FIRE AT HAMILTON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 167, 18 July 1898, Page 2

FIRE AT HAMILTON.

FIFTEEN SHOPS DESTEOYED.

DAMAGE £12,000,

TPIE INSURANCES,

(By Telegrapfe,™QvJ* Correspondent.)

HAMIWO^, this day,

A most disastrous fire, beside which | the conflagration, of December .30, 189p, pales. into insignificance, broke, out here about 9.40 on Saturday night. Shops here close at nine on Saturday night, and'consequently all the places ■were closed with the exception of Scott's (late Spedding's) fancy goods shop, which was open a little later than, usual. It was there that the fire started, and it seems a most extrasordinary thing that it commenced in a room built on the identical spot where the outbreak of 2£ years ago. commenced. It is stated that there, had not been a fire in .the place for months, all the gas jets were turned off before the occupant (Mrs Scott) locked up and left for home about half-past nine. . - '; Ten minutes afterwards smoke was seen issuing- from the building-. The alarm was immediately given, and although there was plenty of water in the vicinity the absence of appliances made the work of quenching the fire hopeless, and attention was turned, to saving stock and furniture. A strong wind was blowing in the direction of the traffic bridge, and the, building thereon was soon ablate,.' Home's confectionery establishment was the next to catch, and it at once became apparent that the whole block as far as the 'Waikato Times'' buildr ings must go. ' ■.■..-■ A large body of workers assisted in removing stock and furniture. Another section devoted their energies to prevent the fire reaching the wooden printing office at the rear of the 'Waikato Times,' as the only means of saving the whole street. • After a big struggle this was accomplished, and the fire, after running through the premises of Qualtrough'3 (butcher), florae's (grocer), Karker (jeweller), Going ; (saddler), Bavey (grocer), and Taylor (tinsmith), was checked at the 'Waikato. Times'' brick building, though the ' intense heat cracked a great many windows, i By this time the street was crammed with goods and furniture of all descriptions, ablaze in many places. On the opposite side of the street strenuous exertions were being made to prevent the fire spreading in that direction, and, just as victory seemed at hand, a spark fell between the premises of Messrs Young (dentist) and Sutton, and in a very few minutes the fire wafe in full swing- in both places. Flames ran rapidly through shops occupied by Mrs Muis (dressmaker), Miss Bedmond (dressmaker), Coyie(earpenter), and McMahon (bootmaker) ; and down in., the opposite direction through Moore's building and Button's stables, ■■■ Long before the fire reached the Hamilton Hotel from this- quarter, flames had burst through the roof, but ample time had been given and nearly everything was removed from the building. This house, which was 32 years old, burnt like tinder,' and in a very few minutes the structure col, lapsed. • ' ','..' : The; last to go was Honeytnoon Cottage, in the garden at the back of the ; hotel, and by one a.m. liot a vestige ■of a building remained-on-that-side of the street between the vicarage and,Sandes\ which,, after a big fight, was saved, . . ■ ■ .■ •

Fifteen business- places in all, were destroyed, and the damage i§ estimated at £13,000.

THE INSURANCES.

The insurances are as fallows:—R. Wardell, £ 150 on building occupied by Scott, fancy goods dealer, in Vie-: toria Office; Hamilton Hotel and stables and 'Honeymoon Cottage,' £2,200 in the Norwich Union; stock and furniture of hotel, £550, in the Norwich Union; furniture and effects in 'Honeymoon Cottage,' £ 100, Alliance; Melntyre, tobacconist, unin* sured; McMahon, bootmaker, £40 on building" in the Royal; Home's building and stock, insured for £850 in the National (£350 being re-insured^ in Victoria), furniture insured'for £150 in New Zealand; Harker, jeweller, in-, surance £ 400 on the building in the Royal, stock uninsured; Going, £100 on the furniture, £ 150 on the stock in the Eoyal; Davey, building £350, stock £ 300, furniture £ 100 in the United; Taylor, tinsmith, building. £100 in the Royal, stock uninsured; Sutton, livery stables, £100 on plant, £50 on furniture in the Royal; Mrs Muis, uninsured; Young, £150 on furniture and instruments in the Alliance; Coyle, carpenter, £30 on the building in the New Zealand, Miss Redmond, stock £ 100 and furniture £ 100 in the Impe' rial, Qualtrough, building, £50 in, the United. ■■■ ' ; -

There is a great rush for houses and empty shops. Re-building has already commenced in several places. A deplorable feature of the affair is the amount of pilfering that waa carried on, despite the efforts of the police. ■ , • No accidents of any kind occurred.

The owners of the hotel had decided to paint the building and thoroughly renovate it. Men were to have left Auckland to-day to do the work.