully reservoir, whioh did not amount to more than 70 b; After that, by cutting off water from the rest of the town, t h e pressure was increased to 1201 b. Six branches m all were got to work, besides two more from manual engines stationed on the breastwork, but for more than half an hour two and sometimes three of these had to be employed playing on the opposite Bide of the street. The heat from the burning pile was intense, and was severely felt even aoroaa Lambton Quay, whioh io&ere quite 70ft wide. In Panama street the brigade |iad -all they could do to keep the fire off the other side, and Thomas' auction looms were once actually on fire. The facades wore charred and windows cracked, with consequent damage by water. On three or four buildings, from this source alone, considerable loss will aoorue. Next Laery, Campbell and Oo. 'a was T. X MoDonald's auction matt, another large wooden building of 3 stories, the cellarage being occupied by J. Maglnntty, wine and spirit merchant. Nothing whatever waß taken out. Amongst the con* tents was a large shipment of pianos just received. Ringing over the roof, the fire rapidly spread to the premises of Thompson, Shannon and 00., wholesale warehousemen and ololhing manufacturers: The main buildings consisted of two lofty stories and basement; In tho yard at ihs baok was a small building and stables, and at the back of th©39 again a low brick building, used a* a clothing factory, fronting on Brandon street. Unluokily, Mr Shannon was not down ear'y, and the premises were not opened tiil the pro* gresa of the fire had greatly curtailed the time allowed for salvage operations. A large quantity wai taken out, bub the lighter and more valuable goods m the top story had to bo abandoned. By this time Kennedy Macdonald'a was well alight, The fire had got under Thompson and Shannon's roof, and the work rf securing the goods was carried on with masses of fire falling down the stalr-caeea from the ceiling. These set light t> the

contents of the basement, and materially

aided the spread of the flames, whioh id a wonderfully short time enveloped the whole edifice. Then it was the danger

was greatest. Fortnnately there was no wind, for had the breeze sprung up at this moment, when bo great a body of flame was raging unrestrainedly through the tall tenements of Panama Btreet, no

efforts of the fi omen could have prevented the opposite Bide from being envelcpsd as well. As it was the men had to be

protected by blankets saturated with water, and under these circumstances they stuck to their dutr, as firemen always do^with tho greatest tenacity and pluck. Next to Thompson and Shannon's was the brick building mentioned above, by whioh for the time being the fire was arrested. Going baok to Lambton Quay the flamea after overmastering Huxley's shop In whioh. they originally started, attacked the premises of frurraud and Sons, chemists. Naturally the contents did not help to stay the devastation and tbe building was not long left standing. At the back was a brick Btore, whioh was also speedily burned out, and sweeping along the fire attacked m succession tho offices occupied by Buckley, Barton and Stafford, solicitors, and the drapery establishment of Parker and Co. (late Wilson and Bichardson). Assisted by a

quantity of packing cases and similar inflammable material, the flames speedily made . good their ground, and entering Parker and Oo.'s by the showroom, threatened to complete the destruction of the quay frontage. At this point, however, tho firemen assisted by the increased water pressure and a elate roof, asserted themselves at last, and after a gallant bttuggle, succeeded m saving Parker and Co. 'a main building. The whole of the contents were removed, and with very little loss, and tho building itself was saved. Its slate roof stood ip m good stead, and beyond gutting the obowroqm at the back, Mttle or no damage was done. This is the only place loft standing on tho quay , frontage. In Brandon street, behind -Kennedy Macdonald's, stood a small two-storey boardinghouse, quite detached, occupied by Mr Clark, but the hoat was too great, and despite the vigorous play of hose, it was mostly burned Before this, the buildings on the opposite side of Brandon street bad begun to smoke, though farthest away of any from tho main oody of the fire Kircaldie and Stain's large drapery establishment was covered with blankets, and the Firo Brigade station next door was similarly treated. A liberal application of water saved them from damage beyond the blistering of the paint Next to the boardioghouse was tho clothing factory already mentioned as forming tho rear of Thompson and Shannon's. This was emptied of the contents, but beiag well baok from the chief seat of the lire escaped damage.

The position now after the fire had been raging two hours was that the western half of the block, with one exception, had been destroyed, and only Johnston's brick bond stood between the remaining building and destruction. This structure, four stories m height, ran well back from Panama street impinging upon Edwards and Wreen, printers, whoee premises face Brandon Btreet. Next to the store was a large wooden building, chiefly occupied by Bell, Gully, and Izard, solicitors, and the Union Insurance Company. This stood at the corner of Panama and Feathera^oti streets, and next to it m Featherstou street were the offices of W. H. Quick, solicitor^ Upited Press Association, and others For some tune it wag hoped the bond would prove an impenetrable barrier, and probably if the parapet

had keen higher no further damage Would havo ensued. As it was tho flames leapt ovor tho 3ft of wall and effected a lod?»aent under tho iron There the brigade could not get at it, and, after smouldering for some time, furiouH flames burst out from all the windows, when it was apparent there was qJfeMand dubious struggle m prospeot. iPPcon- , touts of the remaining buildings m tho bl6ok were rapidly oleared out, even ohtira and tables being let down from the windows of Ball and Izard's. During the fight over the bond the Nelson's men, of whom 150 were landed from the ship, did good service. They olambered up the lofty wall, and from the top of the adjoining buildings played upon the fire, both with their own hose and that of the brigade. Amid the smoke and heat it mu»t have been stifling work, and for an hour and a half the fight went on. Tons of water was poured on the roof 'and through the window*, bat With no effect v till tho rocf broke m. Free scope was then given to water, and at last it prevailed. The great fear was that the floor would give way and let the burning mail down on thousands of gallons of spirit* la the next storey, m which case the whole building waa doomed. The joists, however, stood firm, and^bya quarter to eight the danger was over, and the progress of ths fire definitely stayed. The upper flat . of the bond was completely burned oat, part of the walls cracked, and all merchandise of a perishable nature destroyed. Tbe building was orammed with valuable, goods, and the lost must be very heavy. At present their Is no chance of getting the exact Insurances. Tt Is known they are not less than £62,000, to whioh mast be added £2000 or £30,30 more for damage by heat to buildings not burned. This may seem exoessivo, but it Is the estimate of an insurance agent. Some of the agents think the insaraioes will amount to £78,000. The total loss is variously estimated from £120,003 to £160,000. The Phoeaix office have the following risks :- -WiJson and Richardson, £1000; Thompson and Shannon, £1600 ; John* ■ton and 00, £1000 ; Leary, Chrabpe! and Oo;, £500 ; Maginnlty, £300 ; total £4300, of < whioh £1000; is reinsured. Ths North German Company's total risk Ib £4500, £1500 balng reinsured. These are the only offices whose complete risks it haa been possible to ascertain. Individually the following insurances are known :— Maglnnity, £400; National, . £300; Ph «n!x, £300; Union, £250; Eqr ffi* able; total, £1250. He estimates his bss at £1700 beyond this. Johnston and Company's bond, £4000 m the National, £1500 m the London and Lanoashire, £1000 each In ths New Zealand Northern, Guardian, London, Liverpool and Gluba, North British and Mercantile, North Garraan and Phoeiix ; £500 m the Equitable, £1500 m the Union, £2500 m the Manchester, £250 m the Standard, £1500 m the South British. Besides these there is £2500 on the building m the National. Imperial and Standard, making the grots total £20,250. They also had stock m Kennedy Maodonald's building, insured for £SCO m the North German. Kennedy Maodonald's building was leased from Crawford and 00. It was insured for £1000. Huxley had 2590 In the Oolonla 1 . Leiry and Camp, bell are auppoaed to be Insured for £3000, and Barrand for £SOC<S. BaoHey, Stafford an! Barton, hid £500 on the oontents of the bailding. Thompson, Shannon and Oo;, were covered to the extent of £6000 on the building, and £28, C0D on the stock, but details oannot i be given. They have some insurances m [ London, which imy or may not be m:- -: eluded m the above total,

5.20 pm. The firemen have been playing ail day on the burning rules, which have attracted large numbers of spect»tors. Nothing it known as to tbo origin of the fire, The blackened and blistered shop fronts m Panama street and Lambton qaay attest to the violence of the heat. During the height of the fire the Nelson's marines lined the street with fixed bayonets and kept the orowd back- The pluos with wh'oh they stuck to the top of Johnston's place white the fight was going on with the fire m the bond elided the admiration of the spectators, who cheer- d them heartily when they took their departure. They brought with them 810 feet of hose and two small manuals from the ship, besides gun cotton, electric battery and cable for blowing up any bnilding if found necessary. When it was found Impossible to get water on to the roof of the bond from the street, the sailors brought ladders into requisition, hauled up thoae with a rope, and out holes through the roof A large quantity of goods were thrown from Thompson and Shannon's windows, but the flames spread bo quickly there was no time to remove them from the pavement where they lay, and they were burned.

Midnight. Following are the losses of the individual Inauranoa Companies :— National, £1700 ; South British, £3600 ; Equitable, £3650 ; Colonial, £3000 ; Union, £3000 ; Imperial, £5500 ; Phoenix, £4300; London and Lancashire, £5200; North Qerman £4500; Guardian, £3000; Standard, £1500; North British and Mercantile, £3500 ; * New Zealand, £2600 ; Snn, £2000 ; Liverpool, London and Globe, £5000 ; Vie^ " toria, £2400. Total, £54,450. These are the amounts of riaks held by the offices, re-inßurances not being considered, The foregoing list will probably not Inolnde^ all the risks, and will be further swelled * by contingent damages on the opposite lids of the street.