GREAT FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2284, 1 March 1887, Page 2

GREAT FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Damages Estimated at £150,000,

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. | Wellington, Sunday. The most serious fire which has yet occurred in Wellington broke out about four a.m., in Huxley's tailoring establishment, Lambton Quay. The ultimate result was the destruction of the greater part of the best business block in the city, namely, that bounded by Lambton Quay on the west, Featherston-street on the east, Brandon-street on the north, and Panamastreet on the south. The whole frontage of the latter was occupied by three and four-storey warehouses and marts, but unfortunately all were built of wood with one exception, the large brick bond and general store belonging to Johnston and Co. Here the fire was eventually stayed, but not until the top storey of the bond was thoroughly burned out and all perishable contents in the remainder ruined. On the Latnbton Quay frontage everything was destroyed except Wilson and Richardson's main building. The fire made its way down the street, but did little damage. On the side of Featherston-street where the buildings are of an inferior character, they all remained intact. The area burned out is comparatively small, and bears no comparison in that respect with the opera-house fire, but owing to the valuable nature of the contents of the warehouses, particularly Thomson, Shannon and Co.'s and Johnston's, which are large and costly, insurances are much heavier than on that occasion.

, When the fire was first noticed, shortly after 4 a.m., it had obtained a good hold of Huxley's three-storey shop at the back, and was already spreading along the rear of the premises of Leary, Campbell & Co., produce and commission merchants, which stood at the corner of Panama - street and Lambton Quay. In Panama-street the brigade had all they could no to keep the fire off the other side, and Thomas' auction-rooms, opposite, were once actually on fire, and the facades were charred, and the windows cracked, with consequent damage by water in three or four buildings. From this cause alone considerab'e damage will accrue. Next to Leary and Campbell's was T. Kennedy McDonald's auction mart —a large wooden bulding of three, stories—the cellars of which were occupied by J. Maginnity, wine and spirit merchant. Nothing whatever was taken out. Amongst the contents was a large shipment of pianos, which had just been recevied. Going back to Lambton Quay the flames, after overmastering Hurley's shop, in which they originally started' attacked the premises ot Barrand and Son, chemists. Naturally their contents did not help to stay the devastation, and the building was not long left standing. At the back was a brick store, which was also speedily burned out, and sweeping along, the fire, attacked in succession the offices occupied by Buckley, Stafford, Barton, and Stafford, solicitors, and the drapery establishment of Parkes and Co. (late Wilson and Richardson). Assisted by a quantity of packing cases and similiar inflammable material, the flames speedily made good their ground, and entering Parker and Co.'s by the show-room, it threatened to complete the destruction of the Quay frontage. At this point, however, the firemen, assisted by the increased water pressure and a slate roof, asserted themselves at last, and, after a gallant struggle they succeeded in preserving Parker and Co.'s main building intact. The whole of the contents were removed, and with very little loss, but the building itself was saved; its slate roof stood it in good stead, and beyond gutting the shoproom at the baok little or no damage was done. This is the only place left standing on the quay frontage. Lateh.

The firemen have been playing all day on the burning ruins, which have attracted a large number of spectators. Nothing is known as to the origin of the fire. Blackened and blistered shop fronts in Panamastreet and Lambton Quay attest to the violence of the heat during the height of the fire.

The Nelson's marines lined the streets with fixed bayonets, and kept the crowd back. The pluck with which they stuck to the top of Johnson's place while the fight was going on with the fire in the bond, elicited the admiration of the spectators, who cheered them heartily when they took their departure.

The following are the individual insurance companies affected :—National, £1700 ; South British, £3000; Equitable, £3050; Colonial, £3000; Union, £3000; Imperial, £5500; Phcenix, £4300; London and Lancashire, £5200; North German, £4500; Guardian, £3000; Standard, £1500; North British and Mercantile £3500 ; New Zealand, £2<>oQ; Sun, £2000; Liverpool, London, and Globe. £5000; Victoria, £2400; total, £54,450, These, are the amount of risks held by the offices, reinsurances not being considered. The foregoing list will probably be found not to include all risks, and will be further swelled by contingent damages to places on the opposite side of the streets. THE LATEST. WKUJwraN, Monday. The ruins are still smoking, and the firemen have kept the hose playing. The oxact time at which the fire was discovered yesterday was 20 minutes past 4 o'clock. Constable Riddles passed Mr Huxby's establishment, and heard sounds as of a pane of glass smashing. Half suspecting the presence of thieves the constable looked in the window, but could not see anything of the fire or anything else unusual. He then went up the right of way between and saw through the window the reflection of the fire in the block of the shop. Bursting the front door open he found the

place full of smoke, and gave the alarm. Before he got baok Huxby's was on fire from top to bottom. At the rear of Huxby's shop was a semi-detached building, hired by Mr Orr, of the City Buffet, as a boarding-house. Amongst the property burned in R. McDonald's was a vast quantity of plans of Wellington and nearly every town in the colony, besides a large collection of manuscript bearing on the history of the place, which Mr McDonald has been assidiously collecting for sixteen years. These were not insured, as no insurance could be obtained ; and they cannot be replaced, Mr McQuinty had just taken in a large quantity of champagne and other goods, instead of bonding them. A small quantity of salvage is being recovered from his store. The ruins are still smouldering vigorously, and the hose has been kept almost incessantly playing on them. Edwards and Owen, whose building was slightly burned at the back of the bond store, estimate their loss at £100. Kennedy McDonald was insured for £1200, and the building for £1000 only. J. L. Kimball, who had charge of a laree quantity of furniture in the auction room, and \va3 insured, estimated loss £250; Mac Donald estimates his loss at £3000. Buckley, Stafford and Barton were insured for £2200; loss' beyond that, £300; Clerk's building and house, £2400; loss £200. Thompson and Shannon's salvage may amount to £4000 or £5000; the building's cost £9100, and was insured for £0100; the total loss above insurance and salvage they reckon at £13,300. Huxley had £900 on stock and losses as much. Brigg, Iphotographer, had all his pictures in his window destroyed by heat, and his loss is £100. Gardner, ironmonger, had £1000 worth of goods stored at the back of Parker and Co.'s, and these were mostly destroyed, and none insured. Loary and Campbell. £5750 in Victoria, Inns £8000 or £9000. Barrand and Sons, £1950. insured. John Parker and Co., stock £7(300, building and fixtures £200, the stock was approximately valued at £2700, was all removed with comparatively light loss, and the building, which was saved by its slate roof, was only injured by wafer. The show room attached at the back was destroyed, but the fire did not penetrate the main building. The first estimate of loss is evidently beyond the mark, and it is now considered to amount to not more than £50,000 above the insurance. The bond has not been examined, and the extent of the damage is not fully known. As already stated it was j insured for about £20,000.