Fire at Cambridge. Cambridge, March 9.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 350, 13 March 1889, Page 5

Fire at Cam bridge. Cambridge, March 9.

Cambridge was visited at an early hour this morning by a catastropho of a most appalling character. An outbreak of fire occurred in the main business thoroughfare, and extending- itsoF in both directions, laid the greater part of the business portion of the town in ashes. No fewer than twonty shops and dwel-ling-houses were destroyed, besides a great deal of stock and furniture. With the exception of iour houses the whole feoulh side of Duke-street was burnt I to the giound. The lire was discovered about four o'clock i this morning, by Messrs Cussen and Hayclen, who were preparing to start for the Te Aroha races. i It was then some littlo time before day- ' break. The flames were first scon breaking through the root of Mr Bates's saddlery establishment in Duke-street. The alarm was at once given, and the residents in the street aroused from their slumbers. Within a few minutes the whole of the residents in the township were assembled, and everyone set to work to save property. The fire spread in both directions at tho same time, and the buildings being of wood its progress was very rapid. There was a westerly wind, which carried the flames onward very rapidly on the eastern side. j There were no lire appliances available, and practically no supply of water. This being the dry season, nearly all tho tanks were empty, while those wells which could be got at were very low. Blankets and buckets of water were, however, brought into requisition and measures taken by the inhabitants to check ! the tire at the earliest possible stage. There was no lack of willing hands, but in the absence of proper appliances, they were practically helpless. Those who were not endeavouring to arrest the progress of the flames were working with praiseworthy energy to save the stock of the various stoi'es in danger, ' and the furniture and other goods. An immense amount ot property was carried out of the various stoics in this way, and placed in heaps upon the street beyond the reach of the fire. Some of the people in the various houses had rather narrow escapes, owing to the rapid spread of the fire, but they nearly all succeeded in saving their wearing apparel. The flames extended from one place to the other, until the whole street was in flames, the scene being a terrible ono to those who 1 watched it. Eventually the flames were checked on the eastern side, when they reached the Melbourne Drapery Company's store, which was saved by meaus of wet blankets. All the buildings on the righb hand side of the street, from and including Ward's chemist shop to Buckland's horse bazaar, were destroyed. The Masonic Hotel, on the opposite dide i of the street, took firo from the excessive heat, but the flames were extinguished by i the application of water and wet blankets, | men having previously ascended tho roof to be ready in case of emergency. ; The scene at the conclusion of the fire ! was a pitiable one. All that remained of the business premises that fronted the south side of the ! main thoroughfare were about twenty bare chimney stacks and a heap of smouldering mine. The street was littered with piles of goods, furniture and other household possessions. The neighbours behaved with great kindness to the unfortunate people who had been so suddenly rendered homeless, taking them into their houses, and ministering to their immediate necessities. Many brave deeds were preformed by the inhabitants during the progress of tho fire, but of those I shall forward further particulars for your next issue. The admirable behaviour of four eingle girls, who were amongst the first on the sceno of the fiie, calls for very favourable comment. They broke the windows of several stores, and working heroically, saved a great deal of valuable stock. The following places of business have been burnc. Ward's, chemist shop. Bates' saddlery shop. An unoccupied shop. Biley'a tailoring shop. Keesing's, an unoccupied office. Sargeant, jeweller's shop. Kincaid's store. Golder, watchmaker. Bond's stationery shop. Pierce, fruiterer. McNeish's billiard saloon. Cox's grocery store. An unoccupied shop adjoining. Neal, seedsman. Huge, hairdresser. Offices of thelate F. A. Whitaker. Buckland's horse Bazaar And some houses at the rear of the block. A great quantity of valuable stock was removed, but in each case the upstairs goods, furniture, wearing apparel, etc., were burnt. The loss will be very heavy.