FIRE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 9 October 1890, Page 2

FIRE.

0 THE OLD GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE DESTROYED. Shortly after 2 o'clock (Wednesday) morning a fire broke out in the buildings at the northern end of Larabton quay, used until recently as the Government Printing Office. At preseut the southern wing is occupied by the lithographers connected -with tbo printing office, and the othei portion of the building:, running up to within a few feet of the Royal Hotel, is principally used as a storehouse. It was in tha lithographic office that the fire originally broke out. The nightwatchraan, Walsh, was in the northern end of the pace at the time when he heard an explosion, and, proceeding to the other end, found the flames had already obtained such a hold as to drive him back. He distinctly asserts that there was fire then in two parts of the first floor, at the front and at the rear. However that may be, the flames very soon had such a ho.d on the building, which is a very old wooden one as to make it evident that no exertion could save either the offices themselves or their contents. The fire brigadesmen were as prompt as possible in their response to the call of the bells, and went to work in excellent ityle. But the flaues steadily travelled all over and enveloped the building, and no effort to check them was more than partially successful. In less than half-anhour after the fire broke out the place was completely gutted, and its contents (which included the lithographic plant, stationery, &o.) destroyed or damaged. There are no insurances. Residents in Charlotte street, anticipating the spread of the fire, speedily got all their effects out into the street. Finding all efforts to save th« old Printing Office vain, the Brigade men did everything in their power to prevent the fire spreading either to the Royal Hotel on the one side or Mr Burrett's old shop on the other. In this they were successful being considerably aided by the gap of a few feet whch separated the Printing Office from other buildings. A building a the back of the main premises in which aquautityofpaper and stationary wore stored was also destroyed with all its contems. By a quarter past three, the Brigade had succeeded in getting the upper hand of the firo, and there appeared little chance of it spreading beyond the printing office. BjUi the shops at the Thorndon quay, and Charlotte street on tho south side of tho print-

ing office, and the Royal Hoiel on the other sde were very much scorched, and tho Brigade had some difficulty in prevouth.g the flame-■PL-easing to ili-isc buUii'gs. The Thornton Infa ts J-oh 0 , Lane l.---stab'c-s, and other buildings m Sy aiey street a so hud si narrow escu,ic 'The printing office contained a lot of machin .vy. and g nerally is conten d were of a v.i utble n.tnre. A nuui-'t-v ct hoses weiv kep play ino 1 on the 10 f and sides of ihe Government Buildings, with a view to preventing the bail .ing froui Catching fire through the spt.rk*. There is no clue as to the origin of tho fire. The nightwatchman states that everything was left all rijjlit so far as he knows— 2V.Z. Tim*s.