DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT WANGANUI.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 31 August 1880, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT WANGANUI.

(by telegkaph.) "Wasoaxci, August 31. A destructive fire occurred at the Rutland Hotel this morning. The building to completely wrecked. There was only an insurance of L 250 on the building, and the proprietor suffers great loss, as he has not any insurance on his furniture or stack. Later.

The fire at the Rutland Hotel originated htie kitchen, and was conducted npatais by the lift used to communicate mtli the private suites of apartments. 'The alarm was first given by the billiard marker who slept in a room over the kitchen. He woke up choking, and found the room full of smoke and fire. When once the fire broke through lip-stairs it spread rapidly. Six jets of water *»ere promptly brought to bear, and, although saving the hotel appeared hope--Im, the fire was utterly beaten back by the force of the water. TTp-stairs, however, i 3 completely gutted, those rooms not burnt being blackened by smoke and Eat Great sympathy is "felt for the proprietor, a3 the hotel was greatly enlarged lately and improved, making one of the besfr in the Colony. Some of the commercial travellers lost their lug^tige. Insurances on the Rutland Hotel amount to L3SG in the Imperial, on furniture; L 750 in the Colonial on building, and other policies in the South British were taken out, but cancelled, because the proprietor considered the premiums tia hiflfh. The total loss, outside insurance, 13 L2OOO.