DISASTROUS FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3721, 23 October 1906, Page 3

DISASTROUS FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Wellington, Yesterday. A fire was discovered shortly after 3.30 a,.ra. It originated in the old, dilapidated, one-sorey wooden building, directly opposite Grey-street. The structure fed the flames like tinder, but as the walls of the Trocadero rose sheer against it, four storeys high, and Batkin's tobacconist shop made a similarly high wall on the other side, the odds were that, the -brigade would have a comparatively easy task. The water was turned on to three leads of hose, and by the time the firemen commenced to play them on the buildings the flames were hissing and 1 oaring in the fresh nor’-wester. Unfortunately, at this critical juncture, it was, found that the mains from the Wainui-o-mata reservoir had burst at Ngahauranga, five miles from the city, about ten minutes before the fire was reported. The brigade was forced to fall back on the Karori supply, which is only an anxiliary to the principal source of j supply at Walnui. In, less than an hour the small wooden building in which the fire first started, the Trocadero, and the Com.mercial Hotel weie being rapidly destroyed. JBv 5-30 a.m. the buildings between Batkin’s tobacconist's shop and the splendid building of the Bank of New South Wales, a three-storey structure which had only been in occupation for about nine months, and was erected last year at a cost of £50,000, were a tremendous mass of flames. Another, fine, buiidmg destroyed was that occupied by Whitcombe and Tombs. At 6 o’clock it was clear that the whole triangular block, with the single exception of Young and Tripe’s fourstorey brick building, which occupied the corner of Grey and Featherstonstreets, were doomed. The Alliance Insurance Company’s building, adjoining the'New Zealand Insurance Cqnfpany, in Qrey-street, withstood the fire for a couple of hours and then gave up the resistance. The march of the flames was irresistable. After eating up the buildings fronting the Eastern side of the quay, they crept round to the rear, and made an onslaught on Castondyke and Facke's three-storey wooden building, facing Featherston-street. All this time the' officers of the Union Bank of Australia- were hastily transferring the bank’s portable property and records not stored in the strong room to a place of safety, the building quickly succumbing to the flames. Both, Whitcombe and Tombs’ premises and the Bank of New South Wales were destroyed with startling

rapidity. If was little short af a miracle that ...the adjoining wooden building known as the “Exchange,” in which there are a dozen or fifteen tenants, and the Post Office Savings’ Bank, and the New York Life Assurance Company, and the South British Insurance Company were saved. Several times these buildings were lighted up on the roofs, but willing hands with buckets kept tne flames under. At 8.30 o’clock the fire had run its course, and was under control. Eoughly fifteen business premises were destroyed, and probably over -zoo different firms and companies, occupying offices in the various buildings destroyed, are the losers by the conflagration. The estimated value of the buildings destroyed is £IOO,OOO, the chief values being as follows: — Bank of'New'South Wales, £40,000. Whitcombe and Tombs, £B,OOO.

• Trocadero, £B,OOO. . New Zealand Insurance Company, £2OOO. Commercial Hotel, £2OOO, The others range from £750 to £IOO Holiday Bros, ,own the premises in which the fire , occurred, and Miss Roach’e’sshop. Mr Gilmer owned the Trocadero md Commercial Hotel, and Mr Lewis vVhitcombe and Tombs’ premises. The Bank o£.New South Wales and the Union Bank owned their premises, md the latter owned the Strand Cafe [occupied by Mr F. Dakin]. ■ Mrs W. B. .Rhodes owned the Wellington Trust snfl Loan’s, C. M. Bank’s and Bates’ premises, also those >f Focke, The Alliance Assurance Company owned their premises and these occupied by Wilson. All the buildings destroyed, with the exception of the Bank of New South Wa'es, the Trocadero, and WliHcombe and Tombs, were old land marks. lire principal insurances 'are as follows; Whitcombe and Tombs.—Contents: Atlas, £1000; Alliance, £2000; Commercial Union, £2500; Guardian Life Assurance, £1500; Liverpool, London and Globe, £3OOO ; London and Lancashire, £1500; New Zealand, £1500; Northern Assurance, £2000;, North Queensland, £1000; Phoenix, £2500; Royal, £2500; South British, £1000; Sun Fire. £2066'; United. £SOO ; Victoria £SOOI Building: Commercial Union, £1000; Standard, £1000; National, £IOOO ; North British and British Mercantile, £IOOO. Total, £28,900. Castendyke and Focke. —Building— Sun Fare, . £I2OO. Stock Phoenix, £1000; Liverpool, London and Globe, £500; Victoria* • £650; South British, £600; New Zealand, £6OO. Total, £3650. Bunk of New South Wales—Building, furniture, etc. —National, £2a,000. New Zealand Insurance Company — Building — Phoenix,' .Soon ; Now Zealand, £OOO ; North British, £SOO ; South British, £500; Liverpool, London and Globe, £3OO. Banks an 1 Co'.—Bunding Commercial Union. £2OO. A. T. Bite’s premises.— Building— Sun, £lO . Strand Cafe—'Building— Sun, £2OO, Atlas £2OO. Trocadero Hotel Building —Atlas Office, £4,500; Furniture—Atlas, £2000; T. Shields — Stock— £2OO, National. There are numerous smaller insurances and reinsurances. The insurances on the Commercial Hotel and Union Bank are not avail* able.