FIRE IN DEVON STREET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 188, 13 September 1909, Page 3

FIRE IN DEVON STREET.

SADDLERY PREMISES GUTTED. At about six o'clock On Saturday evening the firebell -began to sound spasmodically. Presently it loudly clanged an alarm of fire. Five minutes UtUr

the firemen bowled into Devon street with their hose-reels, and in about sixty seconds more they had a very effective jet of .water directed at the seat of th« fire in Messrs T. King and Co.'6 saddlery workshop, whence a great column of black smoke and a volume of flame had been issuing for some minutes. ; Soon a second lead of water was spurting into the fire from a hole chopped in the roof, and a couple of leads came in at the rear of the premises from services in Currie street. The flames were soon got under, but none too soon, for the wooden partition separating the workshop from that of Mr. Marks, tailor, on the one side, had burned through, and but little more heat would have set Messrs Webster Bros.' auction mavt ablaze. As it was these premises, and the billiard-room on Messrs Webster Bros.' first floor, were densely filled with smoke and more or less flooded with water, no great injury resulting.

The fire seems to have been noticed by several people some time before the fireoell rang out its summons. Mrs. Smith, wife of the licensee of the Imperial Hotel just opposite, saw 'ho smoke coming, through the roof, and rushed to the telephone, giving the alarm. Mr. Grayson had seen it, Lnt thought the smoke came from a rubbish fire at the rear of the premises, and went round to investigate. Mr. C. 0. Ward sent some lads round to the central fire station to give the" alarm. But despite all this fuss the flames secured a firm hold before the alarm sounded. Mr. Smith broke in the front door of J Mr. King's place, and, with the assistance of Mr. Elliot and others, salvaged most of the stock in the front shop and some of the -show cases. But some overenergetic person opened the door leading into the workroom and the shop became filled with a stifling smoke. Mr. L. Marks, who was in the front portion of his tailoring establishment, kniw nothing of the outbreak until he observed the turmoil outside, and even then he resolutely refused for some time to allow his stock to be moved into the street. He ga.ve way in the finish, and his stock was placed along with Mr. King's on the footpath, quite unharmed. Then a hozzle broke loose from somewhere, and a great spout of water drench the goods, and a fair section of the gazing spectators, too. •A "News" representative inspected the premises yesterday morning. The fire seems to have starTed in the thin wooden partition between the saddl?ry and tailoring workrooms, about the middle of the block, and the only place where the partition was completely burned through was at the rear of and above the gas stove used in Mr. Marus' premises. This had a thin sheet of zinc j to protect the wall. It is impossible to, say, of course, where the fire started, but it was easily seen that the fire was I fiercest at this spot, and spread up the I' wall towards the skylight. The leather, and general manufacturing stock in the J workroom was absolutely ruined, the j leather being roasted. A large stock of horse-collars hanging from the ceiling was burned, and three or four sets of English harness shared a similar fate. ! Benches and tools, the machines, and a heavy stock of buckles, etc., were quite spoiled. There were three bales of tow in the place, but the bands of these had not been broken. They were burst open ; after the fire, and thoroughly soaked with water, lest there should be fire in the ' stuff. . i

How the fire originated is a mystery. As before stated, Mr. Marks was in the front portion of his premises, so would not notice anything amiss. There'was no one in Messrs King and Co.'s premises at the time. Mr. King himself had about fonr o'clock for hi? home, as was his custom on Saturdays, intending to return between six and seven o'clock to re-open for the evening. Messrs Cook and Li3tcr and a third member of the staff worked till 5.30, and then left. They remained standing on the footpath outside for fully twenty minutes, awaiting the sirival of the football news from Auckland, and then went home. There was ao sign of fire then, as far as they coidd gee. There had been no fire in the establishment during the afternoon.

It was fortunate, indeed, that the fire occurred practically in daylight, for had it broken out, say, at midnight, there would have been a more serious tale to tell. The block is a verv old one, tlve-o are only wooden partitions, and the flames would have travelled at an eno--mons rate. , The splendid pressure of water from the borough mains is a thing that we have every reason to be thankful for. Whilst on this topic it might be mentioned that the firemen used the greatest discretion in its use, for from the appearance of the shojfronts yesterday no one would have dreamt that there had been a. fire at all. Possibly they would not, have felt so comfortable had they known that there were three packets of cartridges on a shelf close to the seat of the 6re. The shops affected are. owned by Dr. leatham, and are insured in the Soir.h British for £3OO. The same company had a risk of £SOO on Messrs King and Co.'s stock, and £SO on the machinery and plant. Mr. Marks' stock was insured in the Northern, but the amount was not ascertainable. The Commercial Union, Guardian, Yorkshire, and United were interested in the neighboring premises. Mr. King's loss is considerably greater than the amount of his insurance.