FIRE IN PRINCES-STREET SOUTH.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 286, 29 August 1874, Page 4

FIRE IN PRINCES-STREET SOUTH.

A fire broke out on the premises of Messrs. Guthrie ..and. Larnach, timber merchants, .Princes-street.south, at about four o'clocl<Ton Saturday morning last. When the alarm was first given the flames were confined., to the north side of the premises, particularly round the engine and boiler. The night watchman was then (4.10 a.'m.) playing a hose on that pa"t " of the premises where the engine is situ - ated. He said that the -fire had got such headway before he could get the.water to, play that he had no control over it. The Fire Brigade were promptly on the spot, under the command of Captain Wain, and several jets' Were in .'full play; the main one being directed on the Prince of Wales Hotel, on the opposite side of the road, which was seriouslyMhreatened, and is surrounded by wooden . buildings. The flames had just taken effect on the Spanish Restaurant, and it, with the adjoining -.building, in the occupation ot Mr. T. W: Haworth, was soon enveloped in flames. The bonrders in the Spanish Restaurant "' had barely time to escape, some having to get down from the upper stories by means ,of .ropes, "and losing all their clothes. The immigrants, with the assistance of a number of willing hands, managed to get their clothing out.of the depdt; but this building was, after all, not damaged—the fire being-entirely confined to Messrs. Guthrie and LarnachV'Haworth's, and the Spanish Restaurant. Several mothers were ■ rushing.aboi.it in a half dressed state, and the. scene was one .of great excitement. The, only solution that can be offered as to the cause of the fire wns. that a- spark from the, engine fell amongst the timber. Two hundred men have been temporarily thrown out of employment, and the Corporation have made arrangements by which Messrs. Guthrie and Larnach will be able|tj&-erect temporary premise's be•tweenyßnridiand' Crawford-streets in a Very -siiort time. ' Most of-the hands,-with the exception'of those in'the'manufacturing department, will;be almost-imm'edi- , ately,token jQri... Arrangements have been • (■made .with'differ'ent' timber. • merchants in town, 'by, which there will be only-a'trifl-ing delay^o.the..customers.of the firm- in; : the execution of."their orders. -The iron'

shed was not damaged.; the .greatest-hyl"|j juiy-being clone to Jfre\.inami^g|.^nvj Bdi^Xv&^eiiS^f gSt'^lj's^n'd'jpVf7royed - in a'portion of, the,* premises ;jvhich the fire: did not reuuii, will be immediately brought into operation. Constable Murdoch passed on the opposite - side of' the • road .a few minutes before the alarm' was .giver, and 'then all appeared, to, be quite ■right., .He went, as far"as Government house, , and; on returning, ob-, .served the -flames.issuing from the premises. • It-appears that Albert Hamilton, the night-watchman, after; going the round between quarter and Half-past three,in the morning, oh 'entering . the yard from Bund, street, observed flames four feet high issuing from the boiler, upon which he hastened up the'yard, opened the front gate, and gave the alarm. • 1-Te then turned'on the water and endeavored to play on the fire with the firm's hose. The place where'j he fire was'Jsuppos'ed to : have! ,originated-.was carefully examined f by him -about half an, hour .before it broke, out. ' The police were present, under the super*' intendence of Sub-Im.pector -Mallard,- and, rendered'valuable assistance in keeping the ; cfowd back" 1 so as' not to,interfere • with the ..brigade, .while" the latter deserve to be! ,high(y. commended'for manner in which.they discharged their arduous ■task. - This -fire,.:if.not the *most,costly,, ejected'the strongest volume ofilames of r any that has happened in this City for a consider'aGle/l 'number .of years; Within a 'very fiioft' time' nearly one'thousand persons w£re.,o t iV r 'the' spot.' ' '" '- We to ascertain the v sustained— Messrs, Guthrie and • ftarhach '-being '• unakile to 'compute -their • Ipsa, till; they havehaclan opportunity of" .Tnspecftng'their, books. " l)he'insurances,' bVseeri "by'" the following list, are .divided in the,'various Town companies: —Messrs. Guthrie : Victoria Company— Machinery £SOO ;■ stock, £1,500 ; total, '£-2,000, South British :• Hiiilding£ 1,000 machinery £SOO, stock"£2so—total, • £1.'750'. ''Australian" Alliance; Stock £350, builiin'gs'-£ISO, machinery £50,0 —total ~£.fooo. Standard :. .Buildings '£7 so, machinery £7so—total, ;£1,500. • Norwich-, .Union : Machinery. £I,OOO, 'stock"-'" £750,5,' buildings} £2so—: total, . £2,0 f o():^:^Katidnal: • Btiildings £SOO, plant £SOO, stock £l,soo—total, £2,500: ■'New, Zealand ': Stock buildings £ 1 ,sp,q,,mach'mery $1 ,000 - total £3OOO. ■ i,Gnin;l. total^pf.Messrs,Guthrie and, Larnach's insurance, £13,700. . Mr.- Haworth wnHrrsui'ed'in'thclloyal Insurance; _UQmpany/.for„£l,000, and the building' ."with thp."Spanish Restaurant for' £l,lOO in the New Zealand Company.—' Star.'.