GREAT FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3049, 26 November 1872, Page 3

GREAT FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

EATER PARTICULARS. (From the Southern Cross, November 20.) It appears that about haif-p;*ot eleven o’clock at night smoke was observed issuing from the lower portion of the brick stove occupied by Mr Frank Scherff, next Messrs E, and H. Isaacs’ store, Fort street. Ihe reflection of a tire burning brightly within was also shown upon the fanlight over the door. The person who observed this nnmodiately gave the alarm, crying “ lire. A very foolish thing was done by a bystander who rushed up and smashed in one of the windows of Mr Scheldt s store. The Are, although burning fiercely inside, was to a meat extent stifled 'by its own smoke, but the current thus lot in upon \t fanned the flames and showed the true extent of the hold already taken upon the building, it was evident, from the fact that smoke issued from the roof along the whole .ongth of the buildings, thatthetiremust havebeenburning a considerable time before it was discovered. The heat was so intense that it was impossible to approach nearer the but mug building than the middle of the road, consequently the water fell considerably short of where it should have reached in order to have had the greatest possible elfect in extinguishing the flames. A most unseembly squabble arose between Mr Matthews and Mr Asher, the superintendents of the rival brigades. Orders were given by one and countermanded by the other, the crowds cheering and jeering at the bandying of words that ensued, i he ram appeared up to their work, which was interrupted by the disagreement of their officers. . At half-past |2 the cry was raised that the Custom-house had caught. Several ineffectual attempts were made to lit up the ladders, but in vain The bidders were not made to fit into the tops of each other by Joints or other means as they should have been. The firemen seemed to be paralysed by the magnitude of the disaster. The branches would not throw water the requisite height, and difficulties increased as time advanced. Ten minutes later the whole range or brick buildings between Messrs E and H. Isaac s stoics and the lane running along tho side of Mr J. Craig’s coal-yard was in one solid flame Shortly after tins a portion of the Se end of Mr Hucholz’s store fell outwards with a fearful crash, i'ortunate y the police had anticqntcd this event for sometime, and prevented tbepeoule gathering in the lane. Had this not been done an awful sacrifice of life would probably have; oemu red. At 0.45 a.oj., when Liudiulas bond had

caught fire, a species of paralysis appeared to have seized hold of all concerned, and the feeble squirting of water at this time was of no avail whatever. The spirits in Bin holz’s premises now caught fire, and flames of the fiercest description ascended in the midnight sky. Ihe hungry tongues seemed to lick the very air dry, and one felt as if parched even at a considerable distance from the burning budding. But when the flames leaped across the street and seized the Post Office and adjoining buildings, the scene was one only witnessed on rare occasions. It was impossible to say where the fire would end, and there was a fear prevalent that squares of buildings had yet to be burnt. The culminating point of the fire was when the vv< oden portions of the roof of the Government Buildings, which, when standing, formed the feature of the conflagration,_ fell in, a cloud of sparks ascending which filled the air, and rendered the scene one almost of magnificence.