STRATFORD FIRE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10273, 7 May 1919, Page 5

STRATFORD FIRE

A BIG BLAZE

BLOCK OF BUSINESS PREMISES | DESTROYED. j ■ : ■ • i I Frew Assnci-j.ti.-n. ' STRATFORD, May 6. A fire broke out shortly after midnight on the east side of Broadway, spreading quickly and destroying a large portion of the block before the conflagration was arrested. The ings are on the railway leasehold, and are all of wood. The fire originated in Sheahan's tobacconist shop, the building also being occupied by Sladen and Palmer, engineers, and Ford, maker. The next building, occupied by Fmnerty, estate agenw, was destroyed, and also a block of buildings known w i'ork Chambers, occupied Dy K. Kicnardson (grocer), *'wg'e (estate Estate Tyrer (solicitor;, lUeCiuggage testate agent), Cook (tailor), J. V. J**»y ■ (architect), On is.ee (greengrocer),, W. H. Harris .(fishmonger), and .Barker (refreshment rooms). All , practically destroyed. ~«,„„„ The Central Co-operative Grocery Stores were damaged severely, also Foster's bootshop. . A. fortuiiate cnange of the wind ana , the splendid work of the fire brigade undoubtedly saved the fire from taking the whole of the street to the Kina corner, and possibly beyond, the | fire being arrested at the Central Cooperative Store on one side and -tester's, on the other. The whole of the buildings were on the railway leases, and naturally were not so solidly built as those on the freehold. . j So far tho origin of the fire is a j The lessee of the shop where the tire I first broke out is T» Sheahan„a returned soldier, who is at present at Rotorua. A brother has been managing the business for him. At a few minutes to midnight Dri Stev«n passed the buildings, when everything appeared all right; but just after midnight flames burst forth in greai volume. Sheahan's building is owned by Dr 1. L. Paget, now of Palmerston North, Finnerty's by Mr Wake, solicitor, Auckland, and the York Chambers block by Ebenezer Burgess, now a resident of Hamilton. ... The insurances so far available are: Dr Paget's building, £525 m tho United office. Sheaiian's stock, fittings, and billiard table, £4OO in the Ocean Company. Ford's stock and tools, £SO, in the Ocean office. Burgess's building, £7OO, in the State Fire offico. Tyrer's office furniture, £IOO, in tho Northern office. Mrs Barker's stock and fittings, £250 in tho Atlas office. Harris's stock and fittings, £IOO, in the" Commercial Union. J. D. HealyV office furniture, £SO, in the Commercial Union. On Kee's building, £4OO, stock £SOO, in the Commercial Union. Theosophical Society's furniture, £3O, in the Ocean office.