FIRE AT WILSON’S TANNERY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1643, 27 May 1879, Page 2

FIRE AT WILSON’S TANNERY.

At half-past nine o’clock this morning a fire broke out at Wilson’s tannery at Woolston, the immediate cause being apparently a defective flue in the drying-room. Ihe tannery consists of a number of buildings, and that in which the fire commenced is known as the wool-scouring shed. In one portion of this shed —which is a wooden building—is the drying-room, a square brick comparin'ent, containing three floors, separated from each other by fonr or five feet. At the bottom of this compartment was the stove, Jthe beat from which was earned along by means of flues, and on these floors the wool that had been scoured was hung up to dry. At the time the alarm was given by John Gough, one of the workmen, who was the first to see the fire, all hands were busily employed in the various departments of the tannery, and the rush was at once made to the scene of the fire, which was within a few feet of (Ac river Heathcoto. A plentiful supply of buckets was procured, and the workmen were assisted by many volunteers, swelling up their numbers to nearly a hundred. The shed itself was partially cleared of wool and skins, and every effort made to prevent the spread of the fire. This was most difficult, for the brick drying room was surrounded on fchi'ee sides by wood, of which the remainder of the building was constructed. Separated from it by about fifteen feet was another shed, which was full of (lie material used in the business, and it was feared at one time that this would catch, but the roof being covered with wool, sheets, Ac., and the sides being rep atedly cooled by water, this danger whs diverted. In the meantime tiro li.e continued to rage in the drying rooms, and the flames commenced to force their way through the roof. This was of corrugated iron, winch, however, covered on old shingle rpef. Anunjb?r of hand* se-

cended to the top of the building, and difficult and dangerous »s was the task, succeeded in removing the galvanised iron piece meal, so that the water could be poured into the room with more effect. After two hours’ hard work the II e was subdued, and prevented from spreading to any other part of the premises, though the drying-room was completely gutted, only the four walls remaining. Mr Thos. Wilson, tho proprietor of the tannery, was on the spot soon after the fire broke out. (Treat praise is due to tho men, particularly to the volunteers, for the way they w orked, under the direction of the foreman, Mr John Harg. Among those who particularly distinguished themselvas were Mr Graham, James R. Bell, Peter Burney, and a German who lives near tho spot, as well as some others whose names were not ascertained at the time. It might bo stated that the floors in the dryitsg room wore all of wood, and that the flues ran beneath. It is supposed that one of these flues being defective was tho cause of the drying wool ignitiug, and so leading to the lire. As this lasted for two hours before being extinguished, it seems somewhat strange that no messenger was sent to town for assistance. There can ho no doubt that had such been done when the lire first broke out, the Christchurch Brigade would have been on the spot with their engines in a very short space of time, and as they would have had a full supply of water from the Heathcote, the fire would have been extinguished in a very few minutes. Constable McGill, of Phillipstown, however, heard of the fire soon after it had broken out,, and at once proceeded to tho spot, and lent considerable assistance. It is estimated by Mr Wilson that tho damage done amounts to £SOO or £6OO, In addition to the injury to the premises and to material of different kinds, some fourteen bales of wool were completely spoilt. The insurances are as follows:—On the entire block of buildings and the stock, £3OOO in the Yictoria office (which had no reinsurances) ; on the particular building burnt, £400; on the woolshed and stock contained therein, £1300; on the wool, skins, and leather, £900; and on the press, £4O. There were other individual insurances on the other buildings not damaged, making up a total of £3OOO as above.