DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2071, 15 October 1885, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT TE AWAMUTU.

[in 11 rw.uu'ir.— own (miuu sro\i>i m ] Ti: AuAMiiib, Widnesdw Night VNOritr.R destructne this occuned ln*i «• at ((.30 o'clock this I'UMUllg, H'SUltlUg 111 tlii distinction of Mcsms KiMinio & Co\ si on Mr Keinup was at tea at the tnn<\ '1 h> (he bejjaii among tin- keiosene, but 1\ >\\ cDiiiiiiuiiic (ted is not known ;is > It. Tli< alarm was given at one* 1 , and in i ti w lninutch aciowd assembled, md did tiiui bost to sue whit they could, lml l'i< j fiio spiead with Mich rapidity tli.it Wltll .ill tll( 11 I'lfolts, l>»t little Wl sived. Mr Budgman ran aoioss on the first alarm with a case of Star If md fJrenade, and breaking it open ho biok" n great number over the the, but theie\ as no one to help him, and the hro spreading among the kerosene, boon got beyond the pouci of one man to cope with. Had hi had assistance, he said ho would pi obib!\ ha\o£ot it under, but before Mr Ttoutiu could pet to whero the hro began, it got a-* L hivo said, beyond the powor of ono p.M son to extinguish it. A boy employed In Mi Ri'imie had filled tho lamps pieviously, lit them, and put them in their place*. He said thru- w.is no sign of fire at the time. Ife hlledthembefojed.uk, so did not h.uo a light at the tuno. Mr Cox say.s ho iod«' ji ist the store, and Haw no sign of (iie, but had not gone three hundred yards when he lieaul tho atoim and saw tho glare. It was most sudden, and spread with am.izini; rapidity, for ni about twenty minutes the w hole building was a mass of flames, and -peedily collapsed. Mr Clough went out of hi* office at G. 2.") p.m.. and noticing the glare g.wo the alarm, and before seven the place was iv a sheet of flame. Mr Ronnie, unfortunately, had just laid in his summer stock of drapery, besides a large quantity of groceries. One of the hands saved th° books. The insurances were : Colonial, £700 ; and Now Zealand, £400. The store, winch is owned by Mr li. D. L. Dnifus, is mam ed in tho Royal, but I do not know the amount. Mr Watchorn, a storekecpei employed by Mr Rcnnio lost hi> clothes, a g<jkl ch.un, and £12, which were in his bod room upstans. Mr Ronnie's loss is considuable, as his btock just to hand was Luge, and In- was preparing for Mimmei Many willing hands got to woik with buckets, and a small hand engine which Mr Mandeno, agent for the New Zealand Company, brought lound, and so saved Mr Glass' baker's shop and dwelling. In the meantime all the furni turo and stock were taken out. The wind was blowing the tiro directly on to tho baker's shop, but owing to tho plentiful Mipply of water at hand, and the rain ; which fell in the afternoon, the. sparks which fell in showers on the roof had no effect. I do not know tho names of tho men who were on the roof and at wik keeping tho weatherboards wet, but they woiked bravely and deserve gieat piaise, foi in spite of the intense heat they stood their gioimd. Mr Hridgman put his slmtteis up .md so sa\ed the glass of his window-,, but the licit w.is so inleiisetli.it it blisteicd the paint on the doois and shutteis. Mr<Jlass building was only foity feet distmt fiuHi Ke mi"