GREAT FIRE AT NAPIER.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6628, 20 December 1886, Page 3

GREAT FIRE AT NAPIER.

TWO ACRES CLEARED

DAMAGE ABOUT £50,000. [PBBSS ASSOCIATION TBLKQKAM.] NAPIEB, December 18. The meat destructive fire which hae ever occurred in Napier broke oat thie morning in Tennyson street. The fire alarm rang about tea o'clock, and »ewj quickly spread that the premises of Messrs Banner and Liddle, auctioneers and insurance agents, were in flames. The Fire Brigade were on the spot in an incredibly ehort apace of time, but still the fire had got a good hold, of the building, which was burning fiercely. The hose was promptly run out, but the water failed. It was only at low pressure, and it wa* obvious from the start that the building where the fire originated was doomed Nothing could save it from the first outbreak, and a natty north wind was blowing, which threatened destruction to many buildings iv the vicinity. Within three minutes th» back fence and outoffices of the Daily Telegraph building were in flames. Thethinghad been too sudden to leadanyone to suppose that what at first was but a little fire was the inception of a conflagration. The Telegraph office wae speedily levelled to the ground. By this time the flames were spreading on both sides of the Telegraph office and Duncan's auction mart was in great danger on one side and a row of lawyers' offices on the other side. The fire was also spreading right through to Emerson ttreet, there being a strong southerly wind, and several building* were observed to have caught fi-e. Great t Sorts were made to save the large Criterion Hotel, and this would undoubtedly have caused the flames to spread to a long distance both sides of Hastings street. Fortunate ly th»» Criterion wu at length sufficiently protected to allow of the Brigade directing their efforts to Tennyeon street, and other buildir.ga in KmeTssn street. By this time Hoadley and Co.'s fine premises were on fire, and also those of Martin (tailn), bunsbury and Logan's new offices, and the i premises of Neal (photographer). It was tr*neralty thought tbat the Hatches Bay Herald office was perfectly secure, but the flames spread rapidly fromNeal's to the Herald office, end it was obseived that the latter was also burning fiercely. The whole of the Herald staff, and a host of willing, hands then removed cases of type, valuable documents, and everything chat eager and willing people could lay hand on, but the whole of the valuable machinery was totally destroyed. Farther up the street it was found that the rest of the outbuildings on the Government land were an fire, but fortunately those flames were cpaedily extinguished, and gave bo cause (ox alarm. Aβ soon as the nerald buildings were reduced to ashes great fears were entertained for the safety of Bt. John's Church and parsonage, behind the Heral4 office. The fire was fortunately somewhat exhausted before reaching the ct urch.The parsonage furniture prae quickly removed, but was necessarily damaged in transit Surrounding Messrs Hoadley s were numerous shops, and the fire was spreading, rapidly to them in a promiscuous manner, which boded favor to none, bnt which meant destruction to all. Shop after Bhop went, and it was evident nothing could possibly save them. A suggestion

to use powder waciinde but not acted on, and the fire fiend marched on oblivious of all that was being done to stay his prostrete. On one Bid* in Tennyson street the Herald office waa being reduced to ashes, toe Masonic Hotel was in fl-mee, Dr. Caro'e residence waa t>eginnin* to farnuh it* quota to the devouring element. On the opposite side of the street the flames wore playing h voc with the row of small wooden buildings previously referred to Fortunately its progress higher up had been stayed. There waa a narrow street, Market street, between Mr Spring's establishment and the auction room; in that direction a boundary had been formed and a limit set to the destruction. At the other end thrre was a vacancy between the last office and a blacksmith's chop, and the flames could sot leap the distance- In Bnersoa street, a fire was raging on both sides of the street. Blankets were tin requisition to cover various premises, and a willing crowd of workers was rendering assistance For an hour the fire was at its fiercest, and after that the efforts of the firemen, who had been working like Trcjamt, were beginning to make headway on the flames, and from that hour, though the fire went on, it was within the prescribed limits, and a eenee of relief waa experienced that, barring accidents, the was over. It was "iSftrVOP OOII btfore the fire had workeTT*MßßJf ont, and even long after that hour the flames ware still to be seen here and there shotting out their lurid darts, and Emoke was everywhere. The firemen wera busy in all directions, and people were beginning to move about with safety. The damage done cannot be estimated, but approximately it mar be set down at from £40.0C0 to £60,000. What the insurances are cannot be known, as the Union Office, one of the leading insurance companies in the district, has been destroyed, and particulars are not yet obtainable.

The following offices and places of business have been destroyed :— In Tennyson street—Telegraph newspaper office, Duncan's auction room, Sheath's (Helicitor) office. Lee's (Solicitor) office, Garner's (Deputy Assignee) office, Priaabury and Logan's old offioes, also the offices and buildings of Algar, commission ajent; Wilding and Co., timber merchants; W. Ellison, surveyor Chamberlain, commission agent; Martin, tailor; Sainnbury and Logan; Neal, photogriphetr—Berald, newspaper; Masonic Hall; Wells, blaokemith; kvane, saddler; Eakine and Co., sheep dip manufactory. In Emerson street—Hoadley and Co., auction mart; Fitzbeard, late fish chop; Nicholson, furniture warehouse; Jensen, jeweller; Leesong, surveyor; Levi,tailor; Garnham (late), painter. The oremiees of the fol'owing are damaged:—Worth's boot shop; White fancy goods; McGill and Campbell, drapers; West, greengrocer; Searle, milliner; Evening News office; N. William?, house de<erator; National rosurance. Following are the insurances so far as at present can be obtained:—South British, 43130; New Zealand, £2450; Colonial, .£1080; London and Lancashire, £400. The above figures do not really represent the total amount of insurances, in consequence of the destruction of the Union Insurance office, in whioh it is supposed the heaviest insurances were effected, the amounts cannot as yet be ascen ained. , The fire commenced in a yard attached to Banner and laddie's warehouse, where •tood a number of cases of iron bedsteads -packed in straw. How it arose no one can say, bnt it spread with astounding rapidity. Of course, a a enquiry will be held, when the mystery m»y be unravelled. Mr Banner was the first to discover the incipient fire, and the alarm wae promptly given. The boundaries of the fire are marked very strong. The ground for two acres ie bare. The insurance en the Daily Telegraph office is only £2000, so that this lobb will be exceeded by £2000. The Herald is insured for £4000, but the proprietors estimate their loss at £1500 additional.