SOUTHLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 201, 18 November 1864, Page 3

SOUTHLAND.

SERIOUS FIRE IN INVERCARGILL,

The Southland Daily Nmvs records a very serious fire in Invercargill on the 31st ult; Wo take the following abridged account from the details supplied by our contemporary:— We deeply regret to have record another disastrous conflagration, which has resulted in the destruction of one of the finest ranges of buildings in Tay-street, the loss of which, following so quickly upon the havoc caused by the last fire, will give to that great thoroughfare a melancholy air of desolation. Shortly after 3 o’clock this morning, the appearance of livid flames and dense masses of smoke issuing from the extensive warehouses formerly occupied by Mr. J. H. Moses, nearly opposite the Presbyterian Church gave the alarm of fire; and in the course of a very short time hundreds of persons were on the ground. With almost the rapidity of magic, the building became enwrapped in flames, which quickly spread to the store and other offices in its rear. Although this structure was one of our most substantial wooden edifices, the flames played with it as they would with a structure of cardboard. They fed greedily upon wall, and beam, and rafter; and in an almost incredibly brief ipace of. time, the whole was one mass of fire. There was no water upon the ground ; no engine to play upon the devouring element, and hold it in check. A few buckets full of water were fetched by the startled spectators, and everything that people suddenly alarmed by the outbreak of a great clanger, but utterly without resource to avert it, could do was done. But no such feeble efforts could avail to stayjthe spread of the conflagration. So rapid was the destruction of the building in which the fire broke out that it was hoped one time that it would expend its future in that spot, exhausting itself before it had time to burn any of the neighbouring buildings. No doubt this would have been the case if there had been a working fire-engine on the ground. The corrugated iron end of MTvor’s large store long withstood the flames. This, however, at length became heated from the vast mass of contiguous fire, and at last a portion of the timber of (lie front became ignited. It was felt by every one on the ground that a good jet of Wats'" would have-effectually saved this noble building, and prevented the further spread of the conflagration. No such resource was, however, at hand, and the flames were allowed to have free play. By tliis time the street had become crowded with the furniture and stock removed from the neighboring premises. Barrels of spirits were hastily rolled out from M’lvor’s bonded store. The roofs of homes on either side of the street were occupied by busy groups spreading wet blankets and deluging them with water drawn up in buckets. Meanwhile the flames obtained the mastery of MTvor’s store, and the vast volume of fire presented a magnificent appearance as it rioted in the wantonness of its power. The flames still travelled onwards, seizing an occupied dwellinghouse, then laying hold of the Globe Hotel (Mr. llargin’s), and from that catching the premises of Mr. Goodwillie—completing the destruction of the whole line of buildings from Messrs. Hatch and Hay’s, chemists and druggists, to the corner of Deveron street, and including many cottages and out-buddings lying behind. It was estimated that the actual loss to bo met by the various Insurance Companies would be about Li,500. This sum, of course, does not include the Globe Hotel, Mr. Goodwillie's premises, and the house formerly occupied by Dr. Gri>mr, the whole of which were uninsured.

Cochran and Granger, partial loss, London and Liverpool, £250, Royal £SOO, Otago, £SOO, Imperial, £IOO ; total £1750 ; MTvor, total loss, London and Liverpool, £SOO, Victoria, £SOO, Royal, £SOO, Northern, £SOO, Otago, £IOOO, North British, £SOO, total, £3500, Hatch and Hayes, partial loss, London and Liverpool, £BOO. T. M. CTerke, total loss, London and Liverpool, £3OO.