FIRE NEAR JUNCTION HOTEL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 25 October 1880, Page 2

FIRE NEAR JUNCTION HOTEL.

Shortly after two o'clock this afternoon a house occupied by Mr. John. Murray, near Mackay's Junction Hotel, and its contents, including- L2Q in notes, were totally destroyed by fire. Mrs. Murray was in town doing some business at tjjo time, and was only made aware of the painful fact by some person whom she met. The wind was fortunately blowing from the south-east. Had it been otherwise, it is probab'e that the house occup ed by Mr. Daniel Booth, next tioor, would also have been victimised. Mrs. Murray is at a loss to know h ; QW djsaatpr ocQvtri'eil, except it vyass by some clothes which She had' left in front of the fire ito'dry. Tlie property had been insured, to what amount and in what office we have not been able to ascertain, but the policy had been allowed to lapse. As the whole of the property belonged to Mr. Murray, who is working up-country, the loss will doubtless be keenly felt by Mr. and Mrs. Murray. But there is one circumstance for which they should feel grateful. Their children (three in number, and very ycsnqg) had been left at a neighbor's house, thus, perhaps, escaped 3[ fearful death. Tlie neighbors and others kindly rendered all the assistance of wl}ich they were capable; but, even, had, the Brigade been promptly oil the gvqund in a body with all fife-extinguishing apparatus, not a stick could have been saved, p. 3 the fire had thoroughly laid hold of the property, and was fanned by the high wind. The Brigade was, however, represented, and all was done that was within human power to avert such a total loss.