A COSTLY BLAZE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 459, 18 March 1909, Page 7

A COSTLY BLAZE.

AT PALMERSTON NORTH. TWO BUSINESS PLACES RUINED. HOTEL TWICE CATCHES FIRE. <PY TELEGUAI-JI.—BI'IJCiAt COttUESI'ONDENT.I Palmorston, March 17. Just beforo 10.30 last night an extensive firo broko out in tho Squaro. Tho seat of troublo was oven more dangerous than tho outbreak'last week, it being in Messrs. Collinson and Cunningliame's largo tailoring establishment, next Waldegrave's buildings. Tho flames were first noticed from King Street, and tho firo evidently started underneath tho outside staireaso at tho rear of the building. By tho tinio tho clanging firoboll had brought tho brigade to tho scene of action, the flames had forced their way into tho building, and, with a strong hold, had gripped the rear wall of tho building. The dry and old timber of tho structure succumbed easily to tho advancing fire, and, when tho first jet of flamo was shooting skywards, thero was a high easterly wind blowing, and the large crowd of anxious spectators began to fear that the flames, aided by tho breeze, would prove too much for tho firefighters. A Long Fire Fight.Eesun. Under Superintendent Warner's orders, five jets of hoso were soon nt work, two pjaying on tho rear of the building from lung Street, and three on the Squaro front. For a long whilo a heavy battle raged between flames and firemen, but tho huge volume of , water that was being pourod into the buikl- | ing from the fivo lengths of hose at last got tho upper hand, and, after three-quarters of an hour had passed, it was evident that tiio firo was under control. Tho adjacent premises had a miraculous escapo. Ail aro old buildings, somo of them being amongst the first erected in tho square. The largo brick builcHng on -the eastern side, however, kept the wind from tho > flames, and so assisted tho brigade in their heavy task. Notwithstanding this fact, uir. S. Ihacker's boot shop, a single-story structure, had a narrow escapo, and it was hero that the splendid work of tho brigade became evident. n CEam > n! }ti<> n this morning shows that the flames had Cvtton their way right through the- roof of the show-room, and had almost, destroyed tho ceiling beforo they were stopped. Had this building caugjit properly, there would have been no hope whatever of saving tiie block, and tho brigade's fine work hero prevented what would certainly have been one of tho most .disastrous fires in tho lnstorv of Palmerston.' By 11.30 tho firo was practically out, and all danger was over.' Ruin Wrought by Water. Not till this morning could a full estimato ot the damage be made. The fire, and water worked terrible havoc with Collinson and Umiinghame's hoavy stock. The shop is now nothing but a chaotic mes3 of sodden and charred clothiug and suitings. There is hardly an article on the prcmiSas which is not almost completely ruined. As a spectator remarked this morning on inspecting it, 'It isii t worth thirty shillings." With tho exception of one of the windows, where' very littlo water got in, there is not a-'garment or a piece of cloth that has not suffered. J lie sholres on one side of tho shop were heavily piled with readv-to-wear suits, and, on the otner, with roll upon roll of suit lengths. Ihe firo shot up the edges of there, and burnt off all the protruding folds. Then the water followarl. Tile result can be easily imagined when these suits are opened out. 1 he iirm iin.s been busily engaged during the past throe or lour v.-ewks in replenishing the stock with winter g' ods, and, of course, the whoio ot tins is now cinders and dirty water I t was estimated that tho total value of th« stock was between £-1000 and £4500, and, as the insurance only amounted to £2300, the li rm s loss will bo considerable.

Insurants. Mr. Thackor will also bo a loser by tho me. Water had to be poured into his premises, and his showroom lias suffered terribly. Ho estimates that the showroom stock aloiio was worth £1400, and tho whole of his insurance only totals £1000. Every boot in the showroom, and a ere.it deal of the shop stock, is damaged by the flood of water, while uiucli or it is completely mined. The cauoa of the tire is a mystery. The two-story building is almost completely demolished, aho rear part is burnt clean out. only a few blackened hoards remaining erect, out, ot course, the front is intact. The back portion of Mr. Thacker's shop is rather badly burnt, especially tho roof and coiling, but the shop is hardly touched. Messrs. M'aldegruvo Bros.. aro the owners, and it is underfoot that i hey have as yet no definite plans ior tho ruturo. The insurances on tho stock are as follow Collmson and Ciinningliame, £1050 in the Commercial Union, £750' in tho New Zea'p,"d' office, £000 ui tho Northern. Mr. l,ml oVn ,nsl V,' cd h r . £300 »" tllß Zealand, -3t:o m the AU-ance, and £350 in the CommerciaMJmon. The amounts on the b.iildmg, which belongs to Messrs. Waldegrnve Bros. as. above stated, are; Collinson Jlid Cimmiieliamo's, £100 in the Commercial y 111 !,^ 50 , in th - Now Zealand; Thaclroi s, £400 m the New Zealand.

First Outbreak at Royal Koto!. At 11.10 this morning, another alarm of lire was given, and dense volumes of smoko arising from tlio roof of the ltoyal Hotel loft 110 doubt as to the locality. The brigade wero promptly •on the sccno, and loads of lioso, irom tho back of the hotel and from Kangitikei Street, removed all danger of a coniiagration before the lire got fairly underway, although at tho same timo tho progress madei 111 so short a space was remarkable, liie fire broko out in an unoccupied room in tho rear portion of tho hotel immediately abovo Italianstein 13ros.' premises. Tho room contained unused bedding only, and tho progress mads by tho (lames there was amply demonstrated by tho thoroughly burnt walls and ceiling. After burning through tho door, tlio flames spread along tho passages loading to tho brick portion, tho paper oil tho walls being an ethcient aid to progress. However, the splendid volume of water available, and the well-directed efforts of tho brigade soon removed all danger from fire, though smoke continued to issue from tho roof long after all danger from firo in tlio interior portion of tho building had been removed. Water contributed greatly to the amount of damage done, all tho upstairs portion of tho house suffering from the fiery or tho waterv element.

Half an hour before tho alarm was given the proprietor and Mr. J. M. Johnston walked along tho passage, whoro tho firo commenccd, to got a look at tlio remains of last night's fire. Thero was then no sign of fire, nor was thero any smell of burning. Tho stock in tho Now Zealand Clothing Factory was damaged to a limited extent by tli'o water from tho upstairs promises draining down. However, moat of it was got out of tho way. Last night, whilst tho crowd was busily engaged watching tho firo at Collinson and Cunninghamo's 111 tho samo block, a curtain at ono of tho windows in the commercial room at tho hotel caught firo and blazed up merrily. The hotel doors wero closed, it bring after 11 o'clock, hut they woro promptly ' broken down by spectators, who rushed upstairs and put tho firo out before any damage, except burnt curtains and a charred wall, was done,

Tho Second Outbreak. Tho firoboll again rang just after I o'clock, and again it was discovered that tho li-oyal Hotel was on fire. By tho timo tho biigado arrived tho llames had got a strong hold in tho roof of tho building. Tho bri° gado wore soon at work, and had the water playing strongly on tho building, but the fire had a firm hold, and a great column, of smoUo and fla.mo was soon ascending from tho building, parties of rescuers got. to work mi tho adjacent shops immediately. TJio clothing factory's prcmisesj which aro ineluded in tho building, received prime attention, and a great deal of stock was removed although tho water was pouring down from tho upstairs rooms over tne shop, where tho flames had a pretty strong hold.

11l Rangitikoi Street the premises of Messrs. Gallop (fruitoror), J. T. Burrell (draper), and Bell Bros, (land agents) were most in danger, and largo quantities of stuff were carted away. Tho liro police cleared the stroets closo at hand, but behind tho ropes a largo crowd of spectators watched intensely as tho drama proceeded. Tho firemen fought valiantly, and it seemed that nioro than 01100 they had tho flames under control, but a fresh burst of smoko woulS tell that iha flames had gripped tho old building in another part, and tho seeno of action would bo removed. Just after 2 o'clock tho front' portion of tho roof fell in, and the volume of smoko subsided in that quarter, but at tlio samo time, » great column rose in tho hack of tho building. At half-past 2, however, the fire appeared to bo well undor control. At that time all tho front portion of tho first floor had fallen in, and a part of tho wing facing llangitikei Street had been attacked, but the flames were extinguished. It was at the hack portion near where the firo briginated during the morning that tho brigade had tho most work. There tho flames, got on tho roof un. dor tho iron, and, though there did not appear to bo much to burn, still the conflagration, judging by tho red hot iron on tho roof, was ragmg fiercely. Presently tho iron commcnccd to collapse, and then tho flames shot out with renewod vigour in the openings between tho iron. Well-directed streams of .water were kept on the spot, both from ill", side and also from tho roof of tho Rangitikoi Street wing, and they soon had an apprcciable effect, though the dense volumes of smoke that enshrouded everything and bio*' about in tho fresh broezo proventcd an a<* curate idea being gained of tho actual stats of tho fire. Insurances on Hotel. • ' Out in tho streets large numbers were busily engaged getting away tho stock from tho shop in tho Squaro wing, and also from the llangitikei Street side. Piles of goods were taken away from the shops, but some of the proprietors hung on till the last, and had not removed their goods at 2.30 p.m. By 3 o'clock,_ however, danger was practically over. Tho ruined building still continued to bo flooded with water, and it now presents a sorry sight. Tho downstairs portion is intact, but upstairs all is chaos. Tho brigade fought pluckily, and the crowd watched admiringly as thoso grimy and wet firemen stood up to tho flames in their fierce and uneveft contest. On the hotel tho Now Zealand office holds tho main risk, £2000 on the wooden portion, and £2000 on tho brick part. There is also a risk on tho wooden structure of £500, hole* by the Liverpool, London ; and Globo. Tin latter company are also liable for llio hotel furniture to the extent of £1500. In the Clothing Factory stock the Royal is the principal company concerned, holding a risk for £1250, whilo the Commercial Union is responsible for £500. The State office is liable for £100 on Mr. Gallop's stock of fruit, and, so far as can bo ascertained, theso aro tho only companies likely to ho affected.