FIRE IN GEORGE STREET.

Evening Star, Issue 3090, 14 January 1873, Page 2

FIRE IN GEORGE STREET.

At a quarter past five o’clock this morning a fire broke out on the premises of Mr Thos. George, lithographer, George street, and four doors from the Octagon, and fanned by the strong north-westerly wind that blew the greater portion of the time during which it raged, spread with alarming rapidity, resulting in the total destruction of two shops and a dwelling house on the one side, and the partial burning and complete gutting of three shops on the other side of the s-reet. Though the fire was discovered at the hour before mentioned, some seven or eight minutes elapsed before the alarm was rung from the tower. This arose from the fact of the tower being untenanted, West, the watchman, having left at his usual hour, five o’clock; but be had not got turther than Rattray street when he heard the cry of fire, and returned with due speed to the tower, and rang the bell. When our reporter reached the scene of the fire, it had fairly broken out in front of Mr George’s premises, and the flames were taking a quick hold of those of Mr Robson. The heat was then very great, and it was a matter of difficulty to approach the burning buildings. The people in the vicinity were devoting their attention to the buildings on the opposite side of the street, as all attempts to save anything from any of the premises, but the Hibernian Hotel, at the corner, which was separated from Gilchrist’s by s uue twelve feet of a yard, had some time before pro red useless. At Keligher’s Hotel a serviceable little hose was employed in keeping the front of the house cool, and afterwards and with effect until the heat became unbearable, in preventing Coventry’s shop from igniting. By the time the Brigade’s hose-reel was fixed in position—and we may here observe that the Brigade mustered very promptly—the fire was making a clean sweep of Gilchrist’s, the painter, and bad swept clean across the street, first communicating with the shop of Mrs Algie, the fancy goods in which soon burst into a blaze. They there made quick headway, and spread to Mr Coventry’s, on the one side, and to the shop of Mr Bacon, bootmaker, on the other. The heat before very great, was now intense, as the fire had cot hold of some 150 gallons of turpemine stored in Mr Gilchrist’s, and these bursting carried a large body of dense smoke and flame across the street. The Brigade quickly got two branches into position in the Octagon, and directed them on to the Hibernian Hotel, the saving of whkh then appeared problematical, and two in George street, which played alternately on Mr Gilchrist’s, and ou the shops of Mrs Algie and < oventry. Asamatter of course there were the inevitable burstings of the hose, which were very annoying, and at one time threatened to militate against the Brigade’s efforts to save the Hiberni.-.n, but to counteract those mishaps, there was a lull in the wind, which was very serviceable. All further cause - of danger on the opposite site of the street having been removed, all the branches were tu nod on Gilchrist’s, which continued to burn fiercely, and in a very few minutes afterwards the fire was comp etely got under. The origin of the fire is a mystery, and the discovery of it uncertain. Constable Hartnett, who was on duty at the corner of George street and Moray place, had his attention attracted by dense smoke issuing from the premises of Mr George, and when he arrived opposite them flames were coming through the front door. There were then in the street three boys, two of whom the constable despatched to ring the firebelle. Mr George aud Mr Cidaroni, and the two last-mentioned and the c-mstable alarmed the neighbors. Mr George himielf had just the moment before come into the street, having then discovered the tire. He. it appears, had been at his shop last night preparing some work of an urgent charact< r, on which his sons were to be employed this mominv, but on returning to his house, in Upper Russell street, found lie had forgotten to take his key from his pocket, discovering which he determined to go down to his shop early in the morning ; and this he did, arriving there at 4.30 a.m. Having occasion to go downstairs from the type-room, he smelt fire, and on g'dng into the press-room be saw the ceiling of it was on fire. He at once ran into the street, and then saw that the covered entrance which separated his premies from those of Mr Robson was on fire, and that the flames were spreading quickly to the latter’s hue He then aroused the inmates, who had only time to escape with the things they stood in. Their idea, as expressed to our reporter, was that the flames had then a good hold of George’s sho ■, and were just bursting through the passage which separated the two premises. Mr George is positive that no fire was used on bis premises that morning or the day previous. The losses aud amount of insurances are thus estimated :Mr George, premises and stock totally consumed, values his stock at over L4OO ; had a policy of insurance on it in the Roy al for L 250 ; policy expiring March 30 next; premises owned by Mr Gilchrist, and iusired, —Robson, tailor, uninsured.—Mr Robson was not at home when the fire broke out, and his family and the lodger in the house, as has been stated, were unable to save anything. Mr Robson’s loss is L2OO, and he is uninsured. This is the second time hj i has lost by fire in the same ocality. One of his lodgers, a man named Young, who intended to take out his passage for England to-day, not only lost his eff cts. but also a sum of money which he had placed in one of his coats. Th; premises, the property of Mr Gilchrist, together with those occupied by Mr George, were insured in the Victoria office for L 350 Gilchrist, painter.—Valus of stock in October last, L 2.100, and since increased to the extent of LGOO, insured in the Royal for L2O », and for L4OO in the Victoria ; building owned by himself, uninsured, Carroll, Hibernian Hotel, suffers conMuerably by the too hasty removal of his stock and furniture.—John Coventry, tinsmith, has a policy of L2OO in the New Zealand office, on the buddings occupied by himself and Mrs Algie ; but his stock, which was greatly damaged, is uninsured. -Mrs Algie’s loss is considered to be covered by a policy of insurance for L 125 in the Royal. —Bacon, bootmaker, adjoining Mrs Algie’s, estimates the damage to his stock at L2and was uninsured. The shop belongs to Mr Cunningham, Tokomairiro.—George Munro, of the monumental works, adjoining George's premises, had a quantity of marble stones broken and otherwise injured, but does not state bis loss.