GREAT FIRE AT GREYMOUTH.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 516, 12 June 1869, Page 2

GREAT FIRE AT GREYMOUTH.

A portion of the following serious news from Greymouth was published in an extra edition yesterday morning : AVestpokt, Friday 10 a.m. An extensive fire occurred at Greymouth this morning, destroying a large amount of valuable property. In conscqueuee of the number of telegrams being despatched from the Greymouth Telegraph Office by actual sufferers from the fire, we are as yet without full particulars. We learn only that the fire originated in Johnston's Melbourne Hotel, which was entirely destroyed. The fire extended through, aud destroyed also, the following buildings :

The Harp of Erin Hotel. Hamilton & Nichol's general store. N. Edwards & Co.'s office. A fruit shop next door. Bank of Australasia. Union Bank. Eorsytli & Masters, ironmongers. Maurice Levy, ironmonger. Badger, paperhanger. Broadbent, jeweller. Bank of New South Wales. After the above was in type we received the following telegram from our correspondent:— GuEYirouTn, Friday. A terrible fire occurred here this morning. It broko out about three o'clock in Johnston's Hotel. The following places have been burnt down : N-. Edwards and Co., Flannery's Harp ot Erin Hotel, Johnston's HoteL Hamilton and Nichol's Store, Union Bank, Bank of Australasia, Bank of New South Wrlm, J3roadbent's, Thompson, Smith, and Barkley's, Forsyth and Masters, Perkinss, Triste's.

The following places were " gutted," to prevent the spread of the fire : Hunter's, O'Dounell's, and Clarke's. The Evening Slav office had a narrow escape.

The following private telegrams will, perhaps, explain more fully to those who are only partially acquainted with Greymouth the full extent of the fire :

G RETMOUTII. A tremendous fire took place last night. The whole street from Edwards's to Kiigour's is burnt down. The Albion Hotel is all right. GrBEYMpTJTH.

Tho fire took everything clean before it from O'Donucll's to Thompson, Smith, and Barkley's.

LATEST PARTICULARS. By the arrival of the steamer Lyttelton, last evening, we have a few further particulars. The fire was first discovered at half-past two in the morning, in the biiliard-room of the Melbourne Hotel. There was a light breeze blowing down the Gorge, and the fire spread with remarkable rapidity. The fire-engine was soon on the spot, but time was lost in getting it to work, and, by a portion of the hose getting disjointed and falling into tho river, little use was made of it. There was an indiscriminate clearing of all the stores and hotels along the street, and, even above Kiigour's hotel, which was not burnt, the "Bank Hotel was torn down. In Messrs Edwards and Co's store and others tho stock of flour, kerosene, &c, continued burning up till eleven o'clock in the forenoon, when the Lyttelton left. The loss is roughly estimated at £BO,OOO.