DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 44, 13 March 1878, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

4 fire which might have been attended most disastrous effects, if not lass, pf life, b;ut which resulted m damage to a considerable extent, occurred at the Clarendon Hotel, Balmerston, on Sunday night last. The origin of the fire is at present a mystery, and nothing fo. far has come tq light \phioh will furnish a clue. It appears that, the groom, a man named James Frazer, retired tqhjig hed m the haniessrioom, attached/ tq the gtal}les, at %b,ox\b half T past niqe, at \vhich tinje all appeared to be qjuite sa,fa. Somewhere about |ialf;pas^ eleyeij l^e \\ r as. aw^keqed b,y a sensation, tq dj.scov-er that the gtable i;.^JVS. m frames, and v-olumes of smp^Q iutq the harness-roam. Jlindi^g. thit tfye. outlet through the gtkqles wj^s oqe mass of f\ve, he Managed tq force W way thrqqgli a Vack dqqr, which ha.d baen partially blocked up, a,nd escaped by the riiar. His first thought was to give the alarm flt the hotel, an^ then tq ru^sh to the, coach-house. to secure the buggy, which he did' with Go^siderable. dagger, and pi fficulty, being b,adly/ saorched iv the pffort." 8,0, qi^iclcly, hbw.ev.er, had, tl\e flam[e4 tha.t'he" w^s u,nable to §gain j ei.ter. the. li^rne^s-ropni, and aon^ se.qiiejitly: a aonsidera.ble. a*mou.nt" of fiar^ess,'' sa^dlesj 'bricVe's, t a,nd atl^er gea,r' was. lf>si. n , ou,t-Kouse i,n elq.se. wox^niity. to, the. sjtabl es, m. w n j c^ A large amount- p£; property' belonging, to, Mr Mcj^eil, wa,s, "^'e. regret tftsaj, also, Y^ery" few^. m.oin,ents after, ijb^e. fijrgt a.larnr had been, gi ven.^ $aip{ain; ' King; o\ the." J?ire, %-igade, ar.rive.c)i ' op" ike. scene, and immediately, a, messenger, to. muster his men tue. ringing qjfthe. Pxesbyteriajn 'the. sun»m,on.s being answered with, th.c most commendable alacrity. . ijea.nti.rne, the inmates,. o£ ■ftie liojtel having, been aroused,_ with Mr Oiwen, the' proprietor, at' their. suec.ee.dejd iri getting upon the rrof, an^ by the a^ppUcatipn. cf- saturated; blankets, and? a. pjentiful supply of- ; managed to prevent the roof/ Vhicli was a. singly, one, from: igniting. The; ta;sk, however, was most difficxilt, froni tKe b,jurning build^Djgl "Cra)s sp, g.rea.t as' to. quickly." dry, the •^oodf AX, one. time, iji appearedalmost, an impossibility, to, sa^e the. liotel, as thjere; was. aY large 's.tock. offirewropd- :\^hich. led up to, the. kitchen aoor, a ; nqV f.opmed a. kiijd of; trajn b',e-. tweenthemaiji building and the.sta.bles. However, itiere. were, plpnty, of filling' hapds, and , the' burning fences/ and^ logs, haying open , either' 4 u ;t dVwn; or removed, by lial^past 9ne. a^l danger was oyer v and ; tl^p task only: to, smother the: burning Kone of- the furniture m. tlie tpteX was. disturbed, although; wkile •pie da/iger.was alb its.heigh.t, Mrs o,wen qnjy 'ha^cif her^ cjiildren brought to. a plare:' of : safety, but a quantity of «jlothing^ was. removed m prep'artitipip for yie;^orst. It has been,qu/ lpj; to ( haye present at many; .fires where there were organised, Brigades ajb work, bujb we feel; "bound, to'; confess, thjafj pji.no occasion have. weseaii w;ork, earned: out m a, mqre.''efficie.nti manner than, on.^ Sunday:; night;." ' Eaph_ one labored witli' 4; will^ and. when, it is. consideredj.tliajfe a stronjsf wjnd wag. blowjng, it is npt'tpo Biuelx to say that w.ere it not for .the ijnwearied;labprs!6f the volunteers nothing cou^i: possibly save the, Kptelj, T.he ipanneh: m.; every one, presenfc liibprqd^.olget t|ie frames, under.v^as not Qnly..credi]ta!t)le.tqj thjpie.;cqftcemed^- but ysks s^ 'mos.^ cop v-incingi.proof;:ofrthe good f^ejing, existing, m. tlie: distript,. and; a. ■ Qf , tfie . e-stden mi n w^iichj Kr Owen i^ iieijii byV his. fplipw. tow-nsmpn. qannp^cpnQludp. without' mentioning opie act w^ip r h.deseryes. : recordingj. and 1 that is: thaj^ Mr Gjlberfc, tlie proprietor of the „.!§i)y.al' Hptelj liberally; opened, his bar to ■ Teifjresjj; the ; wprkers;^^du,ring their labprs. (^fj-qpurse. wje; are aware,. that strictly i e,a t jqpg i .sueh i a, course was unnecessary, as. iff is\ needless to, say/ Mr Owen as Gapymede qn th'e.pccasion,_ apd ; had his. bjar open t?lt fijre; ip, the'mprning,;. but; stillithe disposition, e^iibited: by." Mr.; Gilbert deserves, nqrie. the: less.; recognition on tiiat apcou.pti Tjhe. stables wfire insured m theJSFationallnsufance.for £150, but weregrej&i'tp, learn , % the loss wjll ; fully qxceed thaj; ampuptj by £^LOQ, inde- t -pendently v .bf, th]e. quthpuse.in ;W^|ch Mr McNeil h^da^ large', quantity qjE ; goods stored, and'which, was totally d^SctrpyedThere can be np dou'bfc thaj; thei^atio^ar jvilL supplement the. ampuntfbr . wjiiph it is liable by a.iiapdspme bonus, in.the snape o£ sa] vage,. for assuredly liad.it not been for the untinng, efforts of 'Mr Owen and his. volunteers,~ a^ery heavy «all would b^9 made .upon,, iff fu{idsr the hotel having been insured^fpr £1500, apd the furniture. fpr. £.700. WeTregrefcto say that the. proprietor ha^ received Qonsiderable iiijury. m his. efforts^ m the shape of •bruises, a.dislpcatipn of the the thumb,, and a, v.cry heavy -* shaking l)y afallirdmthe,rop|bf;the kitchen..