DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 174, 22 August 1878, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

NEWTON'S STABLES AND SEVEN HORSES BURNT. About two o'clock this morning the bells rang out the alarm, and 011 people leaving their houses at the dreaded sound they were not left a momeut in doubt as to the locality 01 the lire, a bright glare showing it to be in Hardy-street, and on approaching the spot it was found that the livery stables belonging to the estate of the late Mr Newton were one mass of flame. It appeared that Mrs Lucre, the wife of the manager, was awakened by a loud roar, which at first she took to be either wind or rain, but the bright glare that was to be seen through the window soon undeceived her, and showed what w.13 the real cause She called her husband, who immediately ran out and found the whole stable and shed in a blaze, the fire having apparently broken out in the loft at the south ecd. There were eleven horses in the stables at the time, and " Jem "—by which name he is best known immediately set to work to release them. Some he got loose and contrived to drive them down the yard at the back where men were at work breakiug down the fence to enable them to escape into Selwyn Place, but whether it was that they were frightened by the smashing of the fence, or maddened by the fire, smoke, and injuries that they had already sustained it is difficult to say, but, as a fact, some of them rushed back into the open passage between the rows of stalls and were burned to death. One poor brute belonging to Dr. Sealy, whose clothing had cjaught fire, dashed out into Hardy-street and galloped down that and Trafalgar-street, and in the madness produced by the fearful tortures it was suffering from the brand of fire by which it was encirled, made a dash at the door of the Club smashing to atoms the large pane of glass which formed the upper half, and almost frightened to death the wife of the steward, who had run downstairs and was just entering the hall when she was startled by the crash of glass, and confronted with the apparition of a blazing horse trying to force its way into the house. The poor wretch then continued its mad career and made another dash at Mr Darby's shop window, and was ultimately found iu the lane near Mr

Healy's, whence it was taken to Twist & Gay's stables, when the frightful injuries it had sustained necessitated its being shot. A horse belonging to Dr. Earrelle had also 1 to be shot to put it out of its, agony. In a very short time, and before there was time to remove the furniture, Lucre's house was in flames and very soon everything he had, including some £9 in cash, was lost. The ruins this morning presented a sickening sight, the burnt horses lying about in all directions, in cases the carcases being whole, and in others strewed about in joints, but the appearance of all bore testimony to the fearful sufferings the poor wretches must have undergone. Every scrap of harness and saddlery is completely destroyed, but fortunately the carriages were all aaved uninjured with the exception of the large four-horse coach, the sides of which were burnt. The Brigade turned ont speedily, and were soon on the spot with their hoses, and iu a position to pour a volume of water on the burning building, but as the flames had obtained such a firm hold that to save it, or any part of it, was an utter impossibility, the attention of the Brigade was directed to protecting the adjoining buildings, and a perfect sheet of water was kept flowing on the side of the adjoining tailor's shop and residence occupied by Mr Larkins, which was by thi3 means saved from the destruction which at one time appeared imminent, although the wall is considerably charred. On viewing the scene to-day one cannot refrain from wondering how the fire could possibly have been confined within such very narrow limits seeing that it had secured so firm a hold before the alarm was given and itwas possible for assistance ta arrive. The stables, as are well knowu, were situated almost in the centre of a timber yard, with stacks of timber piled up in close contiguity to them. Immediately behind is Mr Good's factory, and on the west fide were a lot of buildings that might have been expected tt» burn like touchwood with such a mass of flame immediately to windward of them and showers of sparks falling on the roofs. Thanks , however, to the plentiful supply of water of which the town can boast, and the well directed energies of the Brigade all these were saved. The insurances were as follows i — Harness, saddlery, horses, carriages, &c, £300 in the Norwich Union and £300 in the National; buildings, £350 in the Norwich Union. Mr Harper, the agent for Mrs Nesbitt, the owner of the building, informs us that on Sunday night he dreamt that the stable was burnt, and the impression made upon him was so vivid that he made enquiries, and found that owing to some trifling additions beinsr made to the sheds it was necessary to take out a " carpenter's risk," which he did at once, and so saved his insurance money. A " carpenter's risk " on account of the occupiers, too, was only taken out yesterday. The house occupied by Mr Larkins was insured in the Liverpool and London for £150. The fire, we may add, was discovered by Constable White, who was standing with the night watchman at the Trafalgar corner, when he saw smoke coming down the street, and hastened up to Hardy-street, where he saw the stables in a blaze, and immediately ran to the station and rang the bell. In connection with this we may state that numerous expressions of dissatisfaction with the night watchman have poured iu upon us to-day. It is complained, and certainly not without some show of justice, that there must have been some neglect when a building bordering on one of the principal streets could be in a blaze from one end to the other before tho lire was discovered, although the streets are paraded by a man who is specially paid to guard against such accidents.