TREMENDOUS CONFLAGRATION IN SYDNEY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 July 1901, Page 4

TREMENDOUS CONFLAGRATION IN SYDNEY.

Man Leaps 100 feet.

Supposed One Million Damage.

[BY HIiHOTEIO thlegbaph.—copyright]

(pee pbess association)

Sydney, July 10. About 8 20, just as tho employees were beginning to arrive to commence their daily duties, a fire was discovered in the basement of the central building of the huge block of Anthony Hordern's property, covering several acres, in George street. The employee who discovered the fire found it in a picture frame in the division of the toy department. He made an effort to extinguish it with buckets of water kept for the purpose, but the gimcrack nature of the toy department fed the flame 3 with avidity, and they quickly ascended to| the ground floor which was devoted to drapery. The whole of the central buildings were of the most inflammable nature. In a few moments the pile was a seething mass of flames. The flames rolled through the windows like a blast furnace and leapt accross Parker street, a distance of 80 feet, and entered the second storey of the giant furniture warehouse, 100 feet high and facing the gasometers. Prom floor to floor it rushed with incredible fury, breaking through tho windows of each floor, and admitting a strong southerly wind to hasten the work of destruction. A great concourse of spectators gathei ed. A thrill of horror ran through them as the figure of a man appeared on tho top pirapet. Ho clung to the ornamental brickwork od the top of the building, shifting his position occasionally as a gust of wind fanned a tongue of flame from the windows beneath in his direction.

Then came the life-saving apparatus. There was a marvellous hush orer all as the spidery ladders were unreeled in the of the parapet, broken by an

audible moan as the ladders failed to reach within 30 ft. Meantime the Rock 0 Brigade tried to fire a line over the building, but for some reason at present unexplained the apparatus failed. The flames now again made a ferocious lick at the victim, who saw that his only hope of deliverance was gone. Then, with a gesture of despair, he jumped clear 100 ft into the roadway, and never stirred.

When the flames took hold of the building Constable Conroy and two firemen ascended to the top storey to see if they could find Clegg, his fellowemployees having given warning of the man's position on the top floor. They searched without avail. The man had evidently gone through the trap-door on tho roof. The other hands saved themselves by sliding from the upper floors down the lift rope. Some were found at the bottom of the lift overcome with smoke.

Had the fire occurred an hour or so later, when the huge establishment was in full swing, and a throng of customers present, the loss of life must have been great. The flames went through the lower tloors like a flash, cutting off escape. While the tragedy was being enacted in the eastern buildings, the flames crept across the narrow right-of-way and worked against the wind to the large buildings facing George street. The three-storey buildings, containing mercery and saddlery, were soon enveloped, and the flames.swept out of the offices and climbed rapidly from floor to floor of the seven-storey building adjoining. Several smaller shops belonging to other owners were annihilated by fire in a few minutes. Backward in the centre division went the flames till they came against the wall of the huge pile of buildings devoted to ironmongery. The fire brigade worked with desperation to save the structure. The firemen got in the upper storey, and they managed to subdue and save the building from the ravages of the flames, although the water will have caused great damage. When it was seen that the conflagration was of a great character, steps were immediately taken to discharge the gas from the three gasometers, which was successfully accomplished. The buildings used by the caretaker and the laboratory, as well as the showrooms used by the Gas Company, were destroyed.

For a great distance around the street looked as if it had been subjected to a volcanic eruption, being covered to a depth of several inclines with cinders. By 11 o'clock the danger of a further spread of the fire was over.

Eumors are current that other lives were lost, but the confusion is too great at present to learn whether there is any truth in the assertions.

It is difficult to realise the damage accurately, although a million is stated to be the total loss.

Some 200 early hands, including a number of women, were in the building when the fire broke out.

Those on the higher floors found escape difficult. A man named Borthwick, employed on the top storey, had his escape cut off and attempted to descend by the rope from the window and fell, breaking his leg. Two others in the lift well descended and were held prisoners until the firemen released them.

Clegg's coat caught fire as he stood on the parapet. He threw it off and then knelt a moment, evidently praying, and rose and jumped. Many of the employees assisted the firemen in the early stages of the conflagration, Clegg aud two others working with those.

Seeing the position to be dangerous the Superintendent ordered them to> desist.

Clegg evidently failed to take warning until too late and found his retreat cut off.

The employees managed to save considerable property in the departments adjoining the main building. They also saved the books and papers. The firm have already taken steps to secure temporary premises in which to carry on the business. They have reserve stocks valued at a million and a quarter warehoused in the city and secured in anticipation of the Federal tariff.

Hordern's insurances are about £IOO,OOO, the bulk in British companies. So far as can be gathered, the local insurance companies are little affected. The New Zealand offices involved are the South British (£10,500) and New Zealand (£5,168).