THE AUCKLAND FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 121, 1 June 1901, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND FIRE.

Froni Yesterday’s Special Edition of the Times.]

[Specir.' -,o Times-! Aw '.lancl, Friday, 9 a.in. A most disrulrous fire occurred at an early hour this morning, when the Grand Hotel, one of the finest and most up-to-date establishments in Auckland, was almost completely destroyed, only the bare charred walls remaining. The conflagration was unfortunately attended by loss of life and several lamentable incidents, several of the inmates boing injured in escaping from the burning building. The bell rang shortly after one o’clock. The first thing necessary was to rouse the inmates. Every effort was made by those within the hotel, assisted by others from the Northern Club and elsewhere, who were early on the scene to do this. The task, however, was not an an easy one, owing to the strong hold the fire had acquired. Those who were in bed at the time just managed to escape in their night clothes, but some of the ladies were not so fortunate as this. All was confusion and dismay for some time, and the air was rent by shouts of men and shrieks of women. The anxiety was terrible, for no one at first could tell who had escaped and who had not. Several women, whose exit from the burning building was cut off in other directions, had to jump from upper story windows. Of course tney were injured, one of them, Miss Meyers, getting her thigh broken. Willing hands at once rushed to the rescue, The ladies were carried into the Northern Club, and made as comfortable as possible, while medical aid was sent for, several doctors arriving in a very short space of time. Eor some time the suspense was awful, and cries of those who had friends or relatives in the building, and were not sure as to whother they had escaped or not, were heartrending. The proprietor ot the hotel, Mr Johnston was in terrible agony of mind, believing that, at least three of his children were intho burning building, but as to whether this was so or not was considered doubtful for some time time. Enquiries, were made on all hands to. discover the truth, people hoping almost, against hope that inmates had escaped unnoticed and had been taken into the home of some friend or neighGradually, however, every shred of hope had to be abandoned, was not longer possible to avoid the sad truth, that three of Mr Johnston s little children had been burned to death. . The servants had to leap for their lives from the second floor. Apparently they became aware of the fire for some time before the alarm was given, and before anybody was on the scene. in the vicinity rushed out when they got the alarm, and j ust as they reached the street they heard a dull thud on the ground. This evidently was the last of four to reach the ground, as four ladies were found huddled together in the narrow passage between the hotel and the Masonic Hall. They were Miss Dora Wallace, housemaid; Miss Meyers (of the Thames), barmaid; Miss Morse, manageress; Miss Boyd, barmaid. Miss Meyers and all tho others are seriously injured. Mr Hilton Lysnar, of Gisborne, was lodging in the hotel. There was at first a belief that he had perished in tho flames, all search for him by Gisbornites having failed. At daylight I learned that he had escaped, but have not yet been able to ascertain how. He lost all his porsonal effects.

LATER.

Mr Hilton Lysnar is safe. He was at St. George’s Ball when tho iiro broke out.

The hotel was insured for £O,O 00 in the Imperial and National Offices. The furniture and stock were insured in tho Norwich Union.

Miss Morse was formerly of Gisborne, where her relatives reside. She intended leaving for Gisborne to-mor-row, on a holiday trip. There is another victim of the fire, Mr Frederick Ayres, travelling Inspector of the Bank of Australasia. • .The body of Mr Ayres has been recovered. The manager and accountant have seen the body, and have no doubt as to its identity. The bodies of the three children have been found in the cellar flooring. The room occupied by the children had fallen through, carrying with it the charred remains.

It is believed that Mr Ayres lost his life in attempting to save tho children. The fire has caused great consternation in Auckland. It was Miss Wallace not Miss Meyers, who died from the effect of injuries sustained.

PEESS ASSOCIATION REPOBTS,

The firemen made a desperate battle, the interior being a mass of fire. They wore cheered by the crowd, and applauded heartily. Some more than ordinary feats of bravery were performed. The firemen managed to confine the flames to the hotel, but were never able to get upstairs. "Nothing worth speakiugof could be saved. Nothing has transpired as to the origin of the fire. The hotel was the property'of Mr Moss Davis, and was valued at about £B,OOO. It contained thirty rooms, insured partly in the Imperial and partly in the National for either £5,500 or £6,000.

Large additions had just been made, and were newly furnished for the reception of tho Duke of York’s suite.

The furniture and stock was the property of Mr Johnston, and was insured in the Norwich Union. It is estimated that the damage to the building, furniture, and stock is £12,000.

When the Brigade arrived Mr Johnston was in his night-clothes in front of the hotel frantically shouting for help to rescue his children. Ho pointed to the upper windows. The whole of the interior, except a portion of the ground floor, was a mass of seething flame. Though some of the firemen mounted a ladder and endeavored to get to the interior, thero was no hopo for thoso inside.

Mr and Mrs Johnston had a family of four children, three girls and a boy. The little boy was sleeping on the lower floor, and got out with his parents, but the three girls—Leonore, aged 14, Eva, aged 13, and Nina, aged about six—perished. * It is not known how many boarders there were in the hotel, but it is stated there were only two or three. This number, however, is not accounted for. Mr Craven, from the Waikato, heard somebody say 11 Fire!” and rushed from his bedroom on the second floor. The whole of the building was in flames, and there was just time to escape in his nightclothes.

One gentleman outside the hotel when the fire broke out says that thero was no intimation of danger until the smoke began to find its way through several windows. Before he had hardly realised the significance of this, the whole of tho building seemed to buret suddenly into flames. ; I. . ' ’

This was at about a quarter to one in the morning. The firebell rang a minute or two later. Any attempt to save the building, was then hopeless. Meanwhile, the inmates were hurriedly making, their escape in their night-clothes. The fire apparently crept along the

Woodwork right through the lower portion of tho building before bursting into flames, when it roused the inmates to a sense of their danger. Then followed an exciting sceno. Fortunately, there wero not many people in the building, or the loss of life would have been appalling. Mr Johnston, the licensoe, and one ol the crowd held an overcoat ,to break the fall of those who jumped from tlie window, but it was insufficient to save them. Honry Jones, night porter, states that he was in the boot house and saw very thick smoke in the hall. He called 11 Fire” and aroused Mr Johnston, who oriod “My God, my children!” Jones tried to get to the rooms occupied by tho barmaids, but could not succeod owing to tho flame and smoke. Her saw the flames coming up the bannister and escaped before tho staircase fell. Ho thought Johnston went upstairs after his girls, but found ho was rescuing his wife and' little boy on tho first floor. _ Tho bodies of the three cliildron wore found with their limbs burned off.

At its height the fire was a magnificent spectacle, and caused tho harbor to bo brilliantly lighted up. Every craft was as visible as at noonday. Some time ago tho Grand Hotol was secured by tho Government for a portion of tho suite of tho Duke of York. Tho rooms wero to bo specially furnished. Nothing had been actually done towards the preparation of tho apartmonts to date.

Tho liortlinm wall of the.hotol fell outward, and did some damage to the Masonic Hotel.