FIRE IN GEORGE STREET.

Evening Star, Issue 3337, 30 October 1873, Page 3

FIRE IN GEORGE STREET.

At about ten minutes past two o’clock this morning a fire broke out in the block of wooden buildings in George street, reaching from Moray place to Mr G. Muuro’s monumental works. This building forms the limit of the fire which occurred some nine months ago, when it and several shops on the Octagon side were burnt down, and being now built of brick it effectually checked the flames on the present occasion. There was a strong south-west wind blowing, which caused the flames to rapidly consume the six wooden buildings in the block ; destroying them, in fact, in less than half an hour. There appears to be some doubt as to where the fire originated, the following being the different versions that we have heard. Mr Schmidt, baker, states that he and his wife saw the flames, in the first instance, through the partition dividing their promises from Mr Dune’s grocery shop; Mr Durie’s man, John Birle, who sleeps on the premises, states that he went to bed about eleven o’clock the preceding night, and that the tire did not break out there; Mr John Jolly, jnn., says that at about twenty minutes to two he heard a man go down the right-of-way between his shop and the back of the row of buildings consumed, and strike a match ; that he lay awake till a few minutes past two, when he heard a woman cry "Fire,” upon which he rushed out, and saw flames about the back wall of Mr Schmidt’s bakery, through which the oven projects, and that Mr Durie’s premises were •not’then on tire. Wo regret to have to state that Mr Schmidt was burnt severely about the feet and head, ho having to go three times through the flames to save Mrs Schmidt, who was so stupified by the smoke and by fright as to be unable to move, she also getting burnt about the face and shoulders. "Dr Sorley, who is attending them, reports that although their wounds are not extensive, they are unusually severe aud deep, and that a considerable time will elapse before a cure can be effected. It was every moment expected that the fire would catch the buildings across the street, but these happily escaped with a severe scorching, the European Hotel suffering the most damage. Mr O’Donnell, one of the proprietors, only saved the building by constantly playing water on it with the hose belonging to the house, the heat being so intense that he had to be enveloped in a wot blanket while so doing. As it is, he aud his partner, Mr Kolighcr, have sustained considerable loss through the heat breaking the bar and other windows, and warping the front boards of the house, and through the hasty removal of stock and furniture. The shops from there to Mr Logan’s, confectioner, were much affected by the beat. The buildings actually destroyed were those of Mr Durie, grocer; Mr Schmidt, baker; Messrs Wilson and Morrison, bootmakers ; Mr Chiaroni, picture-frame maker and gilder; Mr John Jolly, senr., cutler ; and Mr G. jl. Merrie, fruiterer and tailor. The insurances and losses, so far as we have been able to ascertain, are as follow :—Mr Durie, building insured in the Scottish Commercial for L2UO, stock and tittipgs for LtyHj-loss, Ll,fl(jO ; Mess vs Wilson and Go., building inured for Lloo—loss, L 250, including L 7“) in cash ; Mr Schmidt, building insured for 1 40; Mr Jolly, senr., building insured for LIOO, and the stock for LIOO, We observe our contemporary the Daily Times comments—in our opinion, very unwarrantably- on what it considers undue delay in the arrival of tho Fire Brigade ; in proof of which it gives the tune of the arrival of the first hole-reel at eleven minutes. We have no doubt on thq thpovy of the old imputes appeared long to those who looked anxiously for the Brigade, yet, in our opinion, the time given was an instance of great promptitude. The Corporation do not provide accommodation for a man to reside at the station, so all the Brigade can do is to have everything in readiness for immediate service. The hour was two in the morning, when it is reasonable to suppose most of the members of the Brigade were asleep. Boused by tho alarm bell, they would have to dress, aud it ia not unreasonable to allow three minutes or three minutes and a-half for that, especially as it was dark ; they could not lly to the station, and, as they do not live there, three or four minutes, or even more, might be needful to reach it, and then we ask what loss of time could there have been if three or four minutes after that they were doing duty at the fire ? That there was nq backwardness jn doing their ' duty, even to their qwn personal loss, as well as risk, is, however shown by the fact that several who had |bcen enjoying themselves at the re-union of Good Templars, gave no heed to the fact of their being in their ball dresses, but were as active and energetic in their efforts as if they had been properly clad with helmets and brigade uniform. Those spoilt dresses are an honorable badge, telling of duty bravely done, which we trust not cue 04. them will be ashamed to wear. - MtiSsfi 1 Keliglier and O'Donnell desire us to state that, instead of their keeping “open house” at the European Hotel, as stated by a contemporary, the fierceness of the fire necessitated the doors being closed, and after it was extinguished the house was open only for the Fire Brigade to obtain refreshment.