THE LATE FIRE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1085, 29 May 1882, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE.

An inquiry into'the origin of the late fire, which consumed the stores of MrD. F. McCarthy,.was held this morning at the Club Hotel, before Dr H. T. Spratt, District Coroner, and a jury of thirteen, of which Mr Gray was chosen foreman. Representatives of the various. Insurance Companies were present D. F. MoCarthy deposed he was the proprietor of the late stores. He was aroused by his wife about 2 o'clock on Friday morning, and heard the fire-boll ringing, He also heard some one knock at his window and' cry'' Fire!" He partially dressed and went outside, when he saw it was his own store ablaze. He reached the scene at the same time as the Fire Brigade, and rushed in to save some of the books of his business, but the fire was too strong for him, He went to the back of the next store and took out some gunpowder. His stores were in two buildings, which had formerly been separate shops, but were'built together, and he occupied both. The two cases of gunpowder which were in the building contained 251bs each when first opened, but some had been sold. The one he got out had only 7lb or 81b in it. The case he saved was on t fire at the time. That was all he could save. He had no idea how the fire originated, nor where it started, but thought it arose near the front door. . To the foreman: I left about ten o'clock. I put the lights out myself. To Mr Price: The doors were all secured, the front door by a spade under the lock, as the wind sometimes blew the doors open. The look was not shot, as the spade was sufficient. He went out by the side door. The front door had bolts affixed, but the bottom bolt was not used, He remembered blowing the candle out before leaving, after putting out all the lamps, He considered the/place wao perfeotly safe from burglars. None of his assistants could get into the plica w'thout coming to him for the keyß. He generally got 601b of gun-powder at a time, as it saved carriage to get a lot,' Did hot know the quantity allowed by law to-be kept in a store. . ' ' ' To Mr Arnold: Was always last on the. premises. ...'.,. To Mr Dixon: Had no combustible materials stored in the first,.store.' There mighfhave been a box of matohes there which had been used by the men. To Mr Schroder: The fireplace was never üßed.■' . . ■

To Mr Mingham: Sid not return to the store after having locked it To Mr Brown: The books left in the store were those he had used since commencing business. The books he took' home were the ledger and oOuntef •' book. The The ledger contained all his debts. Tho clerk was pretty punctual in posting up, so he thought the ledger was posted to date, ;■• To Sergt, Price: His kerosene was stored' in i building about 20 feet away. To Mr Schroder: The stock would cost between £4500 and ' £5003; It was all burned, Had been taking stock lately, but had not finished. The drapery cost nearly £3OOO. '. ,

The Coroner Baid these questions were more in the Insurance Co.'s interests than in the jury's province. They only' had to inquire into the origin of the ire; still he had no objection to the. question it jurors wibhed to put tliem. ■ - Mr MoOartby in answer to Mr. Kibblewhite: Had no door of communication between the two stores. Then were two iron walls betweou. Could not account for the fire being in each at ouce. -

To Mr Schroder: Used the late Empire store for storing '.grain and chaff, there is some chaff and oats there • now. . Iu answer to thn poliofl Mr McCarthy gave the various insurances, He should have insured the now addition but had neglected to do so. Ho wss also liable to insure the building but the policy had lapsed as he had no knowledge of when the'premimuin became due. It had cost him close on £250 in additions which were hot in* sured,

George Turk deposed; flo was, nightwatchman ci the Club Hotel.' ! He first im the fire at twenty minutes past 2 a.m.' Was in the street at 2, and saw noth'n?. Heard some timber craok'ing after he Went inside, and went out and saw the reflectkn of a fire on the Club stables. Shouted fire, and rang the bell. Then roused MvElkins, proprietor of the Club Hotel. The blaze wad coming out of the front'door and side window of McCarthy's store. To Mr JFellinghani: It was about twenty minutei) from the time I was in the' street andsaw no fire till the time I heard the crackling of wood and saw the flames. I couldn't say' whethor. both stores were alight when I:saw the fire first. , :

To Mr Gray >•• The doors.wereclosed when.,;"-, I noticed the to.-- ■ . • : ..,. •, ... l' :

Mr Elkina deposed that he was the second on the scene/ M:.wh.ich he,appeared in his nightshirt, The fire appeared to be near the frontdoor.

Sergi, Price deposed that he arrived ut tltyfire very shbiiily after, the. ,alr.rm was •({iTeir,vand saw the fire was ragingabout ten •ie?t from the corner door tad : dOwn Bannis-ter-street. He then went round t» the sttaohed ntore, and there was no fire in that :thW-• Wenii round the block.on which the . bailing; of itapp and Hare, to,,' stood, and when'he again came to the scene of- the fire both stores were ignited, To Mr Fannin: Could not account for the rapid spread of the fire to the two buildings, notwithstanding the two iron walls. He heard no explosions till both'buildings were - ablaze. ■• ■ - ,/v

To Mr McCardle: The scoond building)/ was not on fire till about' fifteen after he reaohe'dthe scene. •;

The Coroner stated it was quite clear that both the buildings were hot on fire at the first. It did not seem to be any-person's advantage to-burn the place down. Mr McCarthy had failed to insure the buildings hie bad recently erected, and had allowed a pplioy on the building of £260 to lapse, which were each heavy losses to him, and which should have, been insured. Thero was nothing to show how the fire., started "The jury returned a verdict to.th'e effect that thero was no evidence to show how the fire originated.