GREAT FIRE IN AUCKLAND. (Condensed from the D. S. Cross).

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 224, 16 October 1873, Page 2

GREAT FIRE IN AUCKLAND. (Condensed from the D. S. Cross).

This (Wednesday) morning, about 20 minutes past midnight, the fire bell ou the Insurance Company's buildings rang out its unwelcome notes of alarm, awakening slumbering citizens to a sense of their danger. In a short time, citizens were hurrying here and there, making their way to the scene of danger as rapidly as possible. This was no difficult matter to find out, for the glare tent up from the burning property into the dark midnight sky was a sure guide to the scene of destruction. At the lower end of Queen itreet, behind the buildings facmg the principal street, are a series of eemi-detaohed brick buildings, abutting on a lane running from Fort street to Custom House street. These semi-detached stores are occupied by tho merchants who occupy the front premises. It was in the back store occupied by Mr J. S. Macfarlane the fire was first observed. On the north of his premises are those occupied by Messrs Hender ion & Macfarlane and Mr Bucholz. The night was dark, with occasional heavy showers falling, and a strong north-east wind blowing, fanning the smallest spark into a flame in a very short time. The wind was blowing a fresh gale at the time, and the direction whence it was coming was driving the lames at a slight angle across the premises facing Queen street. The weather was 10 inhospitable that all seemed to have taken Bbelter in their homes, and when the fire was first discovered it had a firm hold on the back store, and the flames were bursting through the several panes of glass which were fixed on each side of the roof. The store was well filled, chiefly with phormium fibre and kauri gum. There had also been a large quantity of damaged cotton-wool in that store, discharged from the Lady Bowen, but whether the cotton had been removed from the store previous to the fire we have been unable to learn. It is supposed that it had not been removed, and that the fire generated from the decomposing fibres of the damaged cotton. The fire broke out in the centre of the store, and made most rapid progress. It spread to the northwards rapidly, destroying the contents of the back stores of Messrs Henderson & Maofarlane, and in the course of a quarter of an hour the back stores of Messrs Henderson & Madarlane and J. S. Macfarlane were almost completely gutted. Shortly after the alarm was given the front stores were opened, and a number of willing hands rendered assistance in removing as much of the property as possible. But there seemed to be, as on almost every such occasion in Auckland, a want of directing power, and bales of goods, barrels, coils of rope, &c, were pitched and tossed about in the most reckless manner imaginable. Several narrow escapes from serious acoidents occurred through this cause. At first it was thought that the briok buildings facing Queen-street might be saved, although the back stores would inevitably be destroyed. But those who cherished this hope were doomed to disappointment As the fire extended the indraught of air increased, and came at times in fitful spurts, swirling the flames as if in nn eddy. By one of these eddies the flames were sent through the back windows of Mr Macfarlane's store, and several persons who were in the upper floor assisting to remove the goods had a narrow escape with their lives. When the windows were burst the smoke came in, nearly suffocating the volunteers, and those who were near the back wall were almost instantly paralysed. One gentleman who was thus caught luckily fell (as the sense of suffocation crept over him) upon a sail that was being dragged across the floor, aud was thus dragged down stairs almost head foremost, into cool and fresh air. His friends then assisted him out, when he speedily recovered consciousness in the free winds of heaven. The fire now made rapid progress, a» the clearing which had already been made gave the ever-increasing wind full play over the flames, and thus hastened the destruction of the adjoining buildings. At one o'clock, almost to the instant, tlio flames bunt through the Queen street doorway and office window of Mr J. S. Macfarlane's store, and quickly afterwards the flames also shot through the north corner w indow of Henderson and Macfarlane's store. Up to the \cvy last moment of the flames gaining entire possession of tins fine pilo of buildings, a numerous body of willing a»sist.int3 had mo ked with admirable order in removing every tiling that came to hand, but this, unfortunately, was only of very small amount before the flames carried everything before them. At the time of the (fire bursting out in Messrs HenGeri,un aud Mdcfaikue'a store it was stated that a number of men were so blinded by the dense heat and glare and smoke that they weie unable to find their way out, an I that three men, one of whom is stated as Walters, were left to their fate. This we can only hope is not true ; time alone will tell, if their bodies be not entirely consumed by the dense heat of the conflagration.

Owing to ths fierce yet fitful gale of wind, which blew from the north-east, the fire extended with great rapidity southwards. Messrs Thornton, Smith, and Firth's steamengine wa-i of great service for a time in forcing water on the lower stones of the burning buildings, but most unfortunately the hose burst, and but a very inferior jet of water could thenceforward be thrown upon the buildings. We cannot say we were pleased with the manner in which the fire brigades were handled, or went about their work; but the magnitude of the fire, and the many points to be covered, may have occasioned their apparent want of ability to make the slightest impression as regards retarding the progress of the flames. A3 an. instance, we may mention our utter inability to see the wisdom of playing on E. and H. Isaac's store in" Fort street, wben the fire was raging in Henderson Macfarlane's corrugated *hed at the rear, actually seven stores distance from E. and H. Isaac's store. At 40 minutes past one o'clock the front portion of Mr J, S. Macf arlane'a store fell into Queen street with a terrible crash, and a quarter of an hour afterwards Henderson and Macfarlane't front fell. At this time the names, which had already been flowing from some of Henderson and Maofarlane's front windowi, now burst en masse fi om all the upper windows of J. S. Macfarlane's frontag< , and the wind blowing them with increased force, soon communicated witht he roof of the wooden buildings occupied by Stone Brothers, general merchants. All the floor of J. S. Macfarlane's premises even now filled with raging fire, now began to fall in, while now fand again explosions of kerosine met the ear. The back part of the premises — the brick sheds, in some of which the fire originated — were now roofless, and within the walls was a mtias of flamn. In the upper storeys of Henderson and Macfa- - lane's store were large quantities of flax, which was all fiercely Oi (ire. The heat from the burning buildings, which were now one sheet of flame from base to roof, was such as to render near approach to them impossible, and was endangering the woodwork of the stone buildings on the opposite side of the street, The firemen having by this time got their mettle up, unquestionably did their belt, but the small stream of water from the engines was of but little use — insufficent even to extinguish the fire which had caught the roof of Stone Brothers' store?, and they had fi om time tojtime to direct their branches so as to play on the opposite buildmgs, the doors and winch, though covered with wet blankets, were dangerously heated. Shortly after thfr roof of Messrs Stone Bros, store had caught, the south wall of J. S. Macfarlane's store fell with a loud crash on the roof of Stone Brothers building and crushed it corapletoly in. For a few moments hopes were entertained that the falling debris had extinguished the flames in the latter place, but these hopes were speedily dispelled, for the flames again burst forth stronger than aver, and it was seen that this building must go. All this time hoses were being played on the adjoining buildings and alsoon some of those opposite. A number of men were on the top of Owen & Graham's premises and with the aid of a bucket lowered and drawn up by means of ft rope the sparks were extinguished as quickly as they fell. The sheds at the rear of Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane's stores, filled with gum and flax, were blazing furiously. At & quarter to two o'clock the fire appeared to be confined to Heuderson and Macfarlane's and Stone Brothers' buildings, and it was thought that the flames would be prevented from spreading any further. At 2.15 the fire was still confined to the limit bounded by Henderson & Macfarlane's and Stone Brothers' buildings, and there appeared every probability that it would be stayed there. Stone's building was quickly gutted, but the front remained standing. Too much praise cinnot be given to the men from the ship City of Auckland who mustered in strong force under the direction of Capt Balls, and rendered most important services in subduing the flames in Binney's front store, and keeping down the flames- somewhat in Stone's buildings. The value of Messrs Stone Brothers' stock is supposed to have been very great. With reference to this firm it may be stated that only yesterdty morning Mr Yon der Heyde refused to take a £2,000 risk in the National Company, but the matter was to have been settled this morning. The following are the stores burned: — L. W. Eaton's back store ; Henderson & Macf&rlane ; Bucholz & Co, Soppett <t Co — under the one roof; Clarke Brothers, J. S. Macfarlane, Garnett, sailmaker — on» roof j J. Leaning, tinsmith ; Stune Brothers, Edmundi & Jakins — one Jroof ; Cr. W. Binney. The following are the stores insured : — Binney : New Zealand, and South British, each £4,000, and £1,000 each in above on his back stores ; Norwich, £2,000. Henderson and Macfarlane : Insured in Victoria — amount unknown. Messrs Bucholz's store and stock were insured in South British for £2,505. Stone Brothers : Amount not known, but stated nt £6,000. J. S. Macfarlane &Co : £8,000 in the New Zealand ; in the South B-itish, £4,350. J. &J. Soppett : Not insured. j

Additional Pabtiouiabs. — Messrs Arnold, Hind and Co, a new firm of kauri gum merchants, from America, and whose representative only arrived in Auckland by the Ladybird, are, it is to be feared, heavy losers. They had 150 tons of kauri gum, worth £3,000, stored in Messrs Henderson & Macfarlane'a store. About 2.30 o'clock the back store of Mr Eaton, which wai filled chiefly with potatoes, caught fire. This took place owing to the immense beat caused by the burning contents of the store immediately to the south of it, and occupied by Messrs Henderson & Macfarlano. Mr Yon der Hyde had a narrow escape of his life, having been carried out of the store at one time insensible, owing to the suffocating smoke. The fire is still raging fiercely (at 3.45), bnt there is no likelihood of it spreading further. Occasionally portions of the walls of the gutted buildings tumble down, and cause the crowds of spectators to give the falling debris as wide a berth a* possible. As yet no serious accident has resulted from this cause. Shortly after three o'clock they commenced carrying the goods back into Slack & Co's, Fartington's, and the United States Dining-roomt.