FIRE AT THE EMPIRE HOTEL.

Evening Star, Issue 2832, 16 March 1872, Page 2

FIRE AT THE EMPIRE HOTEL.

What threatened at one time to he a very serious fire broke out in the Empire Hotel, High street, last evening. The presence of tire in the building was fancied, so we are info r med, some time before it was actually detected ; but the circumstance was not mentioned to anyone, nor did the person who is said to have thought she smelt tire make any effort to discover whether or not her fears were groundless. At about twenty-five minutes past seven o’clock, N iss Emily Dryden, the barmaid, discovered that a closet on the top of a stair leading from the main passage of the hotel was on tire. In this closet were kept the stores of the hotel and general lumber. With commendable presence of mind, Miss Dr'yden closed the closet door, and gave the alarm to Mr Scott, the manager of the hotel, who, on reaching the lire, found the flames issuing from beneath the closet door. Getting some basins of water from the adjoining bedrooms, Mr Scott threw the contents under the door, and went in search of buckets; but before doing so gave instructions that the closet door should not be opened. In his absence some neighbors found their way to the room, and in their anxiety to put out the fire did the very thing which helped to feed it—-viz., throwingopen the door, and letting the air fan the flames, while they had no meausat hand to check them. Of course when Mr Scott returned with some buckets of water and assistance he saw at a glance that he could not cope with the fire, as it had then got a fair hoM of the building. He is convinced, however, that had not the door been opened, and a hose been at hand, the fire would have been got under without difficulty. By this time the people about the hotel and neighbourhood Knew what bad happened, and at-

teutiou was directed to saving what furniture and valuables it was possjiraeto Tpm'okeC, Smoke was now seen t > bo roof, but it was mistaken by' persons at a distance for a chimney fire; hence the delay in ringing the bell. The fire had been raging for seven or eight minutes after its discovery, ' when the alarm was rung from the tower. It was then sounded by a young volunteer— John Major, a High school cadet—whose conduct is entitled to all praise, and contrasts very markedly with that of some men whose assistance he afterwards invoked; young Major, not knowing how to enter the tower, climbed by the guy rope to the first lauding, and, ascending the ladder, reached the bell, which he tolled for a considerable period Getting tired of his work, he called upon two men who were passing to relieve him, and we are informed the reply was ‘ ‘ Oh, let the lire rip.” We suppose the boy is entitled to some reward, and his conduct richly deserves recognition. It was with all possible promptness, after the bell bad rung, that the brigade, with their gear, were on the spot, and the fixing of three hydrants was only the work of a few moments. The flames had now got a firm hold of the upper part of the building, and were quickly spreading, either on the one or the other side, as the fitful wind blowing at the time would carry them. Crash went the glass in the front windows, through which one jet played ; another hose was carried down the rightofway alongside the City Company’s premises, and a third wiis brought up a right-of-way off Rattray street, with such a stream of water bearing on the fire as was poured in at these three points—and with the wind in their favor, it was easy to see that the Brigade would soon obtain the mastery—inde id there is good reason for believing that the fire would have been got under sooner than it was, but for the frequent and serious burstings of the hose, which necessitated the water being turned off at least three times. Eh pmsant, we would suggest that the authorities should lose no time in seeing that the hose is properly repaired, if the Corporation is not in a position to buy new where required. Within forty minutes from the alarm being given, the fire was completely got under ; and it was almost wholly confined to the building in which it originated. It never reached the City Company’s shop, and barely touched Mr Fraser’s the saddler, and the offices above. The whole of the upper portion of the hotel is destroyed, but the lower portion is onlv partly damaged; while the large billioulroom at the rear is totally uninjured. Some idea of the stream of water that was poured into the building may be gathered from the fact that Avheu the lower part of the hotel was entered last evening, there were a couple of inches of water in some of the rooms. Mr Dodson, the proprietor of the hotel, was at Port Chalmers when the fire broke out, and reached town when it was nearly extinguished.. Hiss loss is fully covered by insurance—his interest in the lease, and stock, &c., being insured in the New Zealand office for LIOOO, and in the Royal for another LIOOO. The building, which belongs to the trustees of the late Mr Bowler, is insured iu the Australian Alliance office for L4OO, and for a like sum in the Victoria Insurance Company. The tenants of the adjoining properties suffered merely by hasty removal and damage done to goods by water; and with one exception they are only losers to a trivial extent. The exception is Mr Hugh Fraser ; and avc regret to learn he is a heavy loser from the above causes. His losses Avill be easily understood when the perishable nature of his stock is consid red ; and we are informed they are estimated at over L2OO. He is toally uninsured, and his friends, we hear, contemplate to take some steps to assist him. Should such a thing be done, we have no doubt that auv appeal made to the public Avill be liberally responded to, as Mr Fraser has always been ready himself to assist those in need. The origin of the fire is unknoAvn. One part in connection with the fire should not be overlooked, the police succeeded in keeping the ground clear, to that the Fire Brigade Avere enabled to exert themselves without interruption from bystanders, and by their firm conduct in this respect contributed much to its rapid extinction.