TERRIBLE FIRE IN DUNEDIN.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1378, 8 April 1867, Page 2

TERRIBLE FIRE IN DUNEDIN.

[Abridged from the "Daily Times" of April 3rd.] Dunedin was, on Monday night afflicted with the most terrible fire that has yet occurred within its bounds. For the first time, both sides of a street were simultaneously blazing fiercely. A whole block of buildings, on one side of Princes street—including the Criterion and the Octagon hotels, and the Theatre Royal—has been wiped out of existence by flame; on the other side, all that was accessible has disappeared, except tho South Australian hotel; audit was rather by a merciful good fortune than by anything it was possible to do that the fire did not extend across Moray-place to the Glasgow Arms hotel, on ono side, and to the shop of Messrs. Parke and Curie, ironmongers, on tho other, and co, in double column, march through the Cutting to the very heart of the city.

Whether or not tlie actual money loss by last night's destruction of property will prove to exceed that caused by the Stafford street fire, in January 18Gi, we cannot now pretend to suggest; but we are sure that a greater extent of ground has now been covered with ruins, and that tlie consequence* of the lire will be more widely felt than has ever before been the case here.

We feel so strongly on one point that we must refer to it before describing the conflagration which haa now to be lamented. No long immunity from great conflagrations—no difficulties that may be suggestible as arising from the existing state of the law—ought to be held as an excuse if the next session of the General Assembly is allowed to pass without steps being taken to enable some authority in each town in the colony to direct the pulling down of buildings when a fire is raging, and to hold that authority harmless from action for damages in any conceivable shape. Last night, when the chances were less than a " toss up " in favor of the flames extending across Moray-place, the certainty was that such a spread could have been prevented by using one of the Armstrong guns, with blank cartridge, against the Criterion hotel, in its then half-burned state. Down in the Octagon—where the Brigade could not get, because the danger was enormously greater on the other side of tho fireseveral buildings were burned slowly down which might now have been safe, if one there had been levelled before the flames reached it. There wore those there who were ready to undertake both the works we have indicated, but all who were willing were paralysed. Nobody could give "authority." Most knew that the captain of tha Fire Brigade had been sued for pulling down a house, and that some merchants had had to pay heavily for directing the pulling pown of a shanty which, if left standing, would probably have been the one link necessary to spread the Stafford-street firo into Princes street south.

The alarm last night was given about twenty minutes before eleven o'clock. Mr Wilson's shop stood well towards tho northerly end of the block on the westerly side of the street, which, having Barker's Criterion hotel forming the corner to Moray-place, a* the southerly end, had at its northerly end Harding's Octagon hotel, forming the corner to tho Octagon. All that line of buildings, including th o Theatre Royal, Mr Gr. B. West's music shop, Messrs Herbert and HayneM drapery and clothing establishment, Messrs Paterson and M'Leod's grocery and tea shop, and several other places of business, was iv flames within an hour; and along the Octagon iiad Moray.place probably ten more sets ol premises have been destroyed. On the opposite sido of Prmcej street Mr Wilson's shop was about faced by the brick building which w partly occupied aa the South Australian hotel, by Mr C M. Ware, anjl partly by Messrs Cullon and *>?y Now, the South Australian hotel ban* of brick, resisted the intense tt»* which came from the burning P«w» opposite; but all the glass was au!l the whole hotel and prem"* cleared out, so imminent was the gor of ignition. Mr Be__% the m* B " 5

aflllers premises, after smoking fiercely L a while, burst into one great blaz-, ..'j'fheti it wa9 certa ' a that tho fire aU ,i: not be stayed until the block £v including Mr W. Gregg's coffee and n»& Bton? » I,ad bee " KWept ° ff ' Moray-P ]ace a S aill beiu » I,ie barr ' fcr over which the flames fortunately c0 „ld not leap. We have said that almost immediately after the alarm was given Mr Wilson's shop was pouring out great tongues of flame Very -peedi.y the Tilace was veritably glowing like a furnace the flames being at an intense wb ite heat. Next, on the lower side. a the Octagon hotel, to which Mr Guy Bennett went when he was burned out of the old Octagon hotel, at the opposite corner. The hotel and Mr Wilson's shop are the property of Mr W. Meluish ; and the tenant f the hotel has for a few months past been Mr Joseph Harding, formerly of the Union, Stafford street. That the Octagon hotel should have escaped was a sheer impossibility. Its destruction was only eifected more rapidly by the fact that the timber yard of Messrs. Jaeo and Co., Octagon, extended at the back of Wilson's shop and the hotel Of course the Theatre Royal, empty and dry as it was, flashed into one huge pyrotechmsm as soon aa the fi re reached it. And now, while the roof of the Criterion was smoking, and there was that horrid glare from its windows which told of lire's advauce, out burst Mr Begg's premises on the other side of the treet The prospects as to the limits 0 f destruction were then, indeed, most glaringly gloomy- Between the two Islls of flame none could stay. The goods with which the road and the footpaths were strewed smoked everywhere, and blazed in several places. The breeze, which had been at the worst but light aud fitful, freshened. The flames were being blown directly towards Messrs. Parke and Curie's chop, on the side of Moray-place opposite the Criterion, and against the towering gable of the three-storey wooden pile known as Belgrave Chambers. The Glasgow Arms hotel, on the opposite side of Princes street, was inimminent, though comparatively less,

danger. Hitherto, we think, the hurried removal of furniture and stock-in-trade had been confined to the two blocks between Moray-place and the Octagon. Now, and naturally, it extended to the occupiers of premises in the Cutting, and great quantities of goods were hastily pulled out and carried or carted away. * The danger of the flames crossing Moray-place could not have been greater than it was. Had tlie crossing been effected, we should probably have had~to detail the destruction of the whole line down to Rattray street.

We did not hear one suggestion last night as to the origin of this great calamity. We believe there is not a doubt that the fire commenced on the premises occupied by Mr Wilson; and we know that Mr Wilson says that he cannot imagine how the blaze originated. He says that he locked up the place about eight o'clock, aud that then all appeared safe. There had been no fire lighted on the premises during the day, aud Mr Wilson states that he most carefully put out all the lights. They were kerosene lamps, gas not being laid on. Nothing, or next to nothing, was got out of the premises. Tho Criterion hotel and the Theatre Boyal were the property of Mr P. Barker; the Octagon hotel and Mr Wilson's shop belonged to Mr Meluish; and we believe that Mr Wilkie owned a good deal of what has been destroyed in that block. Mr Corbett, we believe, owns the South Australian hotel block ; Mr Turner owned at least one of the shops next Mr Begg's; and we think that the shops that were occupied by Mr Begg, Mr Crawford, and Mr Tofield, belonged to Mr John Logan, of the Superintendent's office.

The extent to which the buildings and stocks were insured will be ascertainable to-day, as there will certainly be a meeting of insurance agents. We must add that for rapidity of progress and frequently-repeated intensity the fire of last night has not been exceeded, if equalled, by auy that has occurred here. Within an hour all the premises destroyed were burned or burning, and from the two hotels, from the Theatre Royal, and from the block beginning at Mr Begg's shop, there flapped upwards great bursts of flame which must have been seen for miles in every direction. The Fire Brigade were as prompt and as active as possible, but they could really do nothing except try to keep the flames from crossing Morayplace.

Daring the latter part of the fierce Darning of the fire great flakes were floated over the city, causing much danger One flake travelled as far as ajard at the rear of Messrs Ross and wendinuig's warehouse, in Stafford street, and there ignited some paper aad other refuse. There was speedily a blaze, but it was discovered from we Provincial hotel, and Mr Court and others, with the ready-filled backets kept in the hotel, at once put aa end to the danger. ■ When we went to press the fire was burning strongly at many points over the painfully large surface which, with tnestilhtandingchimaey-stacksjooked hke an intensified miniature reproEaal l ° U ° fthe " bla ° k COUDtr ? " of old FURTHER PARTICULARS. Mr Wilson's account of the locking tjP of his shop about eight o'clock on Monday evening, and as to the then condition of things within, has already been published. It was a point much .discussed yesterday how it was possible lor the fire to gain so great a hold ot Mr Wilson's shop without the Progress of the flaf_.es being smelled, seen, or heard by some one in Hard"gs hotel, or on tho premises of Herbert, Haynes and Co. The billiardS« mof t i* he hotel ad J°ined the shop, with nothing but slightly covered wood oetweeu them, and just the same was txj- caso wifch regard to Herbert, iayues and Co.'s upper rooms, where

some of the assistants were sitting or in bed. They, as we hear, knew nothing of the fire until it was seen almost entering their room; and Mr Herbert, who was writing in another room, got no longer or less startling warning. As to the hotel, the first inmate who waa alarmed appears to have been one of the waiters. He was ni the billiard-room, when a man ran in and asked, " Does anybody live in the next shop ? It seems "to be on fire."' The waiter, knowing that no one lived there, ran out, peeped between the shutters, and saw a strong light. His account of what followed is substantially this:—He pulled down some of the shutters, smashed the window, and got through. Somewhere near the back of the shop he saw a clear smoke-! less flame rising from some vessel a couple of feet high, around that vessel beiug ranged wood, tubs, or buckets. What fed the flame the waiter does not pretend to suggest, but acting on his first impulse he clashed at the central vessel and upset it. Then (he says) flame floated over a great portion of the floor of the shop, and the whole place was blazing, and could not again be entered.

We have heard that this account of what happened can be corroborated by a man who entered the shop with, or instantly after, the waiter. Whether such is the case or not, and what reliance can be placed on the statements if made, will no doubt be ascertained to-day, for it has been resolved that an inquiry shall be held by the Coroner. On all sides, yesterday, there were to be heard congratulations On the fire having been prevented crossing Morayplace, and praises of Captain Rees and the Volunteer Brigade. After the flames had crossed Princes street, members of the Brigade—wrapped in blankets, or protected by shields improvised of shutters or boarding— kept their posts between the two fires, and, kneeling or lying down, they continued to direct jets upon the buildings on the easterly side. When they retired it was because there was no more water immediately available, and because it was seen by Captain Rees that nothing could be done but trying to stop the fire at Moray-place. For this purpose the little water that was procurable was husbanded. The small hand-engines were placed, and water tubbed for them, screens were prepared, and other arrangements were made for the all-important effort. The engines were not kept at work continually, for had this been done there would have been a want of water before the fiercest of the fire from the Criterion hotel and Mr Tofield's shop had expended itself. Throughout Monday night, without intermission, the Brigade continued at work. The deals, &c, stacked in Messrs Jago and Co's yard, burned strongly until after daylight; and for about eight hours one of the engines was used in playing upon the remains there. Another point at which there was a large body of burning material was the site of Messrs Herbert, Haynes and Co's premises. The heavier materials in stock had, no doubt, fallen in masses, with the exterior only of each burned, and a great deal of water was needed here. During i yesterday, with but short rests for food and refreshment, the Brigade still worked away—one part of their labor being pulling or pushing down the many chimney-stacks, most of which were in a dangerous state. Men, hired for the purpose, worked in Bets at the eugiues, for constantly it was necessary to pour water upon different points. There were many searchers amidst the ruins for the wrecks of specially prized or valuable things; and in the Octagon, in Moray-place, and in the low ground on the side of Priuces street, there were scores of persons sorting and carrying away the remains of the goods or furniture which had been most hastily tossed from the burning buildings. Experience yesterday proved that many things were got out safely which it was feared had been subsequently destroyed or carried off as plunder: had been removed away very much further than had been deemed probable, and were being carefully held for reclamation, by the owners. Some unreflecting persons, who probably stood still and watched the fire, have talked about the " absence of the police." Those who know what was going on know that police officers were stationed almost in a circle, so as to watch property which was removed out of the reach of .the flames; that that duty was zealously performed; and that they could not have been better employed. The force rendered good service in other ways. The Commissioner devoted a great deal of energy —on just that side of the fire where the Brigade could not at first | b e —to preventing the ignition of the | Criterion stables, and also to preventing the flames spreading through the premises of Messrs Burt and Garrett, and to St. George's Hall and the adjoining buildings. The Commissioner, with volunteers whom he gathered, pulled down the back part of Messrs Burt's workshop, so as essentially to check the fire there. Some of Burt and Grieves annihilators, which were in stock, but forgotten at first, were subsequently "charged" by Mr Burt, and were used with advantage. INSURANCE AM) LOSSES. A meeting of insurance agents was held yesterday forenoon, at the office of the Victoria Company, Princes street. Mr A. Hill Jack, agent for the Victoria Company, presided ; and all the companies having local agencies were represented. A statement showing the amount to which each, company \ is interested was prepared, and it was resolved to call for an inquiry into the origin of the fire. The official statement has been courteously furnished to us through Mr Jack; and all the j following details are based upon or copied from it. But first, as to the total loss caused by the destruction of property on Monday night. The insurances upon buildings burned down or much damaged, and the stocks of goods or ! the furniture in them, amount to about £22,000; and we are assured that,

taking that sum as a basis, it is a low estimate to assume that the value of property actually destroyed — apart from salvage—is from £35,000 to £10,000. There are many direct losses, not represented in this calcula tion, which considerably s.veil the total stated, and there still remain the great pecuniary damages consequent upon the stoppage of businesses, &c We reel sure that if tlie different sums given were added together the money loss from this conflagration so represented would be found heavily in excess of what we have named or suggested; but in putting forward a general statement of damages it is desirable that anything approaching exaggeration should be avoided.