THE FIRE IN PRINCES STREET SOUTH.

Evening Star, Issue 3590, 25 August 1874, Page 3

THE FIRE IN PRINCES STREET SOUTH.

An inquiry into the cause of the late fire m Princes street south was held at the Imperial Hotel this afternoon, before Mr T. M. Hocken, Coroner, and a jury of twelve. , Mr Baxter, one of the jurors, asked whether it was right that a shareholder ia an interested insurance company should be a juryman ? The Coroner saw no objection to it. There was not the slightest reason why the shareholders should not be on the jury. Mr G-. F. Reid, another juryman, said that two other of the co-directors on his company were present, thus making three from one company. They would much rather not be there. He did not desire an inquiry, there not being the least suspicion. The Coroner thought it a very good reason why they should be there. They would be Jikely to watch the matter more acutely. He explained that one of the objec's of the inquiry was to discover whether the fire was caused by incendiarism, or whether it was accidental. In this case there was no suspicion that the fire resulted from incendiarism. He had spoken to one of the insurance agents, as he had previously stated, and that gentlemen had expressed himself perfectly satisfied in the matter. Another point was for them to see whether they couH not suggest some mode for preventing these fires. Here every precaution had been taken ; not only was the night watchman well-known, and he was always on the look out, and well trusted ; hht there was a most powerful hose running through the building. The boiler, where this fire was supposed to have originated, was surrounded by a brick wall, though' Certainly not open in the front It was for them to say whether other precautions could net be taken, such as to suggest periodical inspections should bp paade by Mr Miraras or any other City functionary. Im : ppqyetnep's should be made in the ipode of patching the rity. It bail bpen gaid, apd pvidenpe would! be brought tp substantiate, er disprove it, that the watchman was not at his post at the time in question. The jury having viewed the premises, the following evidence was given ; Charles Vacandrew Howlison, manager to Messrs Guthrie and Larnach for about twenty months, said he usually lopked rpufld th e premises beforp leaving at night to see that all was safe ; but he did npt do so on she night in question. When he left at fi n.m. everything appeared to be safe. ’ln the boiler refuse from the works was burnt. The boiler was' protected by a brick wall. At fight the fire is allowed tp burn itself out. 'he steajn p|pe on fhe' pfemjses fmfst gome fipie ago j but thepe tad neyer been a’fire. Tjie had beep fn their employment about three months. When he went to work at 5 p.m. he had tp lay the hose op to the hydrant, the nraple being pointed to thu furnace and boilers. He then had to inspect the place, continuing there till re? lieved, between seven and eight o’clock next morning, He appeared to be a very attentive man. Witness could form no opinion as to t v e origin of the tire. Had the watchman not been neglectful he could have easily extinguished the fire with the appliances at his command [Left sitting.]