THE MILTON FIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 4307, 15 December 1876, Page 3

THE MILTON FIRE.

{From the * Bruce HtraXd ) The most destructive fire that has e"4cr .taken place in Milton was discovered shortly after ona.xi!clox^-onJ^dn<eaday.afternocfti ) whea smoke was seen issuing from the upper portion of the large two-storied building known as the Criterion Hotel, fronting t|ie< Main South Road. It was at once apparent to everyone that there was.not the slightest ohonce 6i siTißg«Bhe tfa&fiVe was observed from the outside the flaj2eyh£d obtained firm holdoof the upper portion jof the building, and those who entered the 0 the fiesk anding. Twenty minutes after the fitet alaMlwas gi?«hrfifl ro&Bwastiß then it*, ajppeoi^^aliTOsJi-certain that the buildings on either side—Mr R. W. Ca-p----together with the offices occupied by Mr Walter Taylor, .solicitor, and Mr George Capstick, accountant, and the hairdresser's shop occnpifsdibfclifr j^ole—must b§ ; destroyed. Steps were at once taken ito ment'.oneel, and with, so many willing hands the work of -SdKng otrt all moveable articles and conveying them to places of safety was* speedily accomplished. Fortunately thewino> f wae blowing in a south-westerly, direciioii, Horse Hotel cajfehuig fire. To give soie idea of the heat, however, it may be mentioned that a large, window in Mr DonajkL "Raid's office, on the opposite side of the «s*i pn the upper'pari rfthe Hotel ' were 'B6 l <-Wt J L te in danger of f breaking. First of all, the Brigade their attentibn 8 was jiot ohanceKof saving them. The fh4 wis Mr st. proved successful, was made to prevent the flames spreading further down the street. Mr Jones' Hall is a substantiaily-built briek structure, with an iron roof, and fortunately . it sustained comparatively Kttle damage. ;A number of men mounted the roof and threw a plentiful supply of water on the side nepct the fire, but in spite of their efforts the rqor" was considerably damaged, while a ddpr ,r < ra n ß r^ O , D R m in the, dkectipir, of Mr Apoold's %hop wis -butaealalftost through. Mr Nicholas's shop, wnM lis next to Mr Jones's hall, was considered jto be in .maminent.danger at,one time, and most of the^fu^ttM^and'stock was re•«takings- ouf <■ & VWlanGfyJ r bf ' atomunlttpn Btore*im t down the street. In less than an hour after tbi* Sbtel had been burned nearly to the ground, and j»s the volume of flame descended it caughtj Capstick's store, which was verysoon a blaze! —Pooled s&piisAiigJlrfadyllfeen destroyed*' When it was apparent that the fire could 1 ot? mtaHl er danger was ovej»vt«ilst&ose who had fear $d that all the buildings between the Criteri m Hotel and the road-leading to the railw iv' station would be burned .were 01 nsiderat S* been reduced to a he ip of smouldering ashes, and at half past tbrtee o'clock nothing bat. a number of sheets ah < shrivelled iron and a few chimneys mark id*» "flW.*™ e »Hrf* lne ongin H of the fire is a mystery. Fpf^ some months past,the Criterion Hotel hir ' been unoccupied« aM so far as we can lear a, destroyed, were also absent, Mr Tayldr being at Balclutha, and Mr Capstick Dnnedm. One or two articles of and a number of of grain Jn Mr H, W, CapstiefjUtore were burneJ,~and Mr George Capstick's safejßras not removed before the fire had enveloped the place. The safe was afterwards removed, and although some, of the documents that it cob-, tained were injured, none, of ,:■ Aesfirosedg JL 4ar6hn7en£d|Bfls were phrivelled up and considerably iwacld in size, but the fftiting was not rendered' illegible. Some paper documents and banknotes tjhatdrare ni -tile-safe dietnot appear to have suffered much. The Criterion Hotel was &e%uttlmi^etj,, "** °l cover tßej' actual loss. The National Insurance ConW ? au &Mt«P% in MrH. W. Capstick's Store, and here we beneve the loss is_jeatimated at LI 50. Mrj R. R, Jones's building was covered by ii ? , surance m% (Ebmpany, artcf' we behevdtnat the claim for damages will lie I and by Mr BHngezu, we*e I insured for Norwich UnicV Company, and in this case the claim will 6*E f course be for the ftrHramount. Mr Capstickfs offices were insured for L3QO With the NeiZmUnil. ja»mp&y.ieaodti XBM' < 'wiffi' li ilie Northern Compwy, ,and the full araoui«t will be claimed. Mr Nicholas' stock was id- -i suredforL2so Standard Compani ' and his claim will be for L7O damagefe and Mr Donaldl Reid, sohcitor, whose loss %} estimated at L20,-*wbl al ßo insured with th 5 moval of his goods. An inquirv into th > circumstanc4r>BonfießSa o wrth the fire wil [ ; e- *i. hvd feod«ddb<7 3«»Jf 1 4h&*A ,m#V'tim ,MWAJ;» TfHWItl %