Disastrous Fire at Invercargill

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 48, 4 October 1884, Page 3

Disastrous Fire at Invercargill

GREAT LOSS OP PROPERTY.

THE INSURANCES AMOUNT TO £18,650. (PKB UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) InvercahgiH', October 3. On Thursday morning the constableon daty m Dee-street found Mr Smith's drapery establishment on fire. The fire brigade were soon on the ground, but nothing could, be done to prevent the destruction of the buildings, which were t>f brick. The shop oE James Craig, watchmaker, on the south side, was in great danger, and so was Sloan's theatre, adjoining. Dunninj?'s Opera Company removed their properties, and then rendered valuable assistance in pumping and saving property. As it was the tlieatre is somewhat damaged- Adjoining Smith's shop on the north side was the boot warehouse of R. Sloan and Sons, and this soon caught. Between this and the next building occupied by Keid and Fergusson, watchmakers, was an iron Wftll, and for a long time the brigade kept the flames from getting beyond this. At nine o'clock, however, wheu everybody thought all the spare water was exhausted, the near end of Fergusson's place took fire in several places, and spread from there to that of Boss, fruiterer, R. Cleere, seedsman, and Cowper and Wilson, ironmongers. All these places were burned down, buS before this a good deal of ( he stock was got out. The Prince of Wales Hotel, which is separated from Oowper and Wilson's by a right of way, was in great danger, and was only saved owing to the brick wall erected betwe> ■■:: it and the shop, ffad the hotel caught the h±ock might have been swept right away to street, and great loss occasioned. Nothing is known as to the origin of the fire Insurances, £18,650.