Fire at Stratford.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 129, 24 October 1914, Page 4

Fire at Stratford.

•K3OTGTPAL OFFKJEB AND LIBRARY DtSEKOYED. WiVY LOSSES OF BU6IN!HM Mm. ' JBiewal .to Daily News.) ' ' Stratford, Yesterday, Una 01-Uie moat dmagtirous itfetfti *•*« occurred in Stratford for ma •years took place at 2 o'clock this nS HHJ, when ft* Municipal Building «J *oia% destroyed. ' ■■ The fire brigade, under Captain Qwl wag quickly on the sceae. Ab a matter of fact, a dance was ■ progress at the fire station ttlanm wag given, but the Are had Ml ft great hold that the place was doom from the start. The fire is preewn to have started in the portion of t building occupied by Mr. bparworrtu« was eoon a seething maseof flame*. I fire quickly spread to Messrs .Veto* Dobson-, and Co.'e (awdoncera) J. 1 Stone (jeweller), a p ivac (din j rooms) on the ground floor-and to t Borough Council office and reading roi sod library upstair*.

STOPPED BY BIHCK. WALLS. The brick walls on botk side Toft building alone prevented the lire fr< '•prodding. As it was, Mr. Lewunt' d« «ry premises were slightly damaged the skylight (being broken by tile intes heat, and water finding iia way into t stock. That the fire wag stopped shows t wisdom of the Borough authorities insisting on brick walls for «H a buildings. Xt was fully two hours More the i was subdued, and to-day the ftwn are busy playing the hove on the debt which i* still smoking. '• ' THE INSUEANCB6.The insurances on 'the httikjjj» i £UU) In. the State Fire Qttwfim tee same oil ice holds £ls* on tile'fin tur« and £IOO on the library bobk*;l J. K. Stone » insured in the 3UMJM for £401); 'Webster, Dobson and Co.# I United for £l7Sj Mr. Pivae-M' 1 Queensland Office for £200; iMSp worth for £3OO in the Victoria. •$$ 1

see in all cases are for and above ti ' insurances. Mr. Lewen is insuredcin til 'lmperial, Royal, and State offxte*. The scene of lite fire has been jiait* by a good crowd all day, and t&e wi lias bees quite forgotten, in tite m&t ment. The Borough Council ha* secured ten ' temporary odficca in Messrs Bayjey ai Thomson's new building in Fen:on itree ■while iMessrs Webster Dobson and C ihave i boen kindly offered and accept* temporary offices in Messrs Bavley u Oo.'S premises in Regan »trc«t. - As showing how quicMy things <* done nowadays, at cloven o'clock tb morning Mr. McAllister bad a fine pho* of the ruins displayed in his windo and ithia attracted great attention. .

NieHTWATOjIMM WMSSft

The need of a nightwatchman te agai toeing talked about by the busiimw pel fie. A nightwa/tchman is moie-nt'cdj in a place like Stra/iford than m fergj town* because we ihave no police on al right duty here. A suitable man shod lhave no difficulty in getting suppoUna the ■business people, and wouid 1 a long felt want. INADEQUATE WAVER PKBSSUBB Thi question of getting a big preamu of waiter, specially when a big lire Ut this morning's take* place, w one tai should seriously concern the iSuroOj Counoil. The (pressure when .the hugw atarbed playing on 'the fire was so lo that practically no force could be got i ■B, and it wan some time before u g any 'better. Ab aoon u the water w: "cut off'' from the mains leading to t) other portions of the town supply, U f reasure improved. Why was it w done at the commencement! It certai iy floetna .that the Council should a jioint a borough turncock, and that of cial should then be held responsible < see' that those things are done If y»ur property is not insured, a at »r ring up the United Insurance C Ltd., Currie Street; telephone 11)0. J Spending, district agent, lnsuru effected on the most favorable terms Advt.