LARGE FIRE IN BRIDGE ST., NELSON.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1165, 7 April 1874, Page 4

LARGE FIRE IN BRIDGE ST., NELSON.

The following particulars arc condensed from the Nelson Colonist : Shortly after five a.m. on Wednesday, persons, as far off as the AYood, were heard to give the alarm of fire, and Constable Beattie, while in Trafalgar street, discovered the cause and rang the lower fire-bell. The delay which, somehow, occurred between the commencement of the fire and the alarm bells being rung, gave the flames time to get most dangerously ahead. Mr Phillips, in whose house the fire commenced, had so little warning of his premises being on fire that when he quitted his bed-room he found the stair-case impassable, and had to escape by the front window. Besides the ordinary and inflammable grocery stock, there was a quantity of tallow aud fat on the premises, soap making being carried on there, and these, together with the headway which the fire had obtained before their arrival, gave the Brigade a most difficult task to confine the fire to even its present limits. At one time the destruction of the Trafalgar Hotel was considered certain, and a rush was made to remove its contents. The consequence is, now that the building is saved, a greater picture of utter wreck to its interior could not be witnessed, through the haste with which the furitunre, bedding, pictures, indeed, the whole contents, were heaped or scattered about in the intention of saving them. The balusters and stair-case head were torn away, the passages choked with furniture, looking glasses and pictures were put on the floor, and beds were piled up to the ceiling near windows too small to put them out of. These were a few of the anomalies observable in one building after the fire had been mastered, but so threatening at one time was its appearance that it would not be very surprising if a dozen such cases have occurred. Thanks to the combined Brigades and our invaluable water service, six branches were at one time playing. The destruction appears to have been confined to the smallest extent that could be expected under the circumstances. The insurances on the properties are as follows : The Victoria office, Wymond's stock, £IOOO ; Phillip's stock, £OOO ; Dishor's billiard-room, sample room and stable, £">00. New Zealand office, Wymond's stock, £IOOO. National office, Wymond's stock, £IOOO, Norwich Union '

oflice, C. Harley, buildings, £SOO. Liverpool and London, 0. Harley, buildings, £9OO ; Wymond's stock, £OOO. Thornton's shop £2OO, South British, Wymond's stock, £1000; Phillips's bouse, £2OO, stock £200; 'I horn ton's shop, £SO. Mr Augardc's shop, (damaged) is insured for £SO : Mr Thornton's stock was in a great degree saved by the-ac-tivity of his neighbors. Mr Disher will have some claim on the National oflice for damage, but the amount cannot yet be ascertained. Mrs Bird's out-buildings adjoining the Trafalgar stables were for a long time protected by many willing hands, but the flames gradually encompassed it, and at length it fell in the general ruin. There is no insurance on these, and Mrs Bird will lose about £2OO. The speedy arrival of the Port Brigade, and the good work it performed in conjunction with the City Brigade was generally remarked upon. The whole amount of insurance is £7-150, but the aggregate damage must be much

greater than the insurance covers