Destructive Fire in Feilding.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 83, 2 October 1894, Page 2

Destructive Fire in Feilding.

SEVERAL BUILDINGS DESTROYED. After a long respite from auoh an event the residents of Feilding have been alarmed by the cry of *' Fire " and the startling notes of the firebell. At about 3 o'clock this morning Mr J. Pawaon, the nightwatchman, while on bis rounds noticed a fire in a block of buildings in Manchester street, whieu ultimately resulted in the total destruction of the premises* Occupied by Mr J. H. Worsfold (confectioner and boardinghousf keeper), Mr T. R. Attwood (photographic artist), and J. H. Wooding, (watchmaker). Oa notioing the fire, which wan at this tim» visible through the roof of the back portion of Mr A tt wood's studio, Mr Faweon raised the alarm of *' fire " and immediately rang the firebell. Within a very lew minutes a crowd of people began to flock together, and those members of the Fire Brigade who were aroused hastened to the en. gine and removed it to the well in Manchester Square, from whence they soon had a hose laid on to the burnmg building, the fire having spread to the premises occupied by Mr Won. fold in a remarkably short space of time. While this was being done numbers of willing hands assisted Mr Worsfold, his family, and the boarders, to remove what they could, as it was more than apparent the ill-fated buildings could not be saved.. The doors of the shops occupied by Messrs Wooding and Attwood were burst open and several clocks and, most of the former's working tools were saved, whilst some of Mr Attwood's fine oil paintings, and a few other articles were rescued, but the main portion of his property and clothing were in a back room and studio, which were destroyed. Mr Attwood always slept on the premises while in Feilding, but he went to Palmerston yesterday afternoon, leaving all his belongings beyond what he stood in, behind* The premises occupied by Mr Worsfold as a bakery, confectionary, and boarding house were owned by Mr J. Pollock, of the Harbor Board Block, who formerly oar* ried on the business himself. The three tradesmen burnt out are considerable losers, and as they have only been in business for themselves for a few years the loss is vary serious for them, as their living has for a time been practically taken from then; Fortunately there was no wind blowing at the time or other adjacent buildings would have been destroyed. On one side of Mr Worsfold's boarding house additions in the shape of a large dining room and other rooms were being erected iby the proprietor, while on the other side and next to the premises occupied by Messrs Attwood and Wooding, and owne&by Mr W. Stevens, of Feilding, is Mr S. SvendBen's shops, separated by a passage three or four feet wide and a brick wall, which undoubtedly prevented the spread of the fire to those premises. There were three shops in this building, one occupied for a few days previously, until yesterday, by Mrs Walker, of Wanganui, a second by Mr Svendsen himself as a boot shop, and the third by Mr Glementson as a grocery and fruit business. Mr Glementson and bis wife lived on these premises. Mrs Walker's stuff had been removed yester* da.r, and Mr Svendsen's stock was quickly taken to a place of safety, by ihe scores of willing hands, on the opposite side ot tbe road. The occupants of Mr Won* fold's boarding house in their hurry to escape, each lost something, while the clothing of several men now away working in the country, was destroyed. At one time it was feared Mr Sveodsen's pre. raises would be destroyed, and the Fire Brigade with their one jet of water, after tbe lapse of some minutes playing on tbe roof finding the danger was past, directed the water to the buildings opposite, owned by Messrs A. Eade, W. W. Corpe, W. G. Shearer, and C- H. Hocking, which were by this time steaming with the heat from the conflagration. This block of buildings would undoubtedly have been destroyed but for the exertions of tbe Brigade and tbe fortunate supply ot water. As time went on the efficacy of the brick dividing wall was proved, and although the verandah and corner of Mr Svend* sen's shop had caught fire the Brigade reduced the danger by again playing on it and the brick wall. Every pane of glass in Mr Mr Hosking's shop opposite was cracked with the heat. In escapingfrom the burning building, a lodger in Worsfold's boarding house, named Atkins, narrowly escaped meeting with an accident. Seeing the flame on the opposite side of the building he thought escape was cut off through the door and in his hurry in getting out by the window fell through the frame work of the building being erected alongside. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIBE. The origin of the fire and the exact spot where it started seems doubtful, some opining that it commenced in Mr Worsfold's, and others that it started in Mr Attwood's studio, but the latter conclusion is the correct one as Mr Harris who slept in a room at the eastern corner of the former's building, declares that on hearing the alarm he noticed the fire outside the building, and Mr B. Parry, one of the first on the scene, went along the passage between Messrs Svendsen's and Attwood's and the fire then, had a good hold of the latter's studio and ap. pareutly, from the spot viewed, had a good hold on Mr Worsfold's premises* From this evidence it is safe to assume that the fire originated in the dark room at the rear of Mr Attwood's studio, which is close against Mr Worsfold's, where the chemicals used in photography were kept. Mr Parry at once assisted, with others who began to arrive on the scene, to remove the furniture and chattels from the boardinghouse, while Mr Frank* lin broke in the door of the premises ad* joining and commenced to remove Mr Wooding's tools, but the fire soon spread and put a stop to salvage from these buildings. Messrs' Clementson and Svendsen's stocks were removed, but they suffered considerable damage from the rough handling and the water. THE FIRE BRIGADE. The few members of the Fire Brigado under Captain Eade deserve every credit for their courage in sticking in front of the fire, and at times several of them had to have water thrown over them to reduce the danger of their clothes becoming ignited. Foreman Nowman and Brancbman Tank were most of the time I at the branch, while the Captain directed operations. Other members of tbe Brigade including Lieut M. Beln\ Fire*, men P. Thompson, Boyd, Hmnphr^eSi Gosling, Keen and Gariick rendered, valuable assistanogpt the fire arid en,gine while a numtpr of citizens assisted, at the engine and in saving property^ Fire Inspector 0. Bray, senr., was o#^ of the most prominent in directing Qneiv ations of salvage anc| in Qthw w*ya, The back portion of Mr Sven.d.sen.'s, building and Mr Worsfold/s. atables, both of which had ca.ught fire, were saved by the exertious of tho Brigade. INSUBANCES AND LOSSES» The building occupied, hy Mr Worsfold and owned by Mr J. Pollock was insured ;n the Commercial Unfon for £400, which included failings, and stables. Mr Stevens' huildipg, oocupied by Messrs Attwood and Wooding, was insured in the Commercial Uoion for £XOU. Mr Worsfold's furniture was insured for £100 in the Phauix office, tat be tttoßites bii 101 lit £100 aboy*

that amount. Mr Attwood's oil paintings Iran insured in the London and Lancashire office for £100, and the contents of his B»udio were covered by a policy of jEIOO in the Phoenix. Mr Wooding was not insured, but, fortunately, he was in the habit of removing all customer's valuable watches and jewellery to his residence each evening and most of his working tools and clocks were removed, so that his loss is not very great. Mr F. Pope, who had the contract for enlarging Mr Worsfold's boarding house, estimates his loss in labor ana material at £25. Mr Svendsen was not insured and as far as ha can tell at present he estimates his loss at about £150 Mr Clementson was not insured and he puts hie loss down at about £100. The two latter lobsbb are chiefly through handling in removing the goods from the shops to the streets.