FIRE IN GREYTOWN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9006, 16 December 1907, Page 5

FIRE IN GREYTOWN.

STANDARD PRINTING OFFICE GUTTED. - (Special to the Age.)

A fire broke out in the workroom of the Wairarapa Standard printing office, at 1.40 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, which practically destroyed the workroom. When the foreman left the office at about 1.15 p.m. there was no sign of fire, and everything appeared safe. At 1.40 Mr Charters, headmaster of the Grey town School, was passing, and noticing smoke issuing from the back portion of the building, gave the alarm and burst in the front door. Immediately the alarm was sounded on the northern bell a large crowd gathered, and willing hands commenced removing the files, etc., from the front portion of the building to a place of safety. The fire brigade, under Captain Webster, was speedily on the scene, and, having a good supply of water available from the water race that runs through the street in front of the building, quickly got to work, and within twenty minutes had the fire in check. It is astonishing how they managed to cope with the fire at all,I for when they commenced to play the water upon the burning building the flames had already got , a good hold. Fire were issuing from the windows on the eastern side of the building. A very heavy wind was blowing from the hills at the time. Practically everything in the Workroom was ruined by fire and water. The whole of the stock of fancy cal'-ds, paper, and stationery, besides valuable' files and most of the type, together with most of the woodwork on the Wharfdale printing machine were destroyed; the rollers were melted, and : the machine will require a complete overhaul before it can be used again. The insurance on the building is £2OO, and on the stock and plant £550. The Standard will be issued as usual this afternoon, the material and plant at the Daily News office, Carterton, having been bindly placed at the disposal of the proprietor. A considerable amount of work, which was being done for the Wairarapa Racing Club, was destroyed, including the race-books, which only needed binding. Haigh's butchery business and dwelling house and the Methodist Church and Sunday School were in eminent danger of being destroyed, but the good work done by the brigade prevented the flames from reachinp these buildings.