FILL IN PRINCES STREET.

Dunstan Times, Issue 638, 10 July 1874, Page 3

FILL IN PRINCES STREET.

—o— A destructive fire broke out at about one o’clock on Saturday moruiug last iu the premises of Mr A. R. Hay, draper, Princes street, Dunedin, two doors from the Octagon. We understand that the lire was discovered some eight or ten minutes before the bells rang, hut as soon as the alarm was sounded, the Brigade, under the command of Captain Wain, was on the spot. The firemen deserve every credit for their promptness, for within seven minutes of the first ringing of the hell they had a hydrant directed on the fire at the hack of the premises. In a few mimits more two other hoses were brought to hear in from, and a largo body of police, in charge of suh-Inspector Mallard, kept a wide space clear to enable the firemen to work without interference. When first the water was brought to play, dense clouds of smoke wore issuing from the roof of Mr Hay’s place, and it appeared almost certain that Messrs Hogg and Hatton’s premises, at the corner of Princes street and the Octagon, would he destroyed. At one time when the flames began to issue from the roof of Mr Hay’s shop, the -next house no doubt was in dangei, hut so active were the members of the Brigade iu making the host use of the good supply of water at their command, that the tire was »ooa subdued, and prevented from spreading beyond the premises where it originated. From what we could see, the whole of the inside of Mr Hay’s building has been destroy ed—the shop and its coutcuts, the workroom and other rooms. Messrs Hogg and Hutton did not suffer by fire, hut we hear that a considerable portion of their stock has been damaged by water. The shop on the north side of Mr Hay’s, Messrs Herbert, Haynes and Co. was not damaged, but had not the fire been so quickly subdued, there is no doubt that it would have suffered. Within half an hour of the time of the first ringing of the firebell, there was scarcely a spark to be seen, and the large Jerowd that collected when the fire broke out dispersed. As tar as we could learn, no one slept on Mr Hay’s premises, and no reliable account could he got of the origin of tho fire. It was stated that some fire had been left on the premises in a Stiff a, but we only give this statement for what it is worth. Whatever -damages Messrs Hogg and Hutton have suffered is covered by {a policy of insurance for 1,0001. with the Norwich Union Company. Mr Hay was not at the fire, and was not sent for until it had been extinguished.

"W ilh regard to the origin of the fire, a subsequent examination was made by the police, in the presence of Mr Hay, and is attributed to the defective construction of a lire-place, at -the north-west angle of the building, where a fire had been burning during the day. M r Hay, who with the porter, was the last to leave the premises shortly after six o’clock, has no recollection of the lire being put" out. This fireplace had not been long re-set, in consequence of it nearly engendering a conllagiation some time ago. The insurance policies were—Australian Reliance, on stock, 1,000/. ; Victorian do., 1,000/. ; Liverpool, London and Globe do, on building, 1,000/. London and Lancashire do, doubtful, 600/. on building. The alarm was given by Con stable Watt, who bad his attention attracted by the crackling noise.—Daily Times.