DISASTROUS FIRE AT WELLINGTON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1559, 1 March 1887, Page 3

DISASTROUS FIRE AT WELLINGTON.

YVELMNGTON, Feb. 27. A devastating the broke out thie morning in the largest and best block of buildings in the city. The fire commenced •it Huxley's three-storey tailor's shop and when noticed shortly after 4 o'clock had i strong hold of the shop it the back and wan already spreading along the rear of Laery, Campbell aud Go.'s produce and commission merchant's store, which stood ;vt the corner of Panama street and Lambton Qanj. This was a tall vrood«n building of four storeys, and very soen flames had complete possession of it. The water would not reach the top of any structure •u Panama street. Six branches in all - «re got to work, besides two more from manual engines stationed on the breastwork. The beat from the burning pile was intense. In Panama street the brigade had all they could do to keep the fire off the other side, and Thomas'auction rooms were once actually on fire. Next to Luery and Campbell's w«sT K Macdonald's auction mart, another large wooden building of three storeys, the cellarage being occupied by I. Maginity, wine and spirit merchant. Nothing whatever was taken oat. Amongst the contents was a large shipment «f pianos just received. Raging over the roof the fire rapidly spread to Thomson, Shannon and Co.'s. The main buildings consisted of two storeys and basement. In the yard at the back was a small building and stables, and at the back of this again a low brick building usod as a clothing factory, fronting on Brandon street. A large quantity of goods was taken out, but the lighter and more valuable goods in the top storey h*d to ba abandoned. Kennedy Macdonald's was now well alight. The fire had got under Thomson and Sh-noon's roof, And the work of clearing the goods was carried on with masses of fire falling down the staircases from the ceiling. These set alight to the contents of the basement, and materially aided the spread of the flames, which in a wonderfully short time enveloped the whole edifice. The men had to be protected by blankets guturated with water, and, under the circumstances, they stuck to their duty well. Next to Thompson and Shannon's was a brick building, where, for the time being, the fire was arrested. Going back to Lambton Quay the flames, after overmustering Huxley's shop, in which they originally star'ed, attacked ihe premises ofßarraudand Sou's, chemists, and the building was not long Jeft standing. At the back was a brick store, which was also speedily burnt out, and the fire then attacked the offices of Buckley, Barton and Stafford, solicitors, and the drapery establishment of Parker and Co. (late Wilson and Richardson). The flames speedily made good their ground, and entering Parker and Co.'s by the shop soon threatened to complete the destruction of the Quay frontage At this point the firemen succeeded in preserving P.irker and Co.'s main building ; the whole of tbXMteuts were removed with very little loss and the building itself whs saved. This is the only place left standing on the Quay front ige. In Brandon street, behind Kennedy Mucdonald's, stood a small two-storeyed boarding-house quite detached, occupied by Mr Clark, and it was mostly burned. Bafore this thf> buildings on the opposite side of Brandon street had begun to smoke, but liberal applications of water saved them from damage beyond the blistering of the paint. Next to the boarding-house was the elothing factory, already mentioned as forming the rear of Thomson and Shannon's. This was emptied of its contents, but being well back from the chief seat of the fire it escaped damage. The position after the fire had been raging for two hours was that the western half of the block, with one exception, had been destroyed, and only Johnston's brick bond stood between the remaining buildings and destruction. This structure ran back from Panama street impinging on Edwards and Greeu's, printers, whose premise* fac« Brandon street. For some time it was hoped the bond would prove an impenetrable barrier, but the flames I eapt over the 3 feet of parapet wall and effected a lodgment under the iron, and after smouldering for some time burst out from all the windews. Ihe contents of the remaining buildings in the block were rapidly cleared out.. The Nelson's men, of whom 150 were hnded from the ship, did good service. They clambered up the lofty walls, and from the top of the adjoining building played upon the fire. Tons of water were poured on to the roof and through the windows, but with no effect, till the roof broke in. Free scope was then given to tlje water, and at | as t it prevailed. Great fears were entertained that the floor would give way and let the bnrning mass down on thousands of galloos.of spirits in the next storey, but the joists' stood firm. By a quarter to eight the danger was over, and the progress of the fire definitely stayed. The upper flat of the bond was completely burned out, part of the walls cracked, and all the merchandise of a perishable nature destroyed. The building was prammod with valuable goods. i

Summed up the fire resulted in the destruction of the best business block in the city namely, that bounded by Lambton Quay on the west, Featlierston. street on the east, jjrandon street ou the north, and Panama street on, tbo south. The whole front of the latter was occupied by three and four storey werehouses and marts. At present there is no chance of getting the exact insurances, but they ".re not less than £62 000 to which must be added £2OOO or £3OOO more for damage by heat to buildings not burred. Some of the agents think the insurances will amount ifo £7<J,OOO. The total loss is variously I estimated from £120,000 to £150,000.

Feb. 28. Tin- ruins are still smoking, and the fi-. mm have to ke'-p the hose playing. The ex'nt time nr <• Irch the fire was fin-t discx- rd'l yesterday w-is thirty minutes past four. UonHi'ih'o Kiddie pasiod the establishment, nn<l h9nrd « sound as of a pami of gUss Htnashing. Half suspecting the proximity of thieves the countable looked iu the window, but could not see any sign of fire or aaythiog unusual. He then went up a right-of-way between, and saw through the fence the rpflection of fire in the back of the shop. Bursting the front door open he found the place full of smoke, and gave an alarm. Before ho got back Huxley's was on fire from top to bottom. At the rear of Huxley's shop was a aemi-detnched building hired by Mr Orr, of the City Boffet, as a bnarding-houso. Here it appeared peop'e slept, »nd there were four there on Saturday night named Palm;r, Harding, Jackson, and another. They were in bed upstairs, and the constable, knowing that people were in the habit of sleeping there, kicked vigorously at the front door, and blew hie whistle. He did not hear any reprise, and weDt off to give the alarm, under the impression that there was no one on the premises. Palmer, however, heard him, and having awakened his companions they at once started to come down stairs, where* they were met by smoke too dense for them to penetrate. They went back at once, and managed to ttnke their escape by climbing over the rear of Barraud's premises into the rear of Clarke's boarding-house, from whence tlmy went into the street. Huxley says that he left the shop at a quarter to ien on Siturday night, at which time, he 8-iy*, everything was safe. The lights were out, and the doora locked and baired. Just at the rear of the shop was a small yard, in which there was lying about a small quantity of material. This had been used for stuffing mattrasses, and was inflammable, of course. The constable is clear, however, that the fire when he first sav, it was confined to the back part of the shop. Kennedy Macdonald had two safes—one a specially strong jeweller s burglar-proof one. In both, however, the contents were practically destroyed, and reduced to tinder. safe, whnn opened, had preserved everything, the contents being only slightly singed. Laery and Campbell also had documents in their safe, which were partly destroyed. Buckley and Staff ird's stronir room seems to hare stood the teat all right, .but cannot be opened yet. Great disinclination was generally shown in assisting the removal of things. Mr Shannon implored the people to help, and offered payment, with little result till too late. The exertions of the Nelson men will probably be suitably recognised. The insurances are :

Total ... £62,850 [[t will be noted that the total does not tally with the sums mentioned above.] The amounts are risks of each Company, without taking into account reinsurances, and they will probably be found not to include all the risks, and they will be further swelled by contingent damages to places on the opposite side of the street. l£ is now considered the loss may be put at £50,000 beyond the insurances. Ona immediate result will be the throwing of a large number of people out of employment. Two attempts were apparently made yesterday to burn down an unoccupied boarding-house in Harbor street. In each instance shavings vere on fire, but was discovered by passers-by. The police think that vagrants may have done it.

National J 700 South British 3600 Equitable.. .Colonial 5650 3000 Union 3000 Imperial Phoenix 550 3300 London and Lancashire... 5200 North German 4500 Guardian 3000 Standard 1500 North British and Mercantile 3500 New Zealand 2600 Sun 1900 Liverpool, London and Globe 500 Norwich Union : 2000 Royal Manchester 2500 2500 Northern 2500 Victoria 2400