SERIOUS FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7723, 27 January 1905, Page 2

SERIOUS FIRES.

WELLINGTON D.I.C. BUILDIHGS DESTROYED. Economic Badly Damaged. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 20. Tho I).i.C. extensive emporium, extending from Panama-street through to Brandon-street was completely destroyed by lire this morning. Nothing but the brick walls insinn in. Messrs (». Guudin and \V. Fleming, two meml>ers of the New Zculund Times' publishing stall, discovered the lire when proceeding to work ut 4.20 this morning. The lire then appeared to be about the centre of the building, on the top door, and though the brigade was soon on the scene the flames rushed through the building as if in a furnace, and in less than an hour and a half the massive premises, along with the large and valuable stock, were a mass of ruins. Nothing was saved from the main building, but it' was expected that some portion of t it ho stock in the boot department would lie salvaged, though damaged by water. The company j|werc to open their great summer clearing sale to-day. The roof of George and lversley's Economic!] drai>er.y business, which runs through from Lambton Quay and adjoins the D.1.C., was once on lire, and their stock was greatly damaged by water. The lire appears to have originate in the tailoring department on the first floor. The tailors were working till eleven o'clock last night. The (building was a large, rambling one, the different departments being separated merely by wooden partitions. The fire spread rupidly, and the brigade had all its work cut out to prevent it spreading to the adjoining premises. A southerly wind took the flames across 'Brandon Street, and did much damage to the facades of a number of buildings, the fronts of which were burnt and blistered and the glass destroyed. The Tourists' Bureau and a portion of Kircaldie's drapery establishment were the chief sufferers. The buildings on each side of the 11.1.C. suffered considerably. Butler's brick store, occupied by George and Iversley, and a suite of odices on the other side, were both on lire, but were saved, though damaged. Owing to the fact that the bells seldom ring, more than u few strokes there were very few people at the tire, and the news came 1 as a igrvat surprise ns people made their way into town this morniug. Insurances ion the D.I.C. total about £78,000, of which £BO,BOO is held at Home. In connection with the lire a remarkable feature was the esca|>e of buildings. In the vicinity there, is u large number of old wooden buildings, uttd several of these repeatedly caught alight, but the efforts of the owners, assisted by onlookers, averted what probably would have lieen the most destructive conflagration ever experienced in tho city. Tho insurances totalled \ £85,700, made up as follows :—Stock £60,000 ; building, £21,500 ; fixtures, £HBO<Jj plate glass windows, £4OO. j Mr Corrigan, the manager, estimated the value of the stock at about £70,000. There were insurances on the D.I.C. in 'the following( odices Lloyd's (London), £28,700; Central (London), £2OOO ; Alliance, , £4500 ; Commercial Union, £2OOO ; Guardian £2300 ; Liverpool and London and Globe, £IOOO ,1 Loudon and Lancashire, £1500; Law, Union, and Crown, £1000; Northern, £3000; New Zealand, £6000; North British Mercantile, £ISOO ; North Queensland, £2OOO ; Norwich, £3OOO ; National, £100p; I'hooniX, £1500; Itoyal, £6000; ltoyal Exchange, £3500; Standard. £1500; South llritish, £2500 ? Sun, £4OOO ; United, £ISOO ; Yorkshire, £2o<X> ; Victoria, £SOO.

The above arc practicull.v n total loss, as nothing wok saved. It now appears that the damage at the premises of the Economic was much more extensive than was at first anticipated. The firm (Georgo and Kcrsley) stale that they carry a stock of drapery, etc., vulued at l>etwoen £BO,OOO and £40,000, and they further stat? that nearly the whole of this was damaged bysmoke and water, whik> a portion was completely destroyed. They ure not yet able to estimate the loss. Insurances on the Economic stock: —Alliance, 4:2500 ; New Zealand, £2OOO ; 1 loyal Exchange, £2OOO ; Commercial Union, £IOOO ; Norwich Union, £ISOO ; Law, I'nion. and Crown, £IOOO ; Liverpool and London and Globe, £IOOO ; South British, £IOOO ; Yorkshire, £IOOO ; I'nlted, £(500 ; Victorian, £SOO ; Phoenix £SOO ; North Queensland £SOO ; North Hritish, £IOOO. It i.s estimated thut the loss on the Economic stock w ill bo sixty per cent, of the insurances. The City Council to-night decided to give the D.I.C, a temporary lease of the old corporation offices, at a rental of £OOO per annum. The company will carry on business* there for the present. C)UTHHEAK AT KAIWAHHA. CAXDLEWOIIKS DAMAGED. WELLINGTON, Jan. 28, At the Caledonian Company's candle works, Kaiwarra, this morning, u large shed containing material of various kinds was dvstroyed by fire. Tlio main buildings were threatened, but esca|>ed. The damage is estimated at £-100. The London and Liverpool and Globe, and the Guardian ollices hold the risks.