FIRE IN HIGH STREET.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1593, 28 March 1879, Page 2

FIRE IN HIGH STREET.

A fire broke out this morning early, origi natmg,it is presumtd, in the chicory and coflve works of Mr Gillespie, but spreading to Mr Langdown’s saw mill which stretch( s from High street to St. Asaph street. The Hr-t, ala on whs given at about three o’clock, and soon afterwards the engines Deluge and Extinguisher were in attendance together with a hand engine, worked closed by the scene of the fire, and which was the means of saving a section of the factory and a portion of the plant from serious damage. It appeared, however, that the buildings hud been on lire for a considerable time without breaking through, since the whole of the saw mill and Gillespie’s premises wore in one great volume of flames immediately alier the fire bell rang out its warning note. So that it was evident nothing could be done to save either of these buildings. I'd prevent the fire from spreading was a sufficiently difficult matter, but this the brigade succeeded

in doing. If. jj supposed that the fire broke out in the chicory works, because a # fire was usually kept alight in the kiln, whereas there was no fire allowed to remain on the sawmill premises. The presumption, therefore, is that the back of the chicory works first caught fire, which was then communicated to the sawmill, and wafted along the interior till a firm hold had been obtained, and then the combustible nature of the material inside soon fed the fire till it reached the proportions above stated. It may also be mentioned that Messrs Thomas Goodman and John Calder, on returning to Goodman’s store at about half past one o’clock in the morning, noticed a strong smell of fire, and endeavoured for some time to discover the source of it, but without success; and they accordingly retired to rest, only to be disturbed again by the alarm. This, then, would seem to support the theory that the buildings were practically charged with five in different parts some time before the flames broke through, and caused the current of air which spread the flames from end to end of the saw mill. The brigade kept the fire well in hand, and saved a good deal of the timber in Langdown’s yard. The factory was more difficult to keep in check. It was a good thing, however, to have saved adjoining properties, which at first seemed likely to suffer, as there was a stiff breeze blowing at the time. The insurances on the buildings destroyed were as follows : Langdown’s mill, in the New Zealand Co., £ISOO, half of which had been transferred to the South British. Gillespie’s premises were insured in the South British; the stock (consisting of coffee, spices, &c), £300; store and mill, £l3O ; another store and shed, £l2O. As to the damage sustained by the sufferers, it may be stated that Mr Langdown estimates his loss at something over £2OOO ; whilst Mr Gillespie calculates that he has sustained a loss of about £BOO, an amount which considerably exceeds the amount of his insurance.