FIRES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1067, 6 October 1882, Page 3

FIRES.

To the courte.-y of .Mr. Inspector Hickson we are indebted for tbe following information concerning the late fires. On S.iturlay aft no m last, the 30th ult., about 3.30, a four loomed wood and iron cottage and contents, situate in Tunis street, Cromwell, belonging to the estate of G. W. Goodger, occupied by Mrs McGill, was to tally destroyed by fire. It appears that, about half an hour l.efo e the fire broke out Mrs McGill left the house, leaving a fire in the kitchen stove and soma clothes in front of it drying; and it is supposed, as tbs wind was blowing half a lui'iicane at the time, that some of the clothes were first ignited and thus caused (be fire. Tbe house and furniture were worth about £l7O, and were uninsured. Mrs McGil.’s i Soots, con sistiug of her own and children's clothing, were also destoyed. The only thing saved was a half burnt purse containing 6 pou id notes, 3 of which, however, are scarcely distinguishable. On Sunday morning, th 1 ' Ist last,, about 1130 a.m., the Blacks Hotel, Ophir, the property ot Mr W. J. Mclntosh, iogetber with tbe valuable furniture and contents, we e completely destroyed by fire ; the dire agent doing its wo k so completely and rapi lly that within half an hour of the first alarm the ody vestiges remaining of what was one of the most comfortable hostleries in the upcoun-’iy districts were a stonewall an 1 a couple of chimneys. Constable Bell, who was the first, to discover the lire, reports that, he saw sn.oko issuing from the roof, and at once opened the door of tbe front par'or, and from lh -re went to one of the bedrooms leading off' the pallor, and saw the back part of the ceidng in flames. He then went tlnongh the bouse givi ig the alarm ; but the dimes spread so rapidly he was unab'e to save any of l he property. Toe kitchen, which had a abme wall and '-as to the windward of the building, was, together vvirh its contents, saved, as was also a fen her bed that one of the servant gir s to dt out on the fiist alarm being made. Mr Mclntosh also managed to secure b>s ea»h box, containing all mt £6O. and Ins bo ks ; and one of the girls sued eded in getting In r b.-x out of one of the windows. A few oases of beer in the cellar also escaped do struction. 'lr Mi Intosh <’stiina'es the building to hj ive been worth l 60(1, which was insured f.r £.300 in the Colonial ; an the fanituie and other things at 1.700 which were not insured ; his Ins=, therefore, is somewhat about I 80d. Mr Edwin I’yik traveller for llormi an I Co, Dune lin, was staving in the house at the time and ma mined to secure Ms portmanteau aiulsampU ags, bn lost his ruber tilings, Mr MeKenow, agent < f. be Colonial hank in Ophir. . and who was lodging in the hotel, sav d his iiortmanti-au, but lust his watch and cloth ing. All agree in -aymg the fl ones spread with amazingrapiditv, and ihat the bea’ was °o intense that af'er a few minutes i w is impossih c to go near to save anything I'he Is<to Mr Mcln oh is a severe me ; the more so considering lliat he. was bin lit oit on'y R"ine three yea's years ago and was Imt. just b ginning to make headway after his p cvious loss. Th ire is no to in as to how the ti u o igitia'e I, but it is as sinned that a spans from one of the ihoe fires that were alight in the house at tin tune must have found its way under ih roof and set lire to the bui ding. On the same afternoon, shortly after 2 p. m , Ryan’s Bemligo Hotel, Ophir, which was opposite to the one destroyed. caught fire under the sill of ono of the windows, bat bein' noticed just as it started hy one of Mr. Ryan's daughters, Alice, who with great presence of mind threw some wat<*r on the btt-ning part, it was, with s me assistance, pur. our. before more than £5 worth of damage had been done. Tins property is ■insured for £230 in the National. It is thought the fiie was caused by some sparks or a piece of burning rag being blown over from the tiro in too morning and lodgi ig un er th ■ sill, which had Mon all the lime qnicily doing its w rk uinil its discovery.