THE EIRE IN GRAHAMSTOWN YESTERDAY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1806, 6 May 1874, Page 3

THE EIRE IN GRAHAMSTOWN YESTERDAY.

In yesterday's paper we announced the fact that the Union Bank had been destroyed by fire, and that the adjacent buildings had narrowly escaped. The Onion Bank stood at the corner of Albert and Queen streets, and was a handsome building consisting of a large banking room, gold buying room, minager's offices, and private rooms, and in the yard, at a distance of about eight feet from the main building, a melting-house. On the lower side of the building, towards the range forming Albert-street, was a brick wall, buiU to protect the bink in case of any lire in the adjoining wooden structures, but which in this case was of service in protecting these from the fire at the bank. Between this wall and the Adveetisee Office was a small house, in which Mr Grant,, manager, resided. About 20 minutes before 5 o'clock, just before the Advertises was put to press, Mr Cooper, the machine man, while carrying one of the " formes" into the back' yard, noticed smoke coming out of the melting-house of the Union Bank. He at once gave the alarm, and there behg several men and lads in the office, no time was lost. Mr Smith, foreman, ran to the bell, which is close to the office, and leaving a lad (Morris) to continue the ringing, passed round by Davy-street, to awaken Mr Marshall, draper. Two of our men were at the time thundering at the door of Mr Grant's house, to awaken him, but as they were not able to burst the door in, they came round, leaped the fence at the back, and got in that way. They found, however, that Mr Bruce, of Brownstreet, had got in by the front, and had roused VI r Grant. By this time the melting-house was in flames, but the bank itself had not caught. Before, how ■ over, the necessary appliances could be brought to bear, the bank had taken fire. There was no hope of saving it, and in-, deed it seemed for a time as if nothing could save the whole town. Happily, however, we have two good Volunteer Fire Brigades, the members of which work with energy and intelligence; we' have a good water supply, and engine, and a tolerable. supply of hose and other materials. The members of the Gra--1 hamstown Fire Brigade were first up, and were followed in a few minutes by the Shortland men. One pipe was fixed to the hydrant just opposite the burning building, while the engine pumped from the well opposite the Pacific Hotel. From the hydrant the stream was weak for a time, owing to its having become partially stopped up from not having been used, but the engine from the first threw a powerful stream. On the opposite side of Queen-street from the Union Bank stands the National Bank, and for a time there was considerable danger that the fire would seize that building. At one time indeed the roof did burst into flame, but Mr Lymburn, painter, quickly brought a ladder, and got up and extinguished it. After that, several persons, among whom were Mr J. H. Salmon, Mr J. vVhitford, and tho manager of the bank, Mr Walmsley, were activo in takiag measures to prevent the building from catching fire, and were successful, although the front was scorched. The above-mentioned gentlemen got on the roof, and extinguished with buckets of-water the fiery embers that alighted on it, Opposite tho Unjoa,ia AjbeitotreeUro the, Baui; q(

New South Wales and the Bank of Australasia, but little exertion was re quired to keep them safe. Had the wiud been strong, however, and our means for coping with the fire less, all the banks in Grahanistown might have been destroyed. And we may say here at once, that; we think the banks owe handsome subscriptions to the Thames Pire .Brigades. The building in the greatest danger was, however, the Thames Advehtiseb office. The brick wall vie have' spoken of was a great defence, but the risk was very great at the back, where our premises were exposed, Fortunately, there were men around, who knew what they were about. Mr Hay, who was for several years a member of the Edinburgh Fire Brigade, got on the roof with one of the hose and commenced to play on the place of danger. The strength o( the stream, however, did not please him, and he threw down that hose, and called for the other. The possessor of that, instead of handing it up, played the stream upon Hay, who was somewhat hurt, by the force of the water. When he did get the hone, however, he fought the fire till he had fairly beaten it back. Mr Adam Porter also got on the roof of the printing office, and helped materially to save it by pouring buekots of water on the places most.in danger. The fire did take hold of the weatherboards at ono time, but was soon extinguished. Had our office taken fire, nothing could have saved Albert-street, at least as far down as Davy-street, including the shops of Messrs Mennie and Dey, bakers and confeotioners; Shappere, jeweller; and Marshall, draper. As may eadly be imagined, there was great dismay all round. All the material in our office was soon in the street, and those who know the nature of printing stock will easily imagine that some considerable damage was done in the transmission. Oases, galleys of matter, frames, tables, &c, were put all in a heap. Fortunately, the" formes" had been locked, up before the fire broke out, and they were conveyed to a place of safety. The safe was taken out, and indeed everything of value, except the machine. That was left to the last, which was fortunate, as if it had been taken to pieces, it could not have been put together again quickly. Some enthusiasts, conceiving tuat the office was doomed, and that the only way to save the rest of the street, was to knock it down, commenced on the front with axes, and in a few .minutes its appearance, not conspicuously beautiful at any time, was sadly disfigured. It became evident, however, that the fire could be confined to the bank, and the axemen desisted. Mennie and Day's premises were soon gutted, even the ahalveg having been knocked down and carried away. The most valuable portion of the stock of Mr Shappere was in his safe, which was left untouched, but the articles in the shop were taken away. We have not heard of a single case of larceny. Mr Marshall, with several assistants, got ,the greater part of his most valuable stock into his strong-room. By this time the fire wa3 beginning to bum down, and it was clear that all danger was past. Those who had removed their goods now begin to carry them back, while the Thames Adver. tiseb was quietly put to • press, and issued. The strong-room of the bank contained all the books and the coin, but it was not till mid-day that it was got at and opened, when every thing was found safe. The business of the.bank suffered no interruption, having been carried on in Mr Grant's house, The building was worth probably about £1,200, and we believe was .insured for £300 in the Victoria, and the same ammufc in trie Eoyal. Wo caunofc conclude this notice without returning thanks ! to those who exerted themselves to prevent the spread of the fir.e or to save property in danger, and in doing so on our own account we are sure that we have the concurrence of all our fellow-citizens. To Mr Bull, captain of the Shortland Brigade, special thanks are due, for while in Melbourne lately he procured a.small hand-engine, which can be worked easily by one man, and which was exceedingly useful yesterday morning. All the members of the Fire Brigades worked well, and we trust that the public will slio>v their appreciation of their services by greater liberality than they have shown hitherto. Besides those we have named previously in this not_ice,.we may mention the follow, ing as having exerted themselves strenuously:—viessrs J. Jackson,^J". E. Macdonald, JJ. Hudson, J. Hudson,. Quint, Levy, S. Turtle, L. Melhose, W. Cole, J. Stewart, W. Sully, it. Wiseman, ,f. Benney, J. Campbell, T. L. Murray, and Councillor Bensha'w.

We have also for ourselves to thank the proprietors of the Evening >\tar, who offered to print our paper if it had been necessary to remove our machine, and who were, at considerable trouble in preparing to carry out their offer. Ihe compositors of the Star also assisted in removing and reinstating our plant., As to the origin of the fire, nothing is known. There had been no meltiug since last Saturday, and it is almost impossible that any fire could remain smouldering up till yesterday morning. We have heard it said that the fire might have been caused by a rat upsetting some of the bottles of chemicals. .