YESTERDAY’S NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3140, 13 March 1873, Page 2

YESTERDAY’S NEWS.

EXTENSIVE FIRE.

The sonorous tones of the central flre-bell rang out the alarm for a tire in Bell Ward, at about? ten minutes past midnight, and the appeai’ance of flames in the direction of the Distillery gave a pretty good idea of its locality/ From the Octagon, or the high ground overlooking George street, the exact spot must have been at once seen, for the flames appear to have lirst showed on that side of the buildings which were destroyed, and had attained considerable strength almost immediately after the first alarm was sounded. The scene of the tire was Messrs Gibbs and Clayton’s window, sash, and door factory, in Cumberland street, and right opposite the Distillery. Where the tire broke out is uncertain. The general opinion appeared to be that it must have been close to the engine-room ; on the other hand, there were people, who were early on the ground, who say that the flames were strongest in what was the factory proper, and they incline to the belief that it originated amongst the shavings about the saw benches on the ground floor. One of the earliest, if not the earliest person to see the lire was Clark, the watchman of the Distillery. It is his custom to make rounds of the premises ho has charge of at stated intervals during the night; and, in accordance with that custom, he commenced his examination of the Distillery, inside and outside, at twenty minutes to twelve, and had completed it about midnight. He was agaiu inside the Distillery yard, near the offices, when he observed what he took to be a thin veil of smoke rising above the large gate between the brick drying rooms and the iron building, which forms the malting room and the spirit store, and which is the principal entrance to the works. It was then, he thinks, about three minutes past twelve. To make sure, he walked up to the gate, and then observed that Gibbs and Clayton s establishment was enveloped in smoke, which was coming out in thick volumes from the south-western end of the roof, and that a slight flame showed itself on the Octagon side of tho building. He at once raised an alarm and woke up the manager and Distillery hands. It was while he was doing so that the fire-bell rang. No time was lost in getting the hose fixed on to the Company’s hyd.ra.nt, a,rui in. a. very short space of time 3k strong jet was playing on the building. But this was only misdirected energy, for the inflammable nature of the material in itreudered it a sheer impossibility to stop the progress of the flames. Then the Distillery servants did what was next best: opened a plug ready for the Fire Brigade, and turned their hose on to their own iron building, which was in considerable danger, and smoked greatly. If that had gone there would have been a serious fire indeed, for at one end of it there were barrels upon barrels of spirits. The Brigade were quickly on the spot, and in a very short time had eight branches playing on the flames, which by this time had extended themselves to the adjoining buildings, Messrs Gibbs and Claytons being fairly enveloped. The heat was great on all sides, but on the Cumberland street side it was intense. There the men with the Distillery hose had to be covered with sacks and dousedjwith water. Within twenty minutes from the first alarm, the adjoining tub and bucket factory of Messrs Spicer and 00., the turnery establishment belonging to Mr Kendal, and the bone-mill of Messrs Goldsmith and Go , were beyond the power of saving, and the Brigade directed its energies to confining the flamea within the liuiti

described. But previous to this, the flames stretched northward, licking up the cottages occupied by Messrs Wilkinson and Gorman. The occupiers, however, had already cleared out their furniture and effects. The Brigade succeeded in saving a portable engine standing close by, and other property. Within three-quarters of an hour, the tire was got under, and all danger was past. The Fire Brigade deserve the utmost praise for the energetic and systematic manner in which they worked. We have not been able to get a correct list of the losses, but believe Messrs Gibbs and Clayton estimate theirs—which represent building, stock in it, and machinery, (hardly any of the stacked timber was burnt)—at about L6,00f1, of which L 4,000 (which is scarcely the value of the machinery alone) is covered by insurance —LI,OOO in the New Zealand, LI,OOO in the Victoria, and the balance in the Scottish Commercial and another office, the name of which we do not recollect. FURTHER PARTICULARS. The enquiries of the Police tend to show that the first person to discover the fire was a Mrs Gorman, who resides in the twostorey dwelling-house adjoining Gibbs and Clayton’s. Her attention was attracted by the roaring of the flames, which was before the fire-bell rang. She went into the side of her house, nearest the factory, and shouted “fire.” She saw no one about, till a man, named Wilkinson, who lived next door, came out. He was awakened by her cries. He rushed into Cumberland street, to Mr Gibb’s residence, where he got the factory keys, in order to save the hooks and safe in the office. The fire was then confined to the back and interior of the building. This Wilkinson was the last person to leave the premises on Wednesday, having locked them up between half past five and six o’clock at night. The engineer states that he left the premises in their usual condition at the hour mentioned by Wilkirso", that he put the damper down, banked up the fires, and shut the boiler furmce door, leaving nothing that he believes could take fire. The only probable solution of the cause of the fire is furnished by Mr Clayton, who thinks the heating of a “journal” of one of the shafts of the machinery occasioned it. The man Wilkinson, and another of the factory hands, who were very early at the fire, say it must have originated near the boiler at the rear of the building, which is borne out by the statement of the Distillery watchman. The following is the eorrect list of the losses ; Gibbs and Clayton : Mill and machinery, L 4.000; stock in mill, consisting of doors and sashes, &c, L 1,500 ; loss of rent from steam power, L 4,500. Total, L 0,950. W. Asher and Co., about L 250. Spicer and Co., LSOO. Rendall and Co., LBOO. Goldsmith and Co., L2O. Total, L 7.520. The insurances are: On Gibbs and Clayton’s—South British, LI,OOO ; New Zealand, LI,OOO ; Victoria, LSOO ; Scottish Commercial, L 50 0; Norwich Union, LSOO. These Comp mies had LIOO of the L 350 risk on a small cottage at the rear of the factory which was destroyed. Asher and Co. —New Zealand Co., L 2,000. Spicer and Co.—New Zealand, L 450. Goldsmith and Co,—Victoria Co., L 10 0; New Zealand, LSO. Rendall and Co. were uninsured.