FIRE IN PRINCES STREET SOUTH.

Evening Star, Issue 3588, 22 August 1874, Page 3

FIRE IN PRINCES STREET SOUTH.

A fire broke out on the premises of Messrs Guthrie and Larnach, timber merchants, Princes street south, at about five miuutes past four this morning. When the alarm was first given the flames were confined to the north side of the premises, particularly round the engine and boiler. The night watchman was then (4.10 a.m.) playing a hose on that part of the premises where the engine is situated. He said that the fire had got such headway before he could get the water to play that he had no control over it. The Fire Brigade were promptly on the spot, tinder the command of Capt. Wain,andpeveral jets were in full play; the maia one being directed on the Prince of Wales Hotel, oa the opposite side of the road, which was seriously threatened, and is surrounded by wood en buildings. The flames had just taken effect on tlm Spanish Restaurant, and it, with the adjoining building, in the occupation of Mr T. W. Haworth, was soon enveloped in flames. The boarders in the restaurant bad barely timeko escape, some having to get down from the upper stories by means of ropes and losing all their clothes. The immigrants, with the assistance of a number of willing hands, managed to get their clothing out of the depot; hut this building was, after all, not damaged, the fire being entirely confined to Messrs Guthrie and Laraach’s, Haworth’s, and the Spanish Restaurant. Several mothers were rushing about in a half-pressed state with their children in their arips, and the scene was one of great excitement. The only solution that can be offered as to the cause of the fire, was that a spark from the epgina fell amongst the timber. Two hundred men have been temporarily thrown oat of employment, and the Corporation have made arrangements by which Messrs Cptbrie and Larnach will he able to erect temporary premises between Bond and Crawford streets in a very short tjpe. Most of the hands, with the exception of those iu the manufacturing department, will be almost immediately taken on. Arrangements have been made with different |imber merchants in town by which { there wilt only be a trifling delay to the oustomers of the firm in the execution of their orders. The iron shed was not damaged; the greatest injury being done to the manufactory, engine-room, store, and offices. The firm had quite reoeat'y got cat some improved machinery from Home, and this being in a portion of the premises which the fire did not reach will be immediately brought into operation. Constable Murdoch passed on the opposite side of the road a few minutes before the alarm was given, and then all appeared to be right. He went as far as the Government house, and on returning observed the flames issuing from the premises. It appears that Albert Hamilton, the pigjjf vawhraan, after going the round tepand half-past three this morning, en entering the yard from Bond street, observed flamts four feet high issuing from the boiler, upon which he hastened up the yard, opened the front gate, and gave the alarm. He then turned on the water and endeavoured to play on the fire with the firm’s ho»e. The place where the fire was supposed to have originated was carefully examined by him about half an hour before it broke out. The police were present, under the superintendence of Sub-Inspector Mai lar«l, J and rendered valuable assistance in keeping the crowd back so as not to interfere into the brigade, while the latterdes*rve to be highly commended for the efficient manner in which they discharged their arduous task. This fire, if not the most costly, elected the strongest volume of flames of any that has happened in this City for a considerable number of years, within a very short time nearly 1,000 persons were on the spot. We have been unable to ascertain the leeses sustained—Messrs Guthrie and Larnach being unable to compute their loss till they have had an opportunity of inspecting their books. The insurances, as will he seen by the following list, are divided in the various Town companies :—Messrs Guthrie fpd Lapiach ; Victoria Company—Machinery, LfiflO ; stock, Ll.fiOOi total, L 2,000, South British j Building LI.OOO, machinery LSOO, stock L2so—total, L 1,750. Australian Alliance : Stock L 350, buildings LlfiO, machinery L6oo—total, LI.OOO. Standard: Buildings L 750, machinery L7so— L 1,500. • Norwich Union: Machinery Ll,ooo, stock L 750, buildings, L2so— total, L2,G00. National: Buildings LSOO, plant L6OO, stock Ll,soo—total, 12,500: New Zealand ; Stock LSOO, buildings L 1,500, machinery Ll,ooo—-total, L 3.000. Grand total of Messrs Guthrie and Larnach’s insurance, L 13.700. Mr Haworth was insured in the Boyal Insurance Company for Ll,ooo, and the building with the Spanish Restaurant for Ll,loo in the New Zealand Company.