DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6510, 7 January 1882, Page 5

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

The very unusual circumstance of two fires, a considerable distance apart, breaking out almost simultaneously, occurred just about midnight. The respective localities were the Union Bank, Hereford street, and Mr D. Beese's timber jard, Durham street. Shortly before midnight-Constable M'Ctorman, who was on duty in Hereford street, notioed a strong smell of fire, and for a time was unsuccessful in his efforts to trace the cause of the smell. At length he perceived a light upstairs in the Union Bank shining through the south-east window. Seeing that the place was on fire, he roused the servants in the private house belonging to the Bank, Mr Palmer, the Chief Officer, and his family being away at Burnham. From the Bank he drove in a cab to the Lichfield Eire Brigade station, where he gave the alarm, and despatched a cab for Superintendent Harris. Meantime the flames burst fprth from the timber yard between Liohfield and Tuam streets, and the bell of the Chester street station rang out. The Brigade and Fire Police lost no time in getting, out the engines, and very soon the Extinguisher was stationed at Lane's Mill, the Deluge at the Cashel street bridge, and the hand-engine at St Michael's Church. The Hook and Ladder Company also were promptly at their posts. From the first, the substantial charaoter of the Bank building rendered it pretty certain that the adjoining buildings would escape. .&. great force of steam, 80lb, and pressure of water, 1201 b, was put on, and two hose were brought to play upon the flames. After about an hour the fire w»b pretty well got under, and in another half-hour the engine ceased to throw water upon it. At half-past one, though the staircase and a portion of the oeiling of the bank-ing-room were still smouldering and occasionally bursting into flame, the fire was virtually extinguished. The alarm at the timber yard was first given to Mr Reese, whose private house is in Lichfield street olose to the business premises, by some man whose name we could not ascertain. Mr Beese, who has only recently returned from Dunedin, and who is suffering from indisposition, hurried to his office with the hope of rescuing his books, but was unable to'sucoeed. As, however, they were in a good strong safe they will probably be found uninjured. The fire burnt fieroely from the beginning and the flames illuminated the town for some hours. At first it was feared that the horses—six in numberwould be burned, and it was with difficulty that they were saved. It was found necessary to have recourse to blindfolding the animals with sacks before they could be induoed to move. . The fire in the bank is believed to have originated in the chief officer's worn upstairs, and was confined to that floor, whioh was divided into only two rooms. What was the cause is quite beyond conjecture. The bank was dosed at the usual time, and the last to leave was Mr Wilmer, who saw everything secure at 7 o'olook. Messrs Wilmer and Cotterill were in the private premises. The chief officer had been in his room till about 4, o'clock, and Messrs Brittan and Wright had been at work there till about half an hour later. The bank is insured for £7OOO or £BOOO in the Liverpool and London, the Union and the Boyal offices, but the amount of eaoh polioy oould not be aßoortained. The damage will no doubt be fully covered by the insuranoe. . , , The flro in the timber yard appears to have originated about the middle of the premises, very muoh in the samo position as was the case some years ago when the same plnoo caught fire. The heat from the burning timber wbb excosiiive, and for some time it seemed probable that the cottages in the immodiate neighbourhood would be ignited. Fortunately, however, there was no wind, and the proximity of the river ensuring an amplo supply of water the Brigade who worked with a will, managed not only to prevent the fire from spreading, but also to save some of the timber in tho yard and the stables. The premises and stock were insured in the Now Zealand Company for £2300, whioh would not probably cover the loss. Mr Beese estimates the value of his stook, &o, at £4OOO or £SOOO, and comparatively but a small portion was saved. Tho polioe, who mustored in strong force at both fires, had very little trouble in keeping the people back, as there was by no means a large crowd at either plaoe. After the foregoing was written tho flames

burst out at the bank, and shortly after two o'clock the water had again to be played upon them. Wot till half-past three was the fire entirely extinguished, as the firemen had great difficulty in getting at the cornice of the building (which wuo of wood) and tho ceiling joists. The business of the bnnk is for tho present to be carried on in Messrs Lewis and Gould's new offices, Worcester street west.

THK INVEROAUOILL FISH. OTBB AN AOHB OF BUItDINOB BWBPT AW AT. -'(Southland Timen ) List night, at a fow minutes before 10, tho most extensive firo that has hitherto occurred in lnvcrcarpill broke out in tho block of buildings bounded bj Spoy strset on tho west side of Dee struct. A very strong westerly wind was blowing, and tho ringing of tho firebell was but faintly heard except in the immediate vicinity. Those who were early on the scone had very little to guide them to the exiot locality. On entoring a right-of-way from Spey street, and which gave entrance to the buck premifos of Campbell's butchery (which occupied tho corner) Mrs Wilson's (late Hannah) licensed grocery storo, and the Hibernian Hotel of Mr Austin M'lncreny, small flames wore just on the point of issuing from beneath the sbingles of a lean-to roof at the back of Mrs Hannah's premises. The fire was in the corner of the roof adjoining the hotel and close up to the gable of the store. Immediately the flames began to lick out through the gable, and almost instantaneously the whole interior of thehotel, which was a large building, was one sheet of fUme ; in faot, the rapidity with which the flares ran through the hotel was almost iucredible. The store in which the fire originated lasted much longer, and the fhmes being fed by the spirits contained in the cellar, as well as by the meat and tallow in the butcher's shop, whioh was speedily wrapt in flames, a fierce heat was generated, which, despite the two chains width of Dee street, speedily shivered the plate-glass windows of the street floor of Messrs Paisley and Go.'s fine building at the opposite corner. The fierce wind blowing directly across the street made attempts to save the windows futile, the long tongues of flame and smoke making breathing almost insupportable. The Fire Brigade did not arrive very early, the explanation of the delay being the simple one that many of the men had failed to hear the bell above the sound of the gale. Their first efforts were directed to the saving of Messrs Paisley's premises, although that seemed to be almost a hopeless task. For those who determinedly stuck to the roof of that building for two hours, in a blinding rain of sparks and smoke, that could be compared to nothing more apt than a snowstorm, the highest praise and solid recompense are due. To return to the scene of the fire. The rapid march of the flames through the hotel building precluded all possibility of saving anything of note, and there has doubtless been great loss of both the hotel property amd that of its numerous inmates. Had the fire occurred two hours later, human life must have been sacrificed. An attempt -was made to get some furniture out of a room facing the right-of-way between the hotel and Mr D. Boohe's general store, but the window had only been driven in when the flames burst into the room and a retreat had to be made. It was evident by this time that no water or engine power would prevent the fire from consuming a very large area of valuable property. In a few seconds the flames caught the corner of Boche's store next the street, and the large three-storey building, with its valuable stock was speedily blazing | from roof to basement, and belchingforth torI rents of flame and sparks against the northern end of Messrs Paisley and Co.'s building across the street. The cornice broke into flames two or three times, but the arrangements by this time for its preservation were equal to keeping the valuable building with its contents from destruction. Sheets of galvanised iron were placed against the windows of the lower fiat and battened down. These proved effective in staying the progress of 'sparks through the broken windows. Willing hands speedily removed a large quantity of general goods from a wholesale storerecently erected by Mrßoche. This was done not a minute too soon, as the building and outhouses were immediately wrapt in flames. The s?ene. by this time was one such as few would wish to see again, the terrors of the devouring element being heightened by the howling of the wind and the hysterical screams of the female residents of the hotel, who had been so ruthlessly and suddenly expelled from their home. An empty building, formerly the Bed Lion Hotel, and lately tenanted by P. Calder and Co., drapers, adjoined Mr Boche's front premises, and this went down like a house of cards I before the fierce heat emanating from Mr I Boohe's stock. It had by this time been seen that it would be necessary to remove the stock from the shops to the north, although hopes were entertained that Mr Hanan's massive briok building, with its dead wall to the fire, would stay its further progress northward. The shops of Messrs M'Liskey (bootmaker),Oooper (jeweller), W.Brown (draper), Joiiah Sogers (tailor), J. Patterson (shoemaker), Baeside (pastrycook), and lethaby (umbrella maker), were unceremoniously cleared of all that could be laid hands on of sufficient value to warrant removal. A volunteer squad, among whom Mr Neilsen, business manager of the Mastodons, was a very prominent worker, set-to to pull down Lethaby's place, whioh adjoined the White Swan Hotel, and was likely to prove a source of danger if Hanan's Temple of Science succumbed to the heat.» As a further precaution Baeside's shop was partially pulled down. All eyes watched the roof of the Temple of Science, up the wall of whioh by this time the flames from M'Liskey's shop were shooting high in the air, and hope was strong that its substantial construction would stay the progress of the conflagration. A lurid glare in the third flat front window told that the weak spot of the roof—the large circular sun light—had caught fire, and in a few minutes the building, with its three halls, and the shops of Cooper and Brown were one mass of intense fire. From there it spread baokwards to a brick building of similar construction, recently built by Mr Hanan, and used ia part, we understand, by himself as a dwel-ling-house. None of the building destroyed bumed so long or fiercely as this, and it must have oontained an immense quantity of inflammable materials. The firemen with the north engine were husbanding their water and watohing the progress of events, meanwhile gutting and pulling down a portion of Sogers' and .Patterson's shops in anticipation of the fire communicating through the north wall of the Temple of Boienoe. A portion of Sogers' shop caught fire several times, but a little water sufficed to quench it, and it was hoped that the fire would be prevented completing the destruction of the wrecked Bhops, and so hinder them becoming vebioles for spreading it to the White Swan and other buildings further up Dee street. For a comparatively long time no signs of the fire spreading in this direction were visible, but the furnaoe-like heat developed by the materials of the Temple of Boience, after the floors and roof fell in, heated the north wall to such an extent that the weatherboard side of Sogers' shop adjoining blazed up suddenly, and a hasty retreat had to be made. Almost instantly the fire again assumed most alarming dimensions, and fears were entertained for the fine blook of brick buildings on the opposite side of the street, oooupied by Jones, ohemistj Condon, Baker; Inglis'Temperance Hotel j Miller, clothier; and others. Fortunately the large windows stood tho heat, and no damage was done. The south wall of the White Swan, a new building, was anxiously watched, while Baeside's shop was burning with only the right-of-way between them. By good luok thoro were only two windows in this wall, nnd these had been pretty well secured by plac'ng sheets of iron over them and several of tho front windows. Despite this, the frame of the window smoked under the iron, and it was momentarily expected that this fine building alio was doomed. The fire in the northern shops, however, began to slacken, and it was with feelings of relief that the spectators, active and passive, saw that the fire was getting to be more controllable | although the strong gusts of wind, hurrying rivers of blazing ashes along Dee and Spey streets, were sources of grave apprehensions of the fire

spreading eastward, in which caie it ia impoi«ible to say what tha result, would have been j but the destruction would probably have been S eater than the Colony has hitherto seen, uring the brief period occupied by these event* in the main street, the work of destruction was going on rapidly in the rear. Immediately behind Bocho'u store was the handball court of the Hibernian Hotel, with high palliating round it. This was speedily in flames, but the brick wall did good service by protecting the burning mass between it and the street from the westerly gale. Other buildings, at the rear of Oalder's and M'Liskey's shops were alio swept awayj while a large weatherboard building, erected by Mr Pennefather for a skittle-ground, in rear of the Temple of Science, blazed furionsly, and was the means of communicating the fire to the back part of Mr Hanan's Holl, as already noticed. When the conflagration was at its height, and an acre of buildings were one seething mass of flame, driven by the furion* wind, the scene was appalling, and was sufficient to cause the most inured to such events to doubt if any efforts that oould be put forth would stay the progress of the fire until it had worked dire disaster over a much larger area than it fortunately did. Had the White Swan Hotel caught, in all human probability the fire would have spread to Leet street, with the strong likelihood that it would have crossed Dee street also. By half-an-hour after midnight the destroying element had done its worst, and nothing remained to be done but watch the neighbourhood carefully for the blazing embers which wero being driven about in all directions. Along the frontage of Messrs Paisley and Co.'s buildings, and up among the stifling smoke, a sturdy band of firemen and volunteers determinedly battled with the scathing heat that swept down on these buildings. No one for some time after the fire had attained its height expected that Paisley and Co.'s establishment could escape, neither would it but for the continuous efforts made by those on the roofs. The public worked well in saving property, and the Fire Brigade did all that men could with the imperfect water supply at their command. As to the origin of the Are, it was seen to break through the back gable and lean-to roof of Mrs Hannah's premises, within a yard of a chimney, and at this time there was no sign of fire in the Hibernian. Some difficulty was experienced in ronsing an inmate of Campbell's shop, who occupied a room facing Spey street, and it was not till the window was smashed that he could be made to comprehend the gravity of his position. Nothing of any importance was saved from the butchery. Mrs Hannah's was unapproachable from the first; while Mr M'lnerney had barely time to snatch two sleeping children from their bed and run for his life, as others in his house had, leaving all their possessions behind. He was insured for about £I2OO, but that sum will not cover his loss; while he was not sure whether a large sum of money, taken during the holidays, had also been destroyed. He also lost his gold watch'. Mr Roche, we regret to learn, as his fellow-townsmen will, has been a very serious loser, as well aa Mr Hanan, - but in the commotion it was impossible to learn with accuracy the amount of insurance in time for our issue. Mr M'Liskey, we understand, was uninsured; Mr Brown had a policy for £SOO on his stock; and Mr Rogers' stock was insured for £l5O. We learn that two men who were in the Hibernian Hotel bar called the attention of the barmaid to smoke floating about, but she thought it was from a smoky chimney. Immediately after, the entire wail of the bar and dining-room burst into flames, and the inmates had not a moment to lose. Mrs Wilson (or Mrs Hannah) does not reside on the premises, and, so far as we are aware, was not present during the fire. It is hoped that no lobs of life has occurred, although Mr M'lnerney's house wa- full of holiday visitors, and it would be difficult for him to say who were in the house or abed. Some who escaped had retired for the night. Fireman Cross met with a nasty injury to his head by his having a bucket thrown from the roof of Paisley and Co.'s store on him. At 4 a.m. the fire seemed to be completely under control, although the gale had not abated. HST OP BTTIIpDIWQS totallt destboybd. Mr F. Campbell's City Butchery, with out-buildings attached extending to right-of-way. Mrs Wilson's grocery and wine and spirit store, with out-buildings. Mr Austin M'lnerney's Hibernian Hotel with out-buildings, hand-ball court, and a small place destroyed to save a cottage at the rear. Mr David Boche's grocery and wine and spirit store. The building and outhouses recently occupied by Messrs Calder and Co., and formerly known as the Bed Lion Hotel. Mr M'Liskey's bootshop and outhouses connected therewith. Mr Hanan's Temple of Science, with outbuilding*, including a large skittle-alley lately erected by Mr Pennefather at the rear. Mr W. Browne's drapery establishment, in the lower Btorey of Mr Hanan's building. Mr Cooper's jewellery shop, under the same roof. Mr J. Sogers' tailoring establishment. Mr J. Patterson's bo it and shoe shop. Mr A. Baeside's pastrycook shop, and Mr Lethaby's umbrella shop (destroyed by removal). The manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company reports the losses sustained by the different insurance oompanies on account of the Invercargill fire as follows : South British £2OO Liverpool, London, and Globe 1100 North British 1500 Colonial 2200 Transatlantic 1200 New Zealand 1300 £7500 The Hamburg-Magdeburg and Standard Insurance Companies have also lost amounts by re-insurance.—Dunedin Herald.