THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 39, 11 March 1909, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

lrAltllOl! HOARD'S HEMI' .STORES COMI'LETKLY DESTROYED. BARQUE CATCHES FlliE. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, Wednesday. Just before midnight the Wellington Harbour Board'.-* hcuip stores on Waterloo .yiiay were found alight. Some delay occurred in giving the alarm, and as the building Contained 15UU bales ol llaix and 750 bales of tow, the place in a few minutes was a mass of llanies. Then the water pressure was found to be low, and not till the Harbour Board's big engine got to work was an iniprcs ti'oiii made on the lire. ! The shed, which was constructed of iron and wood, soon collapsed, and the heat set lire to the barque llippolas, which was timber-laden. She and two harbour launches were cut adrift with some dilliculty, but the barque's nails I ami spans suffered, and men had to climb aloft and beat out the llanies. A large brick woolshcd to the southward had windows destroyed, and some damage, was done by water to the hemp stored in it. The shed and its contents were practically destroyed, and the sal- ' vage will ibe small. ' Inside was a large quantity of by- > draulic machinery, including twelve jig I gers, two wool-presses, and an accumu- ! - I Tator. The shed laces Waterloo Quay 1 ami abut on the breastwork at the foo L ' of the Railway wharf, which was nisi damaged. This morning the llanies were stil blazing, and scores of men were at wm\ I drenching and removing the llax an I tow. The shed was twenty-seven year

DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT .CtiuOO. The wharf fronting Waterloo Quay.] this morning is littered with debris. Damaged lump is being carted on I) the reclaimed ground and a portion of the consignments will be available for re-grading. The produce in the sheds destroyed' and damaged is approximately valued at XIiODO. The Harbour Board's building and contents (belongin" to the Harbor Hoard) were insured in the Standard Ollice for .-15315. Consignees of llax and low are understood U> be also insured, but nothing

regarding tile actual consignments: and j values is 5 available. j ■About .IMOIM worth of wool was , slored in the F shed adjoining the shed , destroyed. Only 4(1 bales o't wool, however, were damaged by water in that building. Work on the wharves is proceeding as. usual, the necessary accommodation being available. The: shed destroyed was the oldest belonging to the Harbour Board. A •watchman did not detect any smell when he passed the shed at 17 minutes to 12. but the: lirei must have smouldered for some. time. • The lire was seen by several persons at once but no alarm box could be | found. A .man had to run a considerable distance to Lambton Quay to call the Brigade. The. whole shed, large as it was. was on the ground in a little over an hour, leavin" great piles of blazing bale? standing bi the mpen -where water could be wot at them with effect. The Standard Company, insures the Board's property, but the contents of the building were stored at the owners Tisk. THE BARQUE'S DAMAGE. Wellington. Last Night. The barque llippolas was damaged to the extent of C2OO to £3OO at last night's lire on the railway wharf.