Serious Fire in Wellington.

Manawatu Herald, 29 November 1898, Page 2

Serious Fire in Wellington.

ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL CONSUMED. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Wellington which has been prac- 7™ tically destroyed by fire, is still burning. The fire began at 8. 45 a.m.. yesterday in the tower. It is insured for £"2000 in the New Zealand. Most of the contenis were taken out, but the organ and music are lost. For some weeks past workmen have been engaged painting and repairing the Cathedral, which is a wooden building 40 years old. occupying a prominent site in Hill-street, where it can be seen from all parts of the town. This morning the men were engaged burning off old paint on the tower a^r^ the flame from a lamp got through a knot hole and ignited the timber inside the hollow buttress. Up this it ran like a lift and jn a short time the

• whole tower was ablaze. It was first noticed at about 8.45. There was a strong head of water on, but the presure was reduced from 160 to about 140' owing to the height of the site. Six hoses were brought into use and as the tower stood on the eastern end, towards which a strong south-easter was blowing, there seemed good hope of saving the main body of the Church. Bit by bit the tower fell in and just an hour from the start it was all down. . It was then seen, however, the fierce heat had set the roof alight, and creeping along under the slates, traversed the whole length of the building, and at the same moment as the tower disappeared, burst through the western window and enveloped the organ loft. It was then all up with the Church. The roof fell in, the upper windows burned out and all the eastern portion ' was demolished, practically nothing but the aisles being left and the interior is a wreck.. The onlookers were not altogether satisfied with the work of the brigade, who have coped with other fires better than with this. It was the general opinion that the fire should have been confined without great trouble to the eastern end of the building. A large portion of the seating arid altar furniture was taken out and the whole could have been saved, but the brigade stopped the work and closed the doors to prevent the draught. The New Zealand Insurance Company has a line of £2300 on the building, £500 being reinsured in the London and Lancashire. When the preceding messages were sent the fire appeared well in hand, but made a fresh start and gained a firm hold of the interior. The walls. and roofs, aisles, and northern aisle are gutted and the southern partly burned out. Practically a mere shell remains. The loss is estimated at £4000 to £5000 above the. insurance^ The marble altar, which was destroyed was worth some JB6OO, and the organ £900. All the plate and statues ..were saved ; also the register and greater ; part ©f the vestments. The latter' wer pulled on the footpath and suffered \ afterwards from sparks. The mnsic is ' mostly saved. A large number of ; seats had to be left in the building. { The sparks set fire to the Presbytery Convent and Gascoigne's house. The . Convent had a narrow escape as the , sparks flew through the open window ; and set fire to the matting, but fortunately were observed in time. — Press ' Association. i