FIRE AT RAHUIPOKEKA. Total Destruction of the Coal Mines Hotel (From Our Own Correspondent )

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 432, 10 April 1875, Page 2

FIRE AT RAHUIPOKEKA. Total Destruction of the Coal Mines Hotel (From Our Own Correspondent )

A disastrous fire took place on Thursday afternoon at Rahuipokeka, which causal the total destruction of Mr It. RitoU's Coil Mines Hjcel. The only occupant at the time of the fire was Mrs Ralph, who was making tea in the kitchen, her husband bein engaged cutting chaff some fifty yards from the house. He first observed the smoke issuing from the shingles immediately over the store-room, adjoining the bar. He r.tn to the house, but the bar was so full of smoke that it was with the utmost difficulty a fe-s articles could be saved, for in about ten minutes from the (ire being first observed, the whole of the building was totally destroyed. At one time great fears were entertained for the safety of Mr Quick's stables, which are only a few yards distant, but fortunately they escaped, although the weather-boarding w.i-. very much scorched. The fire was observed by a number of natives on the opposite side of the river, they at once swam across, but unfortunately arrived too late to be of any assistance. I uud • r stand that the loss is estiinited at about £1,400, of which ouly a very small portion is covered by insurtuce. There is much sympathy felt for Mr and Mrs Rilph at their lo.ss, and as a h Jtisa of au/joi n odd. tiou it will be very much missed.