THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 131, 25 May 1908, Page 4

THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

NAUItUW ESCAPE OF GENERAL POST OFFICE. .•sPLENDID WORK. OF THE FIREMEN Per Presa Association. Wellington. Saturday. La-t night', tire „ n !v charred a very .s,m.ili |nirtion of the woodwork in the aceonntaiit's department of the General Po-t Otlicc. the lire having found its j way over one of the iron lireproof doors, j bnt the paper in niniy of the cilices I suffered from water.

tapuin lleiin.ili. in-peeto r of fire np-pliaw-cs for State bi'ildings, „,,id the smoke via- fearful. || it 'had n „l be.-n for thai iron door and the braverv of the Po-t and T'degiapii llillcs (v.lii were working with the Department hose) there would not have been the slightest! hope for tile General Post Office at all.

The General Po-t aud Telegraph IK jpartiucnt had an exceedingly narrow e-cape from destruction. A fierce nor'west gale was blowing at the time,' ami after O'Prieti's store «a- completely gutted the llaiius -wept with rapidity through other wooden structures facing Panama sheet. Tlc-e are mostly used as Workshops and storeroom, in connection with the departments nanieil. The fire roared through tlic-e building-; tni> flames swept high in the air. Sostroug was tlio wi,nd that lead, of hose operated from the ground level became ineffective, the water being blown into spray before it reached its mark. Another risk the firemen had lo contend with was from sheds of galvanised iron, which were hoi-ted by the wind and thrown in all directions."

When the flames reached the brick | wall at the rear of the Post and Telegraph Office they received a check, and I the fire-proof protections over the apertures in that portion of the premises prevented the fire getting to any extent within the building. The firemen were lighting with great . cheer of encouragement from the specfcheer of cncourageuint from the spectators.

Shortly after In p.m. all danger to the Tost and Telegraph Department had been removed, and the firemen turned their attention to the wooden bonfire which was still burning merrily. Clouds of smoke found admission into the Post and Telegraph (Mice, and at about 9.30 were so dense that the operators had to abandon their instruments; aud in the other department operations were suspended for a time. but in lxrth branches provision was made for the safety of records, etc. iconic of the Auckland wires were connected through to Blenheim and Christchureh to allow through work to be transmitted, but no station could connect with Wellington until about 11.30 p.m., when work was resumed. and only then would brief messages be received.

In the mail-room, pared ollioe, ami the public olliee of the l'o,t (.mice there was a general clearance of po,tal matter, but the premrs's were not toucltcd l>y fire.

The State Fire Insurance Depart mint also removed the contents at it. cilice from danger.

The outbreak occurred in O'liricn's store at the corner of l'Yatlierstnii ami Panama streets. This „, ls lillcd vvilh furniture belonging to clients of the firm. Mr. it. ],. j, ovm U!U ] a ] ar „ p •luantity stored, valued at about r.mo.

Captain Brown, of the Defence Department. i* a |s,) a lover.

Mr. triJrien i, unable t„ estimate the amount of his loss. |„,t declares that it spells ruin to him.

SJie other occupants of ih o destroyed buildings were Ca.-ov and .Moran (solicitor-), the Inspector' of Weights and Mci-mo-. \V. J). Applomcnt (manufacturers' agent), and Albert ]•;. tlannaway I dairy produce exporter!, also premises u„.,l |,y th,. Telegraph and Postal Department as workshops and stoics. Two adjoining wooden buildings which wore unoccupied, but formerly leased by Keir and Co. (carriers) and Llkius (gun-mithi. wore gutted. The work 0 f demolition of the destroyed buildings to oiia'>U. the work of extending the p, M ~„,, • M e. r « l ,| l Department- is to proceed There was little or n 0 insurance on any 01 the place-.