GREAT FIRE IN DUNEDIN.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7552, 15 May 1890, Page 6

GREAT FIRE IN DUNEDIN.

£nUHB ASSOCIATION TSZiBOBAJCJ i. r,/ , DTTNTEDIN, May 14. When the Brigade Salvage Corps arrived ■elk the scene of the fire at Findlay and Co.'s Woodware Factory the fire had got firm fcotd of all the portion of the building frosting Stuart street, and had. made through the roof with great rapidity. until the entire extent of the «roapvare factory was in flames. In «boot twenty minutes from the alarm tsteg given the firemenjeff ected an entrance means of the roof into the upper portion of the hardware premises. The jtaigade got one hose to play on the Jfoart street portion, then a second one, Him the water main in Cumberland street W-tapped, till eventually eight branches were , directed on the building. After lKJdf'On- hour's hard work the fire doereased .in violence. Several jets v«K& directed to the vicinity of #te-office, and by this means the books wttre saved and the safe kept from injury, and fragments of office furniture were rescued. Well-directed efforts in Stuart itreeteavedithe new tub and bucket factory. Tlie top storey of the hardware premises, which are of brick, were gutted, and the stock, in the lower storey was considerably damaged by water. The only man on the cfemisea at the time of the fire was Joshua Vote, watchman. He commenced duties •ttfive o'clock just as the mill closed, and Jtottitd everything right. He visited the; amine room, and saw .things safe there. JKe fcoiler fire was banked up for the night and the furnace door closed, aad he '■0* nothing in the room which would ■ catch Are. After this he did not visit ,fiie engine-room again, as he rarely 'goer there. At about nine o'clock >m-Was working vi the yard, and when ge&ng Into the building at a quarter to ten 5e *aw a light in the engine room and 4iaeovered the flooring over the boiler on fire. Hβ gave the alarm and went to the hike. Two or three mea came to his amfffttftTiee and he got water on, but the •'fktr tpread with such rapidity that he oonld do nothing. The boiler was bricked over the top and everything seemed as safe *«tit could possibly be. The origin of the fittto him is a mystery but he supposed •iibme timber work in the vicinity of the boiler became heated and had taken fire. Jfiarly eighty men and boys will be thrown i6ot : of employment. The manager, Mr Gardiner, is of opinion the premises, intiie mill, wood yard, factory and warehouse could not be worth less than £25,000. Of this not more 'i2taii £5000 ia covered by Insurance. The lUp and machinery were entirely deatt6yed. The hardware department was tftftted. Very little stock was left nninijnred. '■' The insurances are, on sawmill, South llritiah £250, New Zealand £500, Standard *500, Phcenix £500, Union £250, Northern ;J6i(oo, total £2800} also £500 on the ironBoagery stock in the Phcenix; ironitiongery buildings, £500 in the South Britteh. There is a further insurance on the stock which is undamaged. The preAiieeB 7 and stock are valued at £20,600, jaalring the loss about J&t.OOO. '