OTAGO.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 39, 5 February 1864, Page 3

OTAGO.

(prom oue own correspondea't) calamitous: fire in dunedin, total destruction of over THIRTY WAREHOUSES, STOKES, ; SHOPS, AND DWELLINGS. PROPERTY' DESTROYED TO THE ■'■'■'■' ; VALUE OF £150,000. ARRIVAL OF THE ALL ENGLAND ELEVEN. TERRIFIC WIND STORM, AND DE^ STRUCTION OF A VAST AMOUNT ! OF PROPERTY. HORRIBLE MURDER^ OF THE CHIEF ENG-IIvEEE OF THE STEAMSHIP QUEEN. Dttnedijt, 3rd Feb. Last night the inhabitants of Dunedin Avere thrown into a state of dreadful alarm and consternation by a lire Avhieh broke out in Stafford-street, and which, before it had expended its destructive fury — for it was useless to make any attempts to subdue it — burned to the grottnd OA-er thirty stores, shops, and dwellings, arid destroyed property and merchandize, household effects, and buildings, to the value, as nearly as can at present be estimated, of £150,000. Such a dreadful conflagration has never before occurred in Dimedin, and few of such magnitude has ever been chronicled in any of the Provinces of New Zealand. lam writing this notice at the hour of noon, and the fire is still burning fiercely, even in its ashes, but I think there is not much danger of its spreading or doing more damage. Hundreds of the inhabitants — of which your correspondent formed one — was at the scene of this calamitous outbreak of fire throughout the whole o£ the night ; and it was heartrending to hear of the number of unfortunate people now houseless and desolate who only a very few hours previously were in comparatively comfortable circumstances. I extract the subjoined particulars from a long report furnished to its readers by the Daily Telegropli : — " It Avas a few minutes after eight o'clock last night Avhen the iire-bell ran a; the alarm. Shortly afterwards it Avas ascertained that the stores of Messrs. Robinson and Hart, Avholesale general merchants, were on lire. Dense volumes of smoke rose through the roof of tlie front building and poured out at the crevices and apertures of the Avin clows and doors, which was first observed, avc believe, by the Avatchman at the Bell Tower. In a very brief period of time upwards of a thousand persons had crowded round the fite of the fire, 'Cna ilames of which had scarcely shown themselves Avhen the first engine of the Fire Brigade came up. l^o time was lost in getting the hose unrolled, and the engine ready for working, but no water avus at: hand. Before any could be found in wliich to insert the suction hose, the flames had broken through the roof and front of the store, and had communicated with the extensive premises of Messrs. Koyse, Mudie and Co. By this time there could not have bee?\ less than from four to five thousand persons crowded between the corner of Hopesi reel, and Messrs. Tickle and Co.'s stores. Suddenly, an alarm was raised that the premises of Air. Mills, the gunsmith, Avere on lire, and that a large quantity of gunpowder was stored there. Immediately a rush took place iVom the scene ol' the conflagration. Many hundreds of men rushed down the street, and the carts, laden Avith casks filled with wilier, coming in an opposite direction, caused an amount of alarm and confusion impossibly to describe. The (lames liad now burst forth at the rear and front of the stores of Messrs. Robinson and Hart, and Royse, Mudie and Co.. the White Star Restaurant, and an oyster shop Avhieh adjoin? it. Had a supply of water been at. hand, it is doubtful whether it would have been of any service in extinguishing tho ilames, such a hold had they obtained over the large masses of wooden buildings stored Avilh goods, and merchandise of the most inflammable description. Tho heat and glare which the Humes sent forth were painfully intense, and each tune, when even the pentiest breeze passed over the (lames, the immense crowd of terrified spectators surged back to escape the scorching blast. At one time it was rgreatly feared that the houses on the opposite side of fhe street would take fire, Fortunately this did not occur, owing to the constant streams of water wiiieh were poured on them from the powerful engine now brought into active use. The fierce, angry roar of the fire as it seized building after building and wrapped them in liquid flames, appalled the stoutest heart. The sight was oue of awful and intense grauleur. The irresistible sway of the raging Uaiues as they tore along in a fiery Hood, made all attempts at subduing them utterly hopeless. The efforts of the brigade "were now directed ■ — not in extinguishing the blazing pile of buildings, for no human agency could haA'e saved them — but in pulling down tenements and buildings, to break the continuity of the line of fire. In this they made the most desperate exertions, and, as Avill be seen, with very successful results! The members of the Brigade did all that men could do in saving property and preventing the extension of tlie lire. Had it not havo been for the almost superhuman ciforts A-vhicn they made, it is impossible to say where the fire would have terminated. It was now found that the stores of Messrs. Moron and Co. (late Smith and Co.), auctioneers, and those of Messrs. Coleman, had caught at tho rear, and iv a feAv minutes the whole of tho buildings, with the valuable stocks of merchandise they contained, Avere cue body of flames. A small house, occupied by a milliner in Hope street, soon after caught fire, and in a very brief period Avas burnt to the ground ; not, however, until ii had ignited iii despite of every exertion and precaution Avhich could be used, Casper' a bonded stores, Avhieh contained goods valued, Aye are informed, at £100,000. Nothing could be dove cither in removing the valuable stocks or saving them from the destroying elements. Hundreds of casks, barrels, and hogsheads burst with loud reports, and the contents pouring out liquid fire added to the general consternation which everywhere prevailed. Almost ut tho same time that Casper's store had. .taken fire, ths wooden tA\ r o-storey buildings adjoining were found in flames. These consisted of a res-tatu-ant, the Temperance Boarding House, and a private dwelling. Here it was feared that the numerous dwellings and small shops on the oj^ositc side of Hope-atreet .-would ignite. These Arere only saved by the owners and occupiers nailing or suspending wet blankets and woollen counterpanes in front, and constantly keeping them saturated with water, Avhich was obtainable in the smallest quantities. One. occupant of a .dwelling was .offering half-a-crown for . every bucket of 'water Avhich might be brought to him. The fire had now extended itself from .Stafford-' street to_ nearly a third of the way. down Hope-street, /and '.-..thence '■'... to, the rear of Hooper's cottages, and the large pile of buildings :at tho back , of Royse &. Mudie's, : and Moran'e • stores, the Avhola of which -were burnt to the -.ground, with Gc&ycely a wall, ojs a chhkmey Igflj; standing, ■:•■ : .;;■ -<: Kft?U§? in tlie eve^iMg the skoj? Pf %t Mitts* giuaog&sri .w&wnijsit 1 tf W Ssror

as also the offices of the 'Evening Stor and Daily News newspapers. The premises of Messrs Mills and Dick, the extensive printers and publishers, which were attached to the Star and Daily News offices, woro-burned-to.-the ground, but' we believe a largo quantity of the . very valuable plant was saved. Writing hurriedly, and with imperfect 1 information,. we", have no doubt omitted many details,' and may have given some of them inaccurately ; but we believe that . our report in substance may be j relied, on as tolerably correct. In a city of wooden buildings a fire ever creates an extra- j ordinary alarm, as it is impossible to form any idea where or when ; it may terminate. An enormous amount of property was destroyed, lost, or stolen, from, b eing thrown into the \ streets. Hundreds of occupiers, under the, J joint effects of fear and excitement, were seen frantically casting every moveable from j doors and windows, and then piling them in confused heaps, only to be removed to a farther distance, as they imagined the near approach of the lire. The police, assisted by the people succeeded in maintaining excellent order; but this didnot prevcntnumberlcss depredations being committed by heartless scoundrels who were everywhere busy, taMng advantage of the general confusion in stealing and carrying away any article of value they could lay hands on. Even at the late hour at which we write (3, a.m.), the police were unable to prevent the commission of numerous robberies. Chests of tea, bags of sugar and flour, removed from the merchant stores, furniture and domestic effects belonging to poor people burnt out, were being conveyed away by unparalleled daring and effrontery. We havo no doubt that in our next issue we shall have been enabled to obtain fuller particulars of this terrible calamity, which has resulted in so many very serious losses, and we fear caused utter ruin to numbers of poor tenants./ The All England Eleven arrived by the Alhambra on Saturday last, at about midnight, but the members comprising this celebratod team were not brought into Duuedin before Monday. At about half 8 o'clock on that morning the carriages which were to form part in the procession for the grand reception of the All England Eleven, assembled in front of the Provincial Hotel. The morning was bright, warm, and sunny, giving promise of a fine summer day, and many hundreds of the inhabitants assembled to witness the departure of tlie procession. The Provincial and other principal hotels and places of business were gay with bunting and evergreens ; and altogether the town seemed dressed in holiday attire. Punctual to the appointed hour, the procession started in the folio whig order : — Provincial Brass Baxd, Open carriage drawn hj four greys. DrNEDrx Cricket Club. Carriage drawn by five brown horses. Cakhuge for the all England Elevex, Drawn by six grey horses. NOP.TH DUXEDIJT CIUCKET CLUB, Drawn by four grey horses. TOKO.MAIIUKO CIUCKET CICH, Drawn by four brown horses. Omnibus — Drawn by four horses. Carriage — Drawn by four horses. Mr. Jones's privatj carriage. A largo number of private gentlemen from Dunedin, Green Island, mid East Taieri, on horseback. The procossion proceeded along (lie road to PorL Chalmers, being joined at various points of the way by horsemen, many of whom had evidently ridden far to take part in the cavalcade. They arrived at the Junction Hotel, Port Chalmers Road, without accident. During the morning and early part of the day the wind had been vising, and as the procession reached the lop of the saddle of hills which separate Port Chalmers from Dimedin, it increased to a perfect hurricane. The dust flow in clouds, and the smoke from the bush fives in the valley beneath nearly blinded those who took part in the procession. As the head of the procession arrived at the Junction Hotel, a tree was blown down at tlie edge of the road, and a large portion of the iron roof of the hotel-stable was carried away by the violence of the gale. The cavalcade again started, but had not proceeded far when they were suddenly brought up by the intelligence being passed along the line that a tree had fallen across the road and stopped the wuy. On inspecting the spot it was found that a lar^e tree about fifty feet in height had fallen across the road, and a number of the settlers, who had turned out with the most praiseworthy alacrity, already busy with cross-cut saws, sawing through the timber, in order to clear the road. Mr. S. Jones here made a most providential escape. ITe had driven to the front of the procession, in his private carriage, in order to arrive early at the Port, and had barely passed the spot when t lie tree fell with a crash, The procession was delayed for about ten minutes, and during this time an opportunity of witnessing the effects of another most disastrous accident presented ■ itself. Close by the spot where the tree fell across the road, stood a settler's house, containing a family, cousistingof a father, mother and two or three children. Fortunately the bravery of the approaching array attracted the whole family to the road-side, when another enormous tree fell right across the roof of the house, and in a moment crushed ' ; :;'o a heap of ruins. Providentially the wh.ilo family were outside at the time, and no person was injured — -only the family ay ere left homeless. By the united exertions of the members of the procession, tho road was soon cleared, and the cavalcade proceeded on its way to the Port, where it arrived about eleven a.m. The citizens of the Port turned out almost to a man to do honor to England's Greatest Cricketers. Business of every kind was suspended, and the town was gaily decked out with evergreens, banners and triumphal arches. A procession was formed on the Jetty, and amidst loud and oft-repeated cheers, the AllEngland Cricketers were conducted to Dodson's Port Chalmers Hotel, where luncheon was served, instead of iii the large marquee which had been erected for that purpose, but which had unfortunately been blown down by the gale in the morning. The long-room of the hotel was crowded in every corner— Mr. Mansfield, R.M., occupying the chair, and Mr. S. Jones tlie vice-chair. Addresses were then presented to the All England from the various provincial clubs, which were replied to in the most feeling terms by Mr. Pan-, on behalf of himself and brother cricketers. About half-past twelve o'clock, the procession re-formed, and started for town, led by the Port Chalmers Cricket Club, in a coacli drawn by four horses. The remainder of thu procession was in the same order as when if, left town in the morning. As each coach passed through George-street, Port Chalmers, the residents of the Port crowded the thoroughfare, and cheered as only seafaring men can cheer. Ou reaching- the head of Sawyer's Bay, Mrs. Tucker, commonly known as " Mother Tucker," stopped the coach of the Eleven, and amidst loud demonstrations of delight by all who witnessed the . act, presented a magnifleont bouquet of native flowers to live All England Cricketers, for which she was gratefully thanked. After a ' short 'stoppage at the ' Junction Hotel for refreshments, the procession proceeded on its way to Dunedin, and arrived at the Water of Leith Hotel, where a halt -was called about half-past two o'clock. The procession was then re-formed, and the AllEnglandera shortly afterwards arrived at the Provincial Hotel, where they partook of a magnificent lunch, and then went on to the cricket ground for a little practice. A most inhuman murder .lias been commit-' j tod on Mr. Craig, ••Chief, Engineer of the Queen. The coroner's inquest-lias been adjourned iii order to obtain' further; evidence ( full pea'tiQuleffa will Ije fevweted. ir my