DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 2 December 1907, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

• LARGE MELBOURNE BUILDINGS ■ DESTROYED. [THOUSANDS OfIoUNDS DAMAGE. WHOLE CITY ILLUMINATED. TIMBER OF SIGHTSEERS INJUREDReceived December 1, 4.30 p.m. Melbourne, December 1. A destructive fire started at 10 h'dock last night in Clark's <f«n<-> Jpods importer) fivc-storey "archie Miz&eth Street, adjoining at the r..»r tL Commonwealth telegraph and money order offices. The are spread with tremendou- ra pidUy, and enveloped W.Ujce » >V By an earlv hour this morning the brigades had obtained the mastery over the major portion of the fire. CJarpß and Wallace's were practically Butted, and serious damage w-s aone to Commonwealth property wfctading the destruction of thonsands nt rounds worth of telephone wire ana jnaterud. Various adjoining properties Buffered severely. The whole city was bnlhanth illuminated, an immense concourse watching the progress of the all-consuming A crowded verandah opposite the outbreak several persons jrere injured. LARGEST FORJTWELVE YEARSBEAVY LOSS TO POSTAL DEPARTMENT.

; ; Received December 2. 1.52 a.m. r Melbourne, December 1. ' The fire was the largest for twelve mars. The value of the property dcJrtToyed is close upon £BO,OOO. Ai official report states that the Postal Department lost £16,000 worth of material! and it is feared .considerable •raMic inconvenience will be causal by fte loss of the telephone instruments Md wire.

BREAT BLAZE IN QUEENSLAND. , LONGREACH SWEPT BY FIRE. • (TWENTY TWO BUSINESS PLACES i DESTROYED. '< T. ! Received Dec. 2, 1.52 a.m. Brisbane, December 1. % wire from Longreach to the Deputy Postmaster-General annonnees that the town of Longreach was swept by fire at J o'clock this morning. Twenty-two business places were destroyed.