FIRE!

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 69, 17 April 1909, Page 2

FIRE!

lima IJEKALD OWICK Mi\..V/.l:. HUNTING- JJKl'AUXilliyj: WKKtKKI) FIRE BRIGADE'S SMART WOltlv. ! Tho clang of Hi,, T . vng „ ul shortly alter midnight Ltiis morjiing, ami soon tlie hose-reels mill ladders from the Central and Kast Kud stations were rattling smartly along towards tlie plainly discernible conflagration in the eentre of the town. Ten minutes before, all had heen <|iiict. The policeman on duty ami tUe ciw.eu's night-watchman patrolled the town. At half-past twelve, o'clock Constalile Kl.maj,iui and Night-watchman Oliver wen, t the. corner of |),.yo» mid i/uuili-t Streets, on llieir usual ronnils. After inspecting tliu doors in tlie vicinitv, they passed down Devon Street, and n't tile'lirougham Street corner they separated, the police officer walking towards the post oll'iec and the watchman down llrougham Street. They had not pion-ciii'd far when a " cooce'' arrested their attention, and a cry of "lire" sent the nigliu-wilU-liiiiun headlong for the lire brigade station. A spiiannmic ring followed. The alarm had been .given liv tiie night porter at the Imperial llolel.'whose attention hud lieen arrested by „ brightcuing glare of the opposite side, of tlie street us lie made his preparation's for hosing down the footpaths under tlie hotel verandahs. In about a minute the tirst detachment of the lire brigade from the Central station was turning into Clinic Street, and the numbers grew i rapidly. The tirm h 0,,, conned ion was made from the lire-plug „t the N>ws office corner, and lirsl attention was directed to preventing the spread of ihe tire from the rapidly-burning Herald office to the premises'adjacent, liv this lime the llanics were stretching out from the windows- in the allcv-wav that separated the Herald office from'.Messrs. (ioldwatcr liros.' wine and spirit warehouse. .Mr. C. C. Ward's drapery establishment, and the paint, oil, and ironmongery warehouse of Messrs. Dellringer llros. The Haines had already lieke.l the walls of Messrs (ioldwatcr Hros.' building when the brigade arrived. Subsequent arrivals of the lire brigade, acting under<thc direction of Superintendent IMlringcr. connected length of !,„,„. with lire -plugs in Devon street, near I .Messrs MclCwcn Hros.' premise,, mid another at the comer of Cmirleimy street I and Carrington road. Five jets of water were playing on the lire i.'i a very few minutes.

The (lames, meanwhile, had burst through the roof of the machine-room. I anil iniiile their appearance through (lie front windows of the jobbing material Mow in llii- first llnor of the Ciirrie street front. A Jusul of 'h0.,0 was directed through tlic lirst lloor windows, mill liiiil mi appreciable effect upon tlic volmm. of fh.ni,. below, although the elevated facade of tin. building seemed in imminent, danger of fulling upon the fireman ilirot-tiiiff' tlic nozzle through n window whose glass lnul been shattered long ago liy t ! lic heat of the burning building.

From Hull time onward the volume of Ihnne which lnul hurst through the roof stendily diniinislieil, and the brigade was seen to have the conflagration under control—a tribute to the ellicieiicy of the fire brigade and the splendid pressure of the to\V7i water Mtply. There was a slight breeze blowing, and the flames 'Were at one lime rent'liing high over the roof of Messrs floldwalcr Bros.' premises, and the bystanders could see little chance of saving either that building or the Hunk of New South Wales adjoining. Rut tlic lire brigade added another to its long . list :•■( triumphs in the light again*! the flumes. Mr." lliiclttmnirt, malinger of the local branch of the Hank of New South wile*, was one of the first on the scene, and for the next half-hour he was l.nsv with a hose keeping the whole of his promises wet to arrest sparks. Hut the greatest danger lay ill the wine and spirit warehouse next door, where the Hanies licked the windows of an upper storey that was filled with straw and packing material. The lire was confined to the jobbing and machinery departments, which comprised the wooden portion of the premises. The new brick building, containing the editorial, commercial, Iholype and composing departments, protected by iron shutters over the vulnerable points, was undamaged.

The wooden lniilding was completely gutted by lire, except that the lower floor of the jobbing department remains practicallv intact, fo-dnv the old Herald ollice. as known till a vear or two ago, w a blackened ruin, with I lie machinery -roasted and. lumbered with the debris. The. insurances on the building and machinery were not ascertainable. Arrangements have been made whereby the Herald will make its usual apAVorkmen are required at the scene of the lire earlv (his momma I" clear uwav the debris. '