FIRE AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2546, 3 November 1888, Page 2

FIRE AT CAMBRIDGE.

What might have been a much more serious conflagration occurred in Cambridge abouta.m. yesterday morning, when tho late .jam factory in ] Irewery-street was burnt to tho ground. The premises bdong to Mr I'. Murphy, mid sinoo the Jam Company was wound up, he has been using it as a carpenter's shop. The building was only .separated from Mr Webber's back premises by a few feet, and if it had nut been fur a man—a stranger in Cambridge—who gallantly stood in the passage and kept throwing water on M r Webber's side, there is not the slightest doubt but that it would also have gone. The heat was so great that the man had to throw every alternate bucket of water over himself, and it was a difficult matter to get the water to him, several volunteers being scorched in conveying it. As it was the boards caught fire, but as fast as tliey did so the man extinguished them. The wind blew a let of sparksacross t'i9 road, and ignited the roof of Mr Cussen's brewery in several places, but fortunately Mr Cussen was at home, and he'wetted the roof with buckets of water and saved the building. The premises are insured in the Colonial Office for £70.