FIRS AT BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 136, 18 June 1872, Page 5

FIRS AT BENDIGO.

We regret to chronicle the fact that the Bendigo Reefs Hotel, belonging to Mr W. lU. Goodall, and situate near the Cromwell i Quartz Mining Company's battery, was totally destroyed by fire early on the morning lof Thursday last. It appears that on Wednesday morning Mr Goodall rose at thre ■ | o'clock, and was at work from that time until I late in the evening. Feeling tired, he went to bed about eleven p.m., leaving a candle burning on the toilet-table. The four children were sleeping in the same apartment, I and Mrs Goodall remained up to take charge |of the bar, as there were eight or nine persons staying in the house that night. At I about a quarter to one, Mr Goodall awoke Ito find the walls of the bed-room in flames. ; He hurriedly snatched up three of the sleepling children, got the fourth on to the floor, 1 and by dint of great exertion managed to get I them out of the room in time to save them ! from a fearful death. The youngest child he ' had to push along the floor with his foot, and the poor little fellow—a mere infant—was : rendered insensible for some time after by | the rough usage perforce adopted in order to save his life. There was no time to get any furniture or other goods out of the building, .for within fifteen minutes after the first alarm everything save a few shrivelled sheets of iron was entirely consumed by the devouring element. Mr Mitchinson's store and dwelling-house, standing within a few feet of Mr Goodall's j premises, were only saved from ignition by I the strenuous exertions of a number of persons who carried waver from the adjacent i race, and dashed it against the most exposed j part of the building. Fortunately, the wind , happened to lie blowing from the north-east ; at the time of the conflagration ; had it been lin the opposite direction, it is very probable ; the destruction of property would have been ' much greater. Besides a heavy stock of wines, beer, and j spirits, Mr Goodall lost by the iire £O3 in j notes, a large quantity of new winter cloth(ing just purchased, and a number of ancient ; family relics which had been handed down to him as heir-looms from past generations. The building was perhaps the largest in the township, and was uninsured. Much regret is felt throughout the distrii t j at Mr Goodall's misfortune, and, as will be | seen from a " local" in another part of our j present issue, the expression of public symj pathy lias assumed a practical and tangible shape.