DISASTROUS FIRS AT DANNEVIEE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 24, 23 October 1917, Page 6

DISASTROUS FIRS AT DANNEVIEE

RAGING GALE PANS THE FLAMES

BUSINESS BLOCK PRACTICALLY WIPED OUT

TWO HOTELS iGONE

LOSSES ESTIMATED TO REACH

£200,000

By Telegraph—Press Association. Dannevirke, October 22. Dannevirke will have good cause to long remember Labour Day of 1917. A most disastrous fire devastated the heart of tho commercial area, which is now a sceno of desolation, only brick walls and gannt chimney-stacks indicating where the business of the place flourished. The blow to tho town is a most disastrous one, as, apart from the structures and stock destroyed, hundreds of employees will bo thrown out-of work and great dislocation in business must ensue before tho loss can be made good. '

OUTBREAK AT ANDREWS'S HOTEL, The town fire-bell was to have been given a trial ring at 6.30 p.m., structural alterations to the tower having just been completed, but four hours earlier it was given an urgent test on account of an outbreak in Andrews's Hotel, an immense old wooden structure, situated on the corner of High and Station Streets. It was one of the relics of the days whon coaches played their part in the through trip to Wellington. A westerly gale was blowing, and thiß fanned tho flames from the rear of tho hotel, and within threo minutes tho whole of the upper portion was wrapped in flames, which were licking up greedily everything in their path. | The occupants of the place barely had | time to make their exit, and some of the housemaids had to bo rescued from tho balconies. THE FIRE SPREADS. Though tho brigade was early at work, their primitive appliances and the gigantic nature of tho conflagration made their efforts appear puny. Within a few minutes the whole place was a holocaust. Flames jumped tho wido street to tho Dannevirke Co-op. Association's big storehouse, opposite Andrews's Hotel, and soon this was a roaring inferno, endangering also tho Club Hotel, facing tho railway station. Fortunately the wind was blowing away from this hotel, and, tliough it was in grave danger for a time, it i cscaped.

Not so tho Masonic Hotel, anothor ancient wooden landmark on tho east side of High Street. This caught as tho flames from Miller's shop spread north and south, and soon both sides of the main thoroughfaro wore being demolished with incredible rapidity. Despite tho efforts of the fire-fightera the flames spread east and west and north and south,

The Dannevirke Gas Company's gasometers, on the section in the rear of the Masonic. Hotel, were right within the danger zone, the fences all round being destroyed. But the flames were kept back from the gasometers. A THREE HOURS' BATTLE, The firo started 6liortly aftor 2 o'clock, and it was well on towards 5 o'clock before it could bo said that the Dannevirke and Woodville Brigades had got the upper hand. Even then the danger was not ali over, huge masses of burning debris being visible in all directions.

■ There was no loss of life and no serious accidents. Places not far from tho'scene of tho conflagration were salvaged by hundreds of onlookers. It was the busiest Labour Day the helpers ever put in. Furniture, drapery, crockery—in faot, an unimaginable collection of articles of all descriptions littered the thoroughfares and highways and byways within half a mile from the blaze.

Dannovirke has undoubtedly received a terrific commercial blow. An estimate of tho loss is absolutely impossible at present, but it will run probably into the vicinity of .£2oo,ooo—if not more.

THE PLACES DESTROYED. Tho places destroyed, all being practically a total loss, were as follow:— Andrews's Hotol. Harris and Son, livery stables. John P. Engclbretsen, draper. Theodore Wysocke, tailor. Richard Roake, auctioneer. Leo Wong, laundry. ~ Dannovirke Co-op. Association, Ltd. Arthur Henry Hill, tobacconist. Peter J. Nyrnand, jeweller. Rosse, tailor. Thos. J. Flynn, bootmaker. B. O. Thomsen, hairdresser. Edward E. Prior, chemist. James Neagle, motor importer. Rose, Ltd., auctioneers, etc. John Porcival Dodds, music ftore. Lucy Miller, confectioner. Lionel P. Bartlett, bookmaker. Drummond, Hodder and Co., ironmongers. Georgo L. Bartlett, hairdresser and tobacconist. C. Hooper, hairdresser and tobacconist. Arthur C. Webber, booksellir. George A. Charman, restaurateur. Malcolm M'Callum, watchmaker. Masonic Hotel. Quiug Keo and Co., fruiterers. Armstrong and Morrison, drapers. Dannovirke and Herbertvillo Coaching Company. Collett and Son, ironfoundry.

LOSSES EXCEED INSURANCES. In addition to these, sample rooms and outbuildings of all descriptions were added to tho flames, and oven tho roadway took fire. Tho Danncvirko Co.-op. Aesociation were probably the biggest losers. •The stock, valued at present'prices, represents approximately a loss of £50,00 ft, vhiio the insurance is about J!25,0(l0. This firm employed 70 hands. Andrews's Hoii.-!. owned by Messrs. Andrews and Mrs. Lavelle, was insured, but the amount has not yet been asceitaincd. The Masonic Hotel, owned by the Allardice Estate, is also insured, but tho details aro not known. Most of the other places wero insured, and also the stocks, tho policies running into many thousands. Practically all' the insurance companies have been heavily hit, while tho Igss is many thousands in excess cf the insurances. Two out of the lour hotels were burned; threo out of tho four tobacconists, and there is practicilly only ono grocery business of any size left. Business must bo greatly dislocated. Tho losses aro doubly big on account of' the shops being heavily stocked in view of the Christmas trade, and somo of Hie 6u(Eerorß will be iiwmfiially ruijxed.