BLAZE IN FREEMAN'S BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 73, 25 March 1912, Page 7

BLAZE IN FREEMAN'S BAY.

PARKER, LAMB, AND CO.'S MILL DESTROYED. it about 20 minutes to 6 on Saturday jrening the holiday-makers on Victoria park and people in the adjacent streets became suddenly awara of a great rURhIng sounc' as of the sweeping of a heavy Wind, '■'tartlted, they looked round to notice tbat the sawrnili o f the Parkerlefflb Company, at Freeman's Bay, and a great stock of seasoned timber stacked round it, whs in full flame, the blaze leaping from nil sides of the mill roof. In a few moments the mill arid raid was (seething furnaeo. lopped by an'inimense pillar of smoke, and hopelessly beyond ealvinp. An immense crowd gathered on all i!ie adjacent eminences and watched the large stock go to destruction, gnzing anxiously the while for the fire brig-rle (which arrived ten ini-uitea later), and speculating on the prospect of tho destruction of the caretaker's cottage on the Park near-by, and of LeylandO'Brien's large adjoining yard of timber stock. Some one warned the onlookers ef the possibility of a boiler explosion in the burning mill, and there wae a hasty threat from the olose spots of vantage; bat as the moments passed, and nothing occurred boyond the visible molting away of the structures and timbers round the tig chimney stack in the flume, thu crowd ::gam drew as close ac the hoat and the (Ire brigade men and authorities, now on the s;>ot, would allow them. Fortunately what little air movement there wsc was towards the harbour, and the Park cottflgu "as soon beyond danger, while the efforts of the brigade \xcre concentrated on saving Leyland-O'Brien Company's property. The origin of the fir? probably was in the boiler room of the mil), but the vrboln conflagratiog, came up so suddenly full-flame that it set-nje certain that it bad been making way und gathering fuel behind the walls of the mill, for the one great outburst for some, time be'ore tho moment when it broke in red eruption through the walls of the building on the gaze of the public. The ftre was pot under in less than lalf-an-hour us far ns danger of spreading to adjoining mills wag concerned. Fortunately there was comparatively little wind, and this euabl.-d the fire brigades to do good work. Soon all the city brigades were ir. attendance, and streams of water were kept playing on the stack* belonging to the nearest company— tiat of Leyland-O'Brien. Uy this means the fire woe pretty well confined to the P»rker-Latnb CompnnyY, property. The mill was totally destroyed, also the stacks of timber adjoining. As to the origin of the fire, there it , not the slightest information available it present. Work was stopped as usual et noon, but the engineer was working doing repairs to the machinery for aa hover cr two later. He states that every thing was all right when he left a little after 2.40 o'clock. The watchman waa on guard and had just passed the front of the mill about 20 minutes to 6 o'clock when he noticed flames near the stokehole. Almost immediately afterwards the wlk'le place was a mass of flame. An alam was promptly given and tho brigade was quickly in attendance, but of coarse the fire had then got a big hold. By 'aalf-paat sis o'clock all danger of spreading to adjoining mills waa at an end.

The total destruction of the ParkeTl&mb Co.'s sawmill at Freeman's Bay on Saturday evening means a serious loas to the company. The plant was insured ; n the Phoenix office for £2000, but this sum is eonsiderbly less than the actual value of the machinery in the mill. A band saw and edger, which »!one cost £2000 to inptal, was the only machine of its kind in Auckland, and cannot be replaced inside of six or seven months. Tlie eawmilling plant altogether was valued at about £5000, and the timber in stock was valued at about £1000. The fire resulted in total loss; in the blackened ruins that remain tooay there is not even a load of decent charcoal, while the machinery is dameged beyond all hope of repair. The most serious aspect of the matter ig, however, the dislocation of tho company's large business. The firm is, nevertuc'pss. rea-sonanly cheerful, ana ■with the plucky optimism of men trained ill the always risky timber business, are prepared to ff.ee the loss and make another start. The mill will be re-crecterl on other allotments heM by the firm in Freeman's Bay, the terms of the lease of the present site from the Harbour %oard presiding further use of that section. The wind on Saturday was blowing from the burning mill to the waterfront, and this r-irctrmstance, no dotfbt, ww aa important factor in the safety of the adjoining mills and buildings. Two ecows OQ the vatcrfront v?p.re in the line of Ere, nnd for :i time were in danger. The sails of one scow were destroyed, Md the span: were partially charred, but both vessels escaped without injury to their hulls. I A branch office and depot belonging te, 1 P. Bryant and Co., wood and coal deal

I ere, were, with their content 1 ", destroyed. I Ihe damage is assessed at between £ 800 I Id £900J and the total cover by inI sorance is f.350 in the Ocean office.

; The Leyland-iXßrien Co.'s premises ad--1 joining Bryant'* yard were in some danger from falling sparks, but the comJ&ny's men were ready at hand with

ewry lead of water throughout the mill torned on. The Kauri Timber brigade also were at hand, and gave vaiu•Nβ assistance in keeping the fire m fond. • The City Fire Brigade received their erst call at 18 minotes to six, and were ™ the fcene within a few minutes. Mortly afterward-. Pon.«onby and Reach,o *d brigades arrived. Good work was "One by the firemen, a.;d their skilful worte were made not less effective by •n excellent pressure of water, which *M available. A fre=ih contingent of "rcuien came on <hit\- at seven o'clock, J *Bd reliefs were kept going throughout I ft e night. The sire \va3 completely ! Reached yesterday morning. '. to the tide bom? low the Brifc[Me was not able to use the turbine •action pump which, had there, been *>ter available, eoi.ld have poured a : }*vy stream on the fire from the water front.

Parker-Lamb Company has mads to oarrv on business nt the " tc «* hitherto.