GREAT FIRE IN SYDNEY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 436, 11 January 1890, Page 5

GREAT FIRE IN SYDNEY.

IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF WHARF PROPERTY. £30,000 WORTH OF MATERIAL AND PRODUCE BURNT. The fire which broke out yesterday morning on the Union Steamship Company and the Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company’s wharves (says the Sydney “ Telegraph”) proved to be one of the fiercest and most terrible that has occurred in Sydney for many years. The flames were first noticed at about half-past 2 o’clock. An alarm was given almost immediately, but notwithstanding that the brigades were on the ground a very short time afterwards it wa3 yet found utterly impossible to cope with the flames. Situated at the corner .of Margaret and Sussex streets, the Union Company's buildings and wharves are probably among the best known m Sydney. Next to the Union Company stands the T.S.N. Company and further on are the wharves and sheds of the Clarence, Richmond and Macleay Rivers S.N. Company. Each company has its own wharf, its own pier, and its own set of sheds. There is an open space between the Tasmanian Company and the C.R. and M.R, Company, but the Union Company appears to have been shut off from direct communication with either of the others. The largest and most important business is done at the New Zealand Company’s wharf, and next to that comes the Rivers Company. ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. As far as can be ascertained the fire arose out of what is called a piggery on the T.S.N. Company’s wharf. The fire began to spread very rapidly, and although the brigades were only a few minutes in reaching the spot, yet when they did arrive the conflagration had made such headway that little hope was entertained of _ saving the Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company or the Union Company’s sheds. While, therefore, the exertions of a large body of men were directed to keeping down the fire as much as possible, another section was sent down Sussex-street and began pouring immense quantities of water on the Clarence and Richmond _ River Company’s buildings to prevent it from spreading in that direction. In the T.S.N. Company’s shed there was a considerable amount of hay stored, and this, coupled with the matchwood-like character of the fences and gateways and the wooden rafters and piles of the buildings,

FED THE FLAMES as fast as they could spread. The men, directed by Superintendent Bear, worked splendidly. Careless of the danger which they ran, they passed down to the end of Margaret-street and around Sussex-street as far as the fire had reached and poured immense quantities of water on the burning mass. For a time it was a desperate battle between the two, but the names obtaining the mastery rushed through the tops of the buildings, out of. the windows, and twisting themselves round the curling ironwork of the walls tore them down and destroyed them like so many pieces of tinder. _ The water was poured on in every direction, the men making their way through the most fearful heat in order to reach the best spot from which to play upon the flames, but it was useless. With a series of crashes the roof began to fall in, the heavy beams and posts came down with a tremendous grinding noise, while the flames, freed from their confinement, gathered greater force and obtaining a freer vent shot up LIKE A HUGE VOLCANO. Getting hold as they went of the great piles of produce heaped up in the sheds, they roiled out immense quantities of smoke, which, uniting with the flames from the woodwork, formed a terribly, grand spectacle when viewed from a distance. Still the men poured the water on to the utmost capacity of the pressure which could be obtained, but without any appreciable result. Seeing how useless it was to expect to cope with the main body of the fire, a number of men were sent to play upon the buildings on the opposite side of Sussex-street. It was feared for some time that the fire, breaking from the space in which it had so far been kept, would set light to these structures. But a constant siTpply of water was kept up, and the walls and roof and windows being saturated by the men who had been sent to do that work stood proof against tho flames. It was fortunate that it was so. Up Margaret-street there are several very old houses and shops, some of which are of weatherboards, and once the fire had obtained a hold of them they must inevitably have been burned to tho ground. It seemed almost a providential thing that no wind was blowing. Had there been even the slightest breeze the damage which would have been done is almost beyond calculation. PROGRESS OF THE FIRE. In the meantime |the fire continued to blaze and send up huge tongues of flame right above the roofs of the offices, lighting up all the surrounding streets and all the high ground, stretching away across the water up to Balmain, arid round again to Pyrmonfc. Some of the more daring of the firemen separated a quantity of burning hay on the Tasrimnian Company’s pier from a stock, and by this means unquestionably aided very materially in saving the entire pier. Others kept up a constant play upon the three wharves, and succeeded in this way in preventing them to a great extent from total destruction. It so happened that the only ship lying alongside was the Union Company’s steamer Waihora, which had arrived from New Zealand on Tuesday. The men on board üßed a hose for a time with a view to getting the fire under, but being unsuccessful the steamer, in order not to run any risk, was hauled into the stream. But by Bteady, persistent exertions, the firemen succeeded in praventing the flames from going beyond the boundaries of the three companies, and at last the fire began to spend itself. The framework of the building falling in upon the burning mas 3 of sacks and produce, there was very little left but the vast heap of smoking and charred remains. AFTER THE FIRE.

From an inspection of the place afterwards one could form some idea of the extent of the damage. The stone building of the Clarence, Richmond and Macleay Rivera Company was practically uninjured. On the other side was merely a charred skeleton of a building to denote the Union Company’s sheds. Heaps of agricultural produce suffering more or less from the results of the flames could be seen emitting batches of smoke. Flour soaked in water and baked to the consistency of a damper was lying piled up among bags of wheat, nil sending out occasionally clouds of smokeorstillburningsomewbatfiercely. The pier was not damaged to any serious extent, and it was only in patches at its junction with the wharf that any evidences of the fire’s work could be seen. The whole of the three wharves present a spectacle of wreck and utter desolation. Nothing of the £20,000 or

£30,000 worth of material and produce has been saved, and it will yet take a day or two longer before business there can be resumed. There were only two accidents. Ralph Macdonald, of the Paddington Volunteer Brigade, became overpowered by the heat and fell from the building, severely cutting his left leg. Thomas Lee, of Paddington Brewery Brigade, was also injured by a portion of trie roof falling on him. Both men were removed to the hospital, and are progressing favourably. In consequence of tho destruction by fire of their Margaret - street premises the Union Steamship Company have been compelled to utilise thqir new wharf and storage accommodation at the foot of Druitb - street. This property was secured some time back by the Company to meet the requirements ol : the increasing trade with New Zealand, and, although not quite finished, will afford accommodation for the boats of the line until new premises are erected at the foot of Margaret-street. Plans for the new building are at present in course of preparation.