THE WELLINGTON CONFLAGRATION

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 130, 3 June 1901, Page 4

THE WELLINGTON CONFLAGRATION

TWENTY - TWO HOUSES BURNED

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

The largest fire which has been experienced in Wellington since the Panama-street conflagration iv 1887 — and one covering a greater area than that historic blaze—broke out at an early hour on Thursday last on the slope of Mount Victoria, in a house on the west side of Hawker-street, occupied,by Mr Charles Moore. The Brigade turned out with admirable promptitude, and quickly had a lead of hose playing on to the burning house, which by this time was one mass of flames.' But Hawker-street is one of the much-talked-of high levels, and so slight was the pressure of water that for all practical purpose-; it was absolutely useless, and with alarmingrapidity the fire spread to the adjoining house, occupied by Mr H. Radeliffe.

Within an hour after the alarm had been giveu more than twenty houses had either been burned to the ground or were masses of flames, and the brigade turned its a-tteution to saving two houses occupied by Messrs Lerwall Brothers, at the extreme southern end of Shannon-street. The task was a difficult one, but Superintendent Hugo and his men tackled it with skill and judgment and splendid energy and determination. The houses, higher up the street were burning furiously, and the brigadesmen had to occupy.a very warm corner indeed. More than once the house nearest to those in flames caught fire, but the brigadesmen stuck to their task among the fire and the stifling smoke. Twice Superintendent Huga was overcome by the heat and smoke, but he and the members of the brigade were determined thai the fire should go no further, and at last, after a long tough battle, watched by a crowd which had nothing but words of praise for those engaged in the effort, they beat back the flames, and the fight was won. AN IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE. The sight was truly magnificent. Huge columns of flaane shot up into the sky, and borne along by the gale, swept in resistless volume along their course of destruction, while millions of sparks and burning fragments formed a pyrotechnic display of a wonderfully effective description. The scene w:is particularly impressive when viewed from a distance. Seen from the flat on the high ground at the northern end of the city the observer gained an adequate conception of the fearful speed at which the fire travelled. One could see a house standing clear of the flames. Suddenly-huge red arms would clasp it, and in a few minutes nothing was to be seen of it but chimneys standing gaunt and bare against the sky. As the fire pursued its career quite a forest of chimneys were exposed to view, but. so great was the heat that many of these crumbled to ruins as the flames passed by. HELP FOR THE SUFFERERS. A tremendovis sensation was, naturally, caused in the neighbourhood of the outbreak, and those who had been fortunate enough to escape, and had not been forced to remove their furniture for safety's sake, threw open their doors to those who had been less fortunate. And in every ease help was needed, for so great had been the pro gress of the fire that remarkably little had been saved in any case. Two young women escaped enveloped only in their nightclothes and a blanket which they had hurriedly wrapped round them when warned of their danger. Some would not believe that the fire could ever reach their houses, and were very indignant when brigadesmen and constables seized hold of their children and insisted on the evacuation of the premises. In a very few minutes the houses were in flames, and were burned to the ground. One lady, who was very ill, had to be carried out of her house to a place of safety on a shutter, together with her six-days-bid infant. The occupants of the houses were "put np" temporarily in all parts of the city by relatives and friends. Those without friends were given shelter by residents adjacent to the fire region. Much-needed help was rendered during the morning by kind-hearted fellowcitizens and their wives. Persons who had lost their all were to be seen gazing upon the ruins of the spot they were wont to call "home,'' and many expressions of sympathy wero extended to them, in their time of .trouble. A SCENE OF DESOLATION.

As the long dark night merged into day the scene was one of utter desolation. The flames had done their work, and had subsided, leaving only masses of still burning embers and huge flaring gas jets to mark their trail. All along the roadside were piled heaps! of furniture, some watched orer by owners or friends, others left unattended, while round about stood many of the victims of the fire. One could tell them by their attire—or the lack of it. Ladies in men's mackintoshes and hats and cloaks —anything that would serve the purpose, snatched up in haste while the flames "bade them hurry for their lives; men in strange and unaccustomed garments, many of them borrowed from friends, all with tales to tell of the loss of household treasures which no insurance could replace. "Only a few weeks ago," said a lady. "I spent £100 in furnishing my drawing-room afresh. It's all gone, even to my wedding presents." Another lady was wearing garments all of which, with the exception of a dressing-gown, had been borrowed. Everything else, even the child's clothes, had been destroyed. One man burned out—not. a stick of furniture saved—had under his arm a canary bird in a cage, which he had just, managed to snatch.up as he left the burning building.