FIRE IN THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 5

FIRE IN THE CITY.

BOARDINGHOUSE GUTTED. NARROW ESCAPE OF INMATES. CHOCOLATE FACTORY DAMAGED. A flro broke out just after ono o'clock this morning in Mr. William Brown's boardinghouse, in Taranaki Place, which runs between Taranaki Street and Cuba Street. Tho building, of two storks, wood in front and brick behind, was completely gutted, some of the inmates having a narrow escape from the flames. Au adjoining building on tho east side, occupied by Messrs. John Rigg and Co., merchants and importers, and used by Messrs. R. A. Cooper, Ltd., wae seriously damaged by tho fire. A second boardingliouso on tho west side, Mrs. Watson's Shamrock Cafe, was saved by tho efforts of tho firo brigade, after tho proprietress and boarders had made an alarmed and hasty exit. A etroiig and gusty south wind wae blowing when the fire broke out, and, as many of tho buildings in the neighbourhood nro old and closely grouped, it scorned as if widespread • damage miglit bo done, The brigade, howover, wore quickly on the scene, and well directed volumes from their plant had a re- ■ straining influence on the ilames, though from tho first the fate of Mr. Brown's building was hopeless. A couplo of right-of-ways run- ! ning into tho block gave closo access to tho brigade, and assisted to prevent the flames from spreading. Before two o'clock tho out- ' break was well under controlj and tho occu- • pants of Mrs. Watson's boardingliouso and of i an adjacent laundry wore ablo to breathe freely. Mrs Watson's premises, containing 42 bedrooms, wero only slightly damaged by smoke and water, and tho laundry was not reached by x tho fire. Tho wooden front portion of Mr. Brown's promises and also tho Shamrock board'iighousc were very old buildings, but Mr. Iliggs's building, used 83 a chocolate and confectionery factory, was a nower structure, occupying tho site on which I tho Church of Christ formerly stood. Tho ' flames gained a considerable grip, upon tbo > factory, and caused considerable damage before they woro subdued.

Mrs. Watson, the proprietress, was tho first to notice the Bmcll of sraoko in-tho Shamrock i boardinghousc. Flinging on a clonk, she ' rushed through tho promise's and roused the startled boarders, who wero speedily outsido in tho street, It was not a ) comfortablo season to turn out thus suddenly, with tho rain driving angrily, and tho wind bitterly told, and the ovicted boarders were ;' glad of tho kindly shelter of neighbouring verandah roofs. / Brown's boardinghousc is a popular resort ! for wharf labourers aJid seafaring men, and last evening there wero between thirty and forty men deeping on tho premises. The fire, ' which appears to have started somewhere in tho vicinity of the dining-room on tho ground floor, was first noticed from tho adjoining boardinghouse, and tho alarm quickly given. At that time, however, the flames had secured a good hold, and were spreading so rapidly under the fanning of a fierce wind that tho occupants of tho house had only ono thought—to escape in the speediest possiblo time. Tho result was a pell-mell rush for the street without heed to personal effects and belongings. AH'got out safely, with ono exception—a boarder named Jack Smallridgo. this man occupied a room in tho upper portion of the house, and in tho excitement of the moment made an impetuous rush for tho flro oscapo, with ovil results to himself. ' Whether he leapt to tho ground or overbal- ,, anoed is not quite clear, but ho fell a die- ■ tance of some 20 feet, fortunately landing on Mb feet, At first it appeared that ho had escaped quite unhurt. Ho continued to stand about for a little time, but as tho excitement wore off he collapsed from shock. Tho boarders at Brown's lost everything. ' At 2 a.m. they were standing about, under sheltering verandahs in little groups, disconsolately comparing notes as to their respective losses, or occasionally venturing out into the pelting rain to watch tho efforts of tho brigade to chock the spread of the fire. They woro conscious of the fact that but for tho first hasty dash for safety much of their 'belong-'' ings might havo been saved, for tho outlets from the building were accessible for somo timo after the place had been vacated. Mrs. Brown, who conducts the establishment, is aaicl to be on her way from Auckland to Wellington. The boardinghouse is stated to havo contained sixty rooms. Tho front portion of the building was of wood, and lias been gutted, while the back part was of brick, and so far as could bo won has not been seriously damaged.

In connection with tho accident to the man Smnllridgo, a woman from one of tho boardinghoußos did a very fino thing, The man was lying stretched out on the pavement be- ', neatlia verandah in Cuba Street.. He was ■ barefooted and lightly clad, and although sonic attempt had been made to make him comfortable ho was plainly suffering much from cold, as well as from the shock of livs fall. The woman mentioned saw this, and * going into a doorway took off her own stockings', and insisted on the man's fric-udn nutting them'on him. Not an action which would appeal to- everyone, perhaps, but a kind one. ■ •■ - It was a bitterly cold morning, with a polting southerly rain, which damped the ardour of even the most onthuM.iistic sightseers. 'Die police were present in exceptional force, and made themselves useful in various ways. Tho insurances on tho buildings damaged were not ascertainablo this morning. Soino men, who wore working in the tramshed t\t Mansfield Strcot at 1.30 yesterday mornins, noticed a fire in a two-storied building in Hiudiford Street. They at onco got out the hoso-roel from tho i ow station at the entrance to the carshed, avid got n jot of water on to the (lames, The fire brigade was on the spot in quick time, and soon had the fire under. Tho outbreak had its .origin in a room on tho ground floor, where paper, scales, etc., were fctorcd. The building and its contents) wero considerably .damaged. Mr. W. Deakin, pork butcher, occupied the building, which was owned by the Staples Brewery Company. Tho contents wcer insured in the United Company's office for .£l5O, and tho building itself Was covered for .C3OO in tho Atlas Company. Tho fire this morning affords another illustration, of the necessity of a good reliable safe. All documents awl valuables placed in Chubb iuid Sons' safes are safe, either from' fire or the burglar. Mr. James Dykes (of Gualtcr, Dykes, and Company) is attorney in New Zealand for Chubb's Australian Co., Ltd.—Advt.