DESTRUCTION OF THE TRAMWAY PLANT.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2118, 7 December 1880, Page 3

DESTRUCTION OF THE TRAMWAY PLANT.

[From Monday’s “ Herald.”] Shortly before 4 a.m. yesterciay morning a fire occurred in Dunedin which resulted not alone in the destruction of very valuable property, but will also be productive of very great inconvenience to the public. _ The citizens of Dunedin will readily recognise the truth of that remark when they learn that nearly the whole of Mr D. Proudfoot’s tram- ■ way carriages and engines have been completely destroyed by fire. The building in which the fire broke out, and which was used as a tramway shed, was not without its history. In it for many years the oongregation of the First Church assembled for worship when it stood in Dowling street. When the new ehuroh was erected the old wooden one passed into the hands of Sargood and Co., and was used by them as a boot factory. Subsequently it became the property of Mr Proudfoot, and was removed to - the reclaimed land at the rear of the Dunedin Railway Station. There it was used as a tramway shed. The building was about 170 ft. in length and 70ft. in width. The floor was not boarded, and was intersected by five lines of rails, on one of which the engines were placed when not at work, and the other lines were devoted to the carriages, some or all of which used to be placed on them nightly. Frequently many of the carriages were left outside at night, but this was not so on Saturday, as, probably owing to the inclemency of the weather, the whole of the carriages, to the number of thirty-eight, | with four exceptions, were in the building, and exclusive of the ironwork not a vestige of them remains. Of the four not destroyed, two were at the Ocean Beach station, and two stood just outside the entrance to the building. These two were considerably damaged, but can bo repaired without much difficulty. Only two wore yesterday available tor traffic, and the result was the streets had quite an unusual appearance. The seven engines, all that Mr Proudfoot had, are rendered quite useless. Some of the carriages had never been used, and others had recently been refitted at considerable expanse. There have been twe men employed nightly in the shed, one as an engine-fitter and the other as a cleaner of the carriages. Both of these were following their ordinary avocations on Saturday night, having gone to work at 10.80 p.m., and were in the building when the fire took place. About 230 a.m. yesterday the cleaner says that while working in a carriage near the e ngine road he heard the door of one of the cars close, and asked his mate who was with him. The latter replied that he did not know, and having made a search, could see no one. Shortly afterwards the two went into a carriage to take their lunch, and after they had been doing so for some time they saw a glare of fire and that the shed was full of 1 smoke. They immediately loft the carriage, ' but found they could not get out the front i way, and had to make their escape by the 1 windows at the northern end of the building. One of them gave the alarm, and the other remained at the fire. . There seems to be no doubt that the fire originated at the southern end of the shed, which waa, we believe, acoessable to any outside person. As the building was an old one, and the cars very combustible, the flames were rapidly carried from one end of the building to the other, and the entire property was quickly burned down. About £6OO worth of contractors* plant was destroyed, and, in addition to this, Mr Proudfoot’s well-known electric light machinery, which cost £520. The origin of the fire is a matter of conjecture, but a strong suspicion exists that it is the work of an incendiary, and we understand that the insurance agencies will almost certainly offer a reward of £SOO to-day for the detection of the offender.

The inconvenience to the public will be very great, especially at this season of the year, but they will be glad to know that Mr Froudfoot has taken prompt steps to make that inconvenience as lightly felt and of as short duration as possible. He has given instructions for the manufacture of temporary oars in Dunedin, and has already cabled to America and to Copenhagen for ones similar to those which have been burned. He also intends to secure in the meantime any oars obtamable in New Zealand or the colonies. Some time ago he ordered four oars from Copenhagen, and though he has not received advices of their shipment he believes that they are now on the water. Mr Froudfoot estimates that his property was worth £24,000 or £25,000. The fire also throws over 100 men out of work.

[PBB PB£B3 ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WISE.] DUNEDIN, December 6. Nothing new has transpired in reference to to the recent fire. Mr Froudfoot is making every effort to resume traffic as soon as possible. Only two oars are running now, and the public feel greatly inconvenienced. The matter was considered at a meeting of insurance agents this afternoon, and it was decided to offer a reward for the conviction of the alleged incendiary. An inquest is to bo held.