GREAT FIRE AT NAPIER.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 184, 25 December 1886, Page 1

GREAT FIRE AT NAPIER.

* 'Navier, December 20. 1 At three minutes to ten this morning the * most destructive fire which ever occurred i in Napier broke out. At the time stated l the fire bell rung out, and it waa found that the back yard in Banner and Liddles * magnificent now warehouse in Tennyson- , btreet waa in flame?. The firo had got a good hold. Though the Brigade were promptly on the spot, a north wind was c blowiug against, them, and although a low pleasure of water was on, within five minutes the back premises of the " Daily I Telegraph " ofHce had caught, and before a I good pressure cauld be got, the machine and j jobbing rooms were in flames, and there was the crash of glass from Banner and Liddell's, showing the fire t hud the mastery outride. Within t ten minutes of the first alarm the t " Telegraph " Office was in ruins. The warehouse of Banner and Liddle was gone The buildings were only popaiated by an Sft ligbt-of-way, and the fence of a vacant allotment opposite wa3 also on fire. Martin, the tailor'?, at tho end of the tence, was also burning, and the "Herald" Office was threats ed, While it is extremely doubiful if the fire will not spread on each aide of the consumed buildings. A large crowd gathered, and while everybody worked with a will, and a good deal of the jobbing p^nt balonging to the "Telegraph " Office w as removed to places of safety. The safe, filop, and valuable documents were got out. The tire waa firafc disco\ ered in the backyard where Banner and Liddle had stoied some bedsteads thit were packed in straw. The damage to ** Telegraph" plant waa valued at £1,000, though l-ho paper, etc., was stored in a separate building a distance from Tennyson saeet, on xho opposite end from theofhVe The Insurances on the "Telegraph" office are only £2 000 The hre at hall-ptst ten waa still spreading. Alter Martin, tho tniloi«, caught, it soiled on the now law offices elected by Suinsbury anil Logan on the same side as the fence, but on the opposite aide irom wnore the Hre broke out. From there it ppread to tho " Herald " Office, svhich was sjon de?cro>ed. Tho Hdints were active in J tho rear aa well, and C B. Hostdley's and Co.'s wool stores were next in flames. In tho parallel stteet vi Emerson-street, and on the opposite tide from 'doadley's, the front vi " evening Dious " c^u^ht fire. Altogether tv>enty buildings have already go<e, and chough tne wind has changed it is biuiply aurying destruction in other dirbctionc? The damage already done must be at le<vt £40,000, and will probably aggregate £00,000. The block waa one of the bo^o in Napier, and it hats all gone. Kenrots rf.ua Co 'a offices, Neal, photographer, and two or ttuet) othei shops in Jblmorson street, us» well aa Murgoliontu's auction mart m Tennyson-strocc are in ruins. By noon the fire was subdued though it was still smouldering over at least two acres, and some ot the finest buildings in the town have gone. The clearance on the space mentioned is complete. There is nothing standing .but a, tew chimneys and thiee or four lawyers' strong rooms which bade defiance to the flames, and remain a monument of faithfullnees and durability. On both sides of Tennyson street the wreck is complete, the fire on the one oide having been bounded by a street at one end, and a vacant allotment separating a row of offices from a blacksmith's shop. On the other side the fire was bounded by vacant ground on which, far back, timber was stored for the building of the new cathedral, and at the other end was JL)r. Caro's garden, which was attached to his new residence and. the Tennis Court lay between that and the fire fiend. In Emerson street all tho warehouses, stores and offices at the back wtnt, and nothing was saved between the vacant shop torm6rly occupied by Mr Boyde, a shoomakor, and the saddler's shop ot Mr Mills, which was fortunately not built c'oee up to. On the other side of Emerson -street no buildings have fallen, but all directly opposite the fire are badly charred and damaged. The "Herald" and "Daily Telegraph " offices ara wrecks, while the "Evening News" offica, which ia on the right side of Emorson-stroeC, is badly charred, the iront being destroyed and the in3ide damaged severely by water, while tho typo met with rough treatment. Notwithstanding tho drawbacks, the " Telegraph " appears to-night as usual, though in a reduced size. ThS " Herald " managed to save a great quantity of type, etc, but their loss will amount to about £1,500 over the £4,000 they are insured for, as they had a valuable lithographic plant in addition to the ordinary jobbing and newBpaper ones. The following is a list of buildings totally destroyed in Teunyson-street :— The offices of JNJr Chamberlain, accountant and Insurance Agent. In Emerson-street, jthe following buildings are destroyed :— Garnham (painter), Levi (tailor), Lessong's (surveyor) office, Jeneen (jeweller), Mrs Copp (milliner), Nicholsons furniture shop), Putzard's fish shop, Hoadley's auction mart, wholesale and akin store, -while tho following stocks are more or lees damaged ; In Emerson -street Ashworths Bootshop ; White, fancy goods ; McGill and Campbell, diapers ; West, Fruiterer ; Searle, milliner ; " Evoning News " Office. N. Williams, painter and oil stores ; National lnsuiance ; and Mes>ra Kinross's Offices. The furniture at the parsonage of St. John was hastily removed, and much damage in consequence. The street ib full of furniture, and altogether the place weara a very desolate look. The insurance agents have held a meeting, but thoy refuse to state the Josses of their several offices until the salvage claims are adjusted. , Approximately they are as follows-.- South BiiUah, £4,500 j "Union, £300 ; London, Liverpool and Globe, £1,000; Victoria, £2,500; New Zealand, £1,750; National, £l,2oo;"§tandard, £1,000; Colonial, £2,000; London and Laucashire*,' £5,000;" North 'British, £500; Norwich Union, £1,000 ; Northern, £500

The losses in property destroyed amount *o £16 150. The salvage claims on pro» perty injured, but not; destroyed, will bring the total to about £20,000. The loss of property was fully £35,000, Tenders are already called for new offices for Sainsbury and Logan. The " Herald " advertises for competitive designs for a large block of brick buildings, and others are taking active steps to re build. Both Hqadleyand Co. and Mr Knowles, the proprietor of the " Telegraph, " recently had p)anB prepared! for nou' ofhaes, and piobably thoy will start on them at once,