SERIOUS FIRE AT ADELAIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 69, 9 April 1901, Page 3

SERIOUS FIRE AT ADELAIDE.

PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Received 7, 5,4 p.m. Adelaide, April 7. A fire at Martin and Co.'s large drapery establishment has caused great destruction. The stock was valued at £IOO,OOO. Every insurance company in the city is involved in the loss. The amount of damage is not y> t assessed. Received 8, 9.40 am. Adelaide, April 7. Martin's building and stock are valued at £115,000. The damage is between seventy and eighty thousand. Receive! 8, 1!) pm. Adelaide, April 7. The whole western wing of the large three storey building is gutted. There is also great dampge by water and snaokp. The eastern wing is still (mouldering. In the basement were 130 employers. A number of customers were ins : de at the time uf the outbreak. Tbe male employees lined up in the main entrance and assisted all the females to escapa before they themselves attempted to leave. Receiyed 8, 9.23 a.m. Adelaide, April 8. The fi<e at Martin's started in the device windo* intended to symbolise the Eister season. Insurances include —National (N.Z.) £2,000, New Zealand £3OOO, Staudard (N.Z.) £1,500, and North British £2,000. Mr. John Cresswoll, of the National Insurance Company of New Zealand, states that since tbe beginning of tbe year the insurance offices have lost; nearly £350,000 in Australia and New Zealand.