DISASTROUS FIRE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1033, 7 February 1882, Page 2

DISASTROUS FIRE.

GRAT LOSS OF PROPERTY. The most alarming conflagration that l it has been the misfortune of the town of Gisborne to be visited with occurred on Sunday evening last. .At about 7 p.m., when the church-going portion of the community were engaged in prayer, the fire-boll rang out its ominous alarm. At the time scarcely an individual could be seen along the whole range of Gladstone Hoad. Mr Daniel Page and Mr Samuel Stevenson who were at the time at the side enentrance of the Masonic .Hotel in Lowe-street, saw, what appeared to them, smoke emitting from beneath the lower part of the premises in the occupation of Messrs A. Graham and Co. Hurrying down to ascertain the actual position of affairs they discerned that a serious catastrophe was inevitable. Messrs Page and Stevenson, seeing that they were utterly powerless to allay what threatened from the outset to be a fire of a dangerous character, quickly .gave the alarm to ths persons in the adjacent premises. At the beginning the smoke arising was supposed to be from a chimney, but it did not take long to dislose the actual position in which the whole thing existed. The alarm was made generally known, and in passing through the private entrance of Mr Dickson’s Hotel the inmates were made aware by Mr Pago and Mr Stevenson of the impending fate that appeared to threaten the whole block of buildings. The fire spread rapidly from Messrs. Carr and Son’s woolshed. The premises of Pitt aud Bennett, auctioneers, next fell a prey. The Union Bank had had a temporary respite offered to it; but it was too palpable to all that it could not be saved. The boxes of papers containing valuable securities and other important documents were carefully secured and removed to the premises of the Bank of New South Wales. The officers of the Bank and others displayed the utmost energy in this work. Many willing hands were likewise engaged in removing things from the premises of Messrs. Brassey and Frazer, Pitt and Bennett, Mr Dickson’s, and the other buildings contiguous. Furniture and such like articles were removed with as much despatch as possible. The fire had travelled so fast, and had got such firm hold of the mass of buildings that in many instances the flames burst into the rooms in which persons were endeavoring to rescue things. The concrete walls of the store of Messrs. Carr and Son were now unable to withstand 1 any longer the terrible heat they had been forced to endure. The bonded stores were completely ignited, and liquid streams of fire flowed through the underground drain from the cellar, mingling with the Turanganui Biver below, and forcing the flame far out into the middle of the stream. Kerosene, of which there were many tins, now took lire, and the tins, bursting with the excessive heat, the oil ran along the ground, and quickly communicated the flames to McFarlane’s Hall, first setting the fence on fire, and then the whole building followed. The windows, not having iron shutters, were completely cracked long before the timber in the building itself had caught lire. The whole of this time not a breath of wind disturbed the serenity of the atmosphere. Far and wide the lurid light reflected all around. From the Murewai and Pakirikiri it was distinctly observable that a terrible conflagration raged within the town. Persons riding along this part of the road could acutely smell the burning of grain, and actually thought that the fire was merely that of some wheat or hay stack The smell of burning grain was accounted for afterwarks when it was known that a large quantity of grass seed was destroyed, Mr. E. W. Mills and may others being among the sufferers. The graiu having been stored in some instances without insurances being effected in the different stores prior to shipment. 'The windows of the Bank of New Zealand on the opposite side of the road became cracked with the extraordinary heat, and the inmates of the building became alarmed. Nasmith’s buildings met with a similar fate. In the Southern Cross Petroleum Co.'s office a large bottle of petroleum began to be so severely heated that an explosion was looked upon as inevitable. With much personal risk it was eventually removed. The verandah of Mr. Adair’s building was covered with blankets, and a constant supply of water maintained. The Masonic Hotel had a marvellously narrow escape, and were it not for the remarkable coolness displayed in the heat of the excitement by the host himself, Mr. Daniel Page, it is doubtful whether the building would not I have now been reduced to ashes. The i whole of the domestics of his house-

hold were marshalled in regular order, and in a thoroughly disciplined manner took their posts. It was a time of great excitement. The slightest breath almost of wind would have scaled the fate of the principal blocks. Speculation was rife as to whether or not the Masonic Hotel and the whole line of buildings would not be destroyed. Upon tho roof of Mr. Townley’s buildings large embers now lodged, and a constant supply of water had to be kept up. With increasing energy the fire rushed along. The Argyll Hotel and Mr Finn’s office were destined to be reduced to ashes. A large throng was gathered around. Furniture, as usual under such circumstances, was thrown recklessly about. Pianos were dropped to the ground from upstair windows. At tho Masonic Hotel, upon i, the preservation of which depended innumerable buildings, was formed a strong band of earnest workers under the command of Mr Gilberd, one of the Napier cricketers, and a gentlemen of the Napier Fire Brigade. The unassuming manner in which Mr Gilberd carried out his part, and issued instructions, never for a moment los- | ing his head, reflected the highest credit upon him. By means of a plentiful supply of wet blankets and abundance of water from the concrete well at the rear of the Masonic Hotel, the party was successful in averting the complete destruction of the town. The other buildings beyond the Masonic Hotel were in similar danger and had to be carefull watched. It was very painful and piteous to gaze upon the wholesale destruction of property, and to be utterly powerless to ward off the dire calamity that was befalling the inhabitants of the town. The fireengine was utterly useless for the purpose for which it was intended, the hose would not work, and every attempt to utilize it was vexations and perfectly futile. The Government Buildings were in very great jeopardy. The Government officers from the chief downwards, worked manfully. Had it not been for the concrete structure af Messrs. Carr & Sons, the walls of which held the flames, as it were, within a stove, it is impossible to estimate what damage might have been done. The Albion Hotel and the Government buildings nothing could hare saved. The poplar trees did much good in preventing Mr McDougall's place from catching fire, and generally preventing the spreading of the flames. The fire, we learn, was seen distinctly at sixteen miles out at sea, and a passenger vouches for the statement that a person could read a newspaper upon the deck of the vessel at the time. About £30,000 worth of damage was done, over two-thirds of which was covered with insurance, The following is a list of the insurance effected in the different offices: South British. Carr and Sons’stock... ... £l,OOO Argyll building ... ... 400 U.S.S. Co.’s furniture ... 50 C. Smith & Co., goods in bond 300 £1,750 Victoria Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’stock... ... £1,250 Argyll building ... ... 400 C. Smith & Co., goods in bond 350 £2,000 Union Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’stock... ... £2,000 Stock in woolshed 250 Wool press ... ... ... 350 Woolshed building 150 Pitt and Bennett’s building... 250 McFarlane’s Hall ... ... 500 Union Bank building ... 400 Graham and Co.’s store ... 275 73 bales of wool ... ... 1,000 £5,175 Colonial Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’stock... ... £1,250 Mr. Butt’s furniture... ... 150 Pitt & Bennett’s improvements 170 Pitt and Bennett’s produce ... 260 Mr. Brassey’s building ... 250 £2,080 North British and Mercantile Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’store... ... £l,OOO Carr and Sons’stock... ... 500 Carr ami Sons’woolshed ... 150 McFarlane’s Hall 325 Union Bank building ... 400 Pitt and Bennett’s building... 250 £2,625 National Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’ stock ... ... £2OOO Carr and Sons’ woolshed ... 250 Carr and Sons’ produce ... 250 Graham and Co.’s store ... 250 Union Bank of Australia ... 400 £3,150 Norwich Union Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’ store ... ... 500 Carr aud Sons’stock ... ... 500 Argyll buildings ... ... 200 Finn’s buildings ... ... 50 Finn’s furniture, &c. ... ... 200 £1,450 Standard Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’buildings ... £5OO Bonded stock ... ... 400 Brassey’s buildings ... ... 200 £l,lOO Royal Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’stock ... ... £lOOO £lOOO

N. Z. Insurance Co. Carr and Sons’stock... ... £l,OOO Argyll stable ... ... 100 Finn’s buildings ... ... 100 Argyll stock ... ... 250 Argyll building ... ... 600 £2,050 Summary. South Brifish Insurance C 0.... £1.750 Victoria Insurance Company 2,000 Union Insurance Company ... 5,175 Colonial ~ „ ... 2,080 National „ „ ... 3,150 Norwich Union „ ... 1,-150 Standard Insurance „ ... 1,100 Koval „ „ ... 1,000 N.‘Z. „ „ ... 2,050 N. B. & Mercantile „ ... 2.625 _| £22,308