BIG FIRE IN SYDNEY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8073, 2 April 1906, Page 2

BIG FIRE IN SYDNEY.

FIERCEST BLAZE FOB YEARS. Bydkby, March 31. One of the fiercest fires experienced in Sydnoy ocourred. th|s morning, starting about two o*oiboll iu a block of warehouses extending from Clarence street to Kent street. * '

Before four o'clock it had completely gutted sovoral large business premises. The outbreak was discovered in (lie six-storey warehouse.M EdwardsDunlop Company, wholesale station* ers, Clarence street.

Thence it spread to the six-storcy warehouse of the James Stedman Com* pany, wholesale confectioners, extend* ing at the rear into Sent street. Both premise* stocked with immense quantities 6f inflammable material. / The flames travelled with lightning rapidity, and the intense heat and surrounding buildings prevented the brigades jetting to close quarters. Their main efforts were directed to saying the Grand Central H>tW, adjoining Btedman's, where great excitement prevailed amongst the largs numwN)4W'

mates, who made a hurried exit inro" the street, the hotel being cleared by the orders of tho brigade. One corqor of th| lfotelWught, but by strenuous efforts the firemen suajCeeded in saving it after considerable damage had beeu done to some of the top storeys.

Meantime several other building! became involved' in the destruction) and it looked as if Ike whole block wouldbe swept "Out.

The Berlin' Piano Company's pre* 1 miSes affl'tKSFSr aISSo m mpany o! signwril|Ks I ( The jery eiteiwiyo, premises belong*, ing to Wcbsdaie.Shoesmiti and Com* pany, printers, Luggago Agency, caught, ln& the 4ork of the brigades was now beginning to tell and they managed to check tkol fire before serious damugc was dona d these pre* raises. _ „ »jf [ HEAPS ojFp§tyjUsßßlHG j ENOEMduS EAviGES. SydwYi Inarch 81. Nothing remains gif the fgreat ware* houses but a ](qap of smouldering de« bris. " J ' 5

Kent- street ,js cohered tarith groat pilos off allenljjiolfs. j I tto thiV. [ ravages by thefitp are apparent': .' j

The .Clarence Jitrpet frontage does not wUatngffi to (Ulskpte extents n hot \j-jnd tjwje was earjrjiog the firo from Clarence to Kent street, The saving of the Gripd'Central Hotel was little shoftTbf fouy of the top floors being on fire at one tune. Torrents of water were poured on the Jruildiug, and this has done immense damage to the contents. 8 * ' : - '•

The list otinsuranoes ate not at pre* sent available.,

Stedman's and Dunlop's were com* pletely burnt out. ; Tho latter carries insurances to the extent of £76,800, LOSS OF THEATBICAL EFFECTS. NEW ZEALAND OFFICES LOSSES. Received 1,8.1 p.ui. Stdhey, March 81,

Through t|»o partial destruction ol Sktiuior s luggage agoncy, (Jeorgo D&rroil lost hie entiro theatrical wwjjrpbe~~ and manuscripts. The effieetsfof (lie Westwood Giants, whieU had jmt beett received from New Zealand, is also supposed lo be lost. The insurances on Stoadman's amount to £21,800, of which the New Zealand Las a risk of £2OOO and the South British £2600. Of Edwards Dunlop's insurances, the National has £OSOO, The, Grand Central .wus insured f0r.£2700. Detailed insurances are not available.