FIRE AT MAKORA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Issue 2690, 2 September 1887, Page 2

FIRE AT MAKORA.

Between eleven and twelve o'clock last night (Thursday) a fire bfpke out in a four cottage owned and occupied by Mr O'Donuell inMakora which destroyed that" and: air adjoining cottage owned by Mr Rooks and occupied by Mr Janies Ralph..: Mr and Mrs O'Dounell retired to rest about ton o'clock, leaving everything apparently safe,, and at. twenty minutes to twelve M'rsO'Donnell was awoke by the crackling of burning timber. On arousing her husband he found that the upper portion of the house near thechimuey stack was in flauioif, and he had barely time to throw out a few articles of bedding, when the flames compelled them to quit. As Mr Ralph's cottage was only about twenty feet detached, and no'assist-

anco at band to prevent the lire j spreading, attention was, directed to , remove the inmates and furniture. ', Mrs Hal[)h and. the' three children j were removed 'to a neighbor's ( house (Mr Ralph being at present in j Greyinouth) and the whole of' the .household gooda were removed before , the flumes caught the building.' ' Although the fire broke out at tbe time ; slated the firebcll did not ring till about twenty minutes past twelve, and when the Fire Brigades arrived ou the scene the fire had done its work, and there was only the huiouldering embers of both .cottages' .to .gaze' upon, .and a - few panels of burning paling fence. Jhe origin of the fire was undoubtedly chimney, there being every indication, of the. stack being badly. i constructed, and as we before- stated' the conflagration -tf ps discovered close ' to it, The. insuraTices were, on. Mr. O'Dounell'shoußoj£ioo,ou .furhitui'o ' £25; both in the' New Zealand Insiirauqe Company; ;()n Mr Rook's , bouse, £7.5 in tho North British and • Mercantile Office. Both, buildings were ' insured in the latter ofljoe until a'few 1 months ago, when a trau'sfer. was made' by Mr O'DonnelL Bptb'Fire Brigades' ■ started for the scene ass'oon' as the ,

alarm was. given in Ma'stertpn, the! Volunteers arriving at Road Bridge in advance'-of" the "Jubilee," which; was drawn by'.a horse.' ■ With regard' to the latter engine there;aas evidently of thought in allowing it to start without firßt attaching the shaftß, thereby causing considerable danger to : thouo accompany ing it, and also to. the engine itaelt. This was palpable on' turning the corners of the streets, when the horse went ono way .'and the "Jubilee"' had an - inclination to go straight ahead, there being •nothing whatever to guide tho fdreOarriago. Had the engine beeu going down.hill there would no doubt have been.a serious accident to chronicle. Then agaiu; what earthly use was the engine at the tiro withoutihavjpg steam up. If it wap necessary to' take it oiif, tho fire should have been h\ and thon by the time they arrived, they would have been in o position to. commence work straight away if needed, instead of having to waste about ten minutes waiting for steam to get up. The coat of fuel is so trifling, that it should be a standing "order, that tbe fire be started Immediately it was found necessary.to take the engine from the Shed.