DISASTROUS FIRE.

DANNEVIRKE ; CONFLAGRATION. TWENTY-NINE BUSINESS PREMISES DESTROYED. (Per I'eess Absooiawon.) Dannevirke, October 22. Dannevirke will have good cause to long remember Labor Day of .1917, a most disastrous fire devastating the heart of the commercial area, which is now a. scene of desolation, only brick walls and gaunt chimney-stack's indicating where business places did flourishing business. The blow to the town is most disastrous, as apart from the structures and the stock which perished, hundreds or employees Trill be workless, and a great, dislocation in ibusiness must ensue before the loss can be made good. The firebell was to have been given a trial ring at 6.30 p.m., structural alterations having just been completed, but four hours earlier it -was given ant urgent test, on account of an outbreak m°Andrews' Hotel, an immense old wooden structure, situated on the-cor-ner of High and Station streets—one of the relics of the days when coaches played a part in through trips to W elfington. ~ . ■>, A westerly gale was blowing, and! fanned the flames from the rear of the hotel, and within three minutes the whole of the upper portion was wrapped in flames, which were Jiclung up greedinlv everything in their path. The occupants of the place barely had time to make an exit, and some housemaids had to be rescued from the balconies. Though the Fire Brigade was early at work their primitive appliances and the "igantic nature of the conflagration made their efforts appear puny. Within a few minutes the whole place was a holocaust. The flames jumped the wide street to the Dannevirke Cooperative Association's big storehouse opposite Andrews' Hotel, and soon this building was a roaring inferno, thus endangering also the Club Hotel, lacing the railway station. Fortunately the wind was blowing awav from 'this, and though in grave danger for a time it escaped. Not- so the Masonic Hotel, another ancient wooden land mark, on the east side or High street. This caught as the flames from Miller's shop spread south, and) soon both sides of the mam thoroughfare were being demolished with incredible rapidity. Despite the efforts'of the hre-hghters the flames spread east and west and' north arid south. The Dannevirke Gas Company's gasometers, on a section at the rear of"the Masonic Hotel, were right within- the danger zone. The fences all round were destroyed, but the flames were kept back frcm the gasometers. The fire started shortly atter 2 oMock and it was well on towards five o'clock before it could be .said that the Dannevirke and Woodville brigades had gojj the upper hand. Even then the danger was not -all over, huge masses or 'burning debris being visible in all directions. No loss of life and no serious accidents took place. Not far from the scene of the conflagration WDi-e goods salvaged .by hundreds of onlookers, and it was the busiest Labor Day the helpers ever put in. Furniture, drapery, crockery, and in fact, an unimaginable collection of articles of all descriptions littered the thoroughfares and highways and by-ways within half a mile from the blaze. • i ' Dannevirke has undoubtedly received a terrific blow commercially, and an estimate of the loss is absolutely impossible at present, but it will run probably within the vicinity of £200,000, if not" mere. The places destroyed are all practically a total Joss, and were as follows: — Andrews' Hotel. Haflries and Sons' hverv stables. John P. Engilbert, draper: Theodore .Wvrocke, tailor. Richard Roake, auctioneer. Lee Wong, laundry. Dannevirke Co-cperative Association, Limited. Arthur Henry Hill, tobacconist, Peter J. Nymand, jeweller. —. Rosse. tailor. Tbos. J. Flynn, bootmaker. B D. Thomson, hairdresser. Edward E. Prior, chemist. James Naragle, motor importer. Rose, Limited, builder. John Pereival Drdds. music store. Lucy Miller, confectioner. Lionel P. Barrett, bootmaker. Drummond, Hodder and Co.. ironmongers. - . . George L. Bartlett, 'hairdresser and tobacconist. C. Hooper, hairdresser and tc.baccon-

Arthur C. Webber, 'bookseller. George A. Charman. restaurant. Malcolm M'Callnm, watchmaker. Masonic Hotel. Quing Kee. and Co., fruiterers. Armstrong and Morrison, drapers. Dannevirke -Herbertville Coaching Company. Collett and Sons, ironmongers. In addition to these, sample rooms and outbuildings of ail deserrptior*/ were added to the flames, and even aroadway took fire. The Dannevirke Co-operative Association were probably the biggest losers. Their stocks was valued in present prices approximately at ioU.'JJOJJ. while the insurance is about £2p,olX)._ This firm employed 70 hands. Andrews Hotel, which was owned by Messrs Andrews and Mrs Lavelle, was insured, but the amount is not available. the Masonic Hotel was owned by the Allardice Estate, and is also insured, but the details are unknown. Most of the ether places are insured, also the stocks, the policies running into many thousands. Practically all the insurance companies will be heavily hit, while there will be a loss of many thousands in excess of tho insurances. Two out of the four hotels were burned, three but of four tobacconists, and practically only one grocery business of any size is "left. Business must he greatly dislocated. The. losses are doubly heavy on account of the shops being heavily stocked in view of the Christmas trade. Some of the sufferers will be .financially ruined. ,