THE FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 1971, 3 December 1872, Page 3

THE FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

(From the Southern Cross, November 20.) It appears tbat about half-past eleven o'clock at night smoke was observed issuing from the lower portion of the brick store occupied by Mr Frank Scherff, next Messrs E. and H. Isaacs' store, Fort street. The reflection of a fire burning brightly within was also shown upon the fanlight o-ver the door. The person who observed this immediately £»aye the alarm, crying " Fire !" A very foolish thing was done by a bystander, who rushed up and smashed in one of the windows of Mr Scherff's store. The fire, although burning fiercely inside, was to a great extent stifled by its own smoke, but the current thus let in upon it fanned th© flames and showed the true extent of the hold already taken upon tbe building. It was evident, from the fact that smoke issued from the roof along the whole length of tbe buildings, that tbe fire must have been burning a considerable time before it was discovered. The heat was so intense that it was impossible to approach nearer tbe burning building than the middle of the road, consequently tbe water fed considerably short of where it should have reached in order to have bad tbe greatest possible effect in extinguishing the flames. A most unseemly squabble arose between , Mr Matthews and Mr Asher, the super- ' intendents of the rival brigades. Orders , were given by one aud countermanded by the other, the crowds cheering and jeering at the bandying of words that ensued. The men appeared up to their work, which was interrupted by the disagreement of their oflicers. At half-past 12, the cry was raised that the Custom-house had caught. Several i intffeetual attempts were made to fit up i tbe ladders, but in vain. The ladders were not made to fit into tbe tops of each other by joints or other means as tbey should have been. The firemen seemed to be paralysed by the magnitude of the disaster. The branches would not throw water the requisite height, and difficulties increased aB time advanced. Ten minutes later, the whole range of brick buildings between Messrs E. and H. Isaacs' stores and the lane running along the side of Mr J. Craig's coal-yard was in one solid flame. Shortly after this, a portion of the gable end of Mr Bucbolz's store fell outwards with a fearful crash. Fortunately the police had anticipated this event for some time, and prevented the people gathering in the lane. Had this not been done, an awful sacrifice of life would probably have occurred. At 0.45 a.m., wben Bueholz's bond had caught fire, a species cf paralysis appeared to have seized hold of all concerned, and tbe feeble squirting of water at this time was of no avail whatever. The spirits in Bucholz's premises now caught fire, and flames of the fiercest description ascended in the midnight sky. The hungry tongues eeenjed to lick the very air dry, and one felt as if parched, even at a considerable distance from the burning building. But wben the flames leaped across tbe street and seized tbe Post-office and adjoining buildings, the scene was one only witnessed on rare occasions. It was impossible to say where the fire would end, and there was a fear prevalent that squares of buildings had yet to be burnt. The culminating point of the fire waf» when tbe wooden portions of the roof of the Government Buildings — wbich, when standing, formed the feature of the conflagration — fell in, a cloud of sparkis ascending whicb filled the air, and rendered the scene one almost of magnificence. At the inquest into tbe fire, tbe jury returned an open verdict, and added a • rider expressing their disapprobation of the using of naked candles in flax stores, and their dissatisfaction with the position and condition of the rival fire brigades.