SAWMILL DESTROYED.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13377, 19 March 1909, Page 9

SAWMILL DESTROYED.

* SERIOUS FIRE IN DURHAM STREET. SYDENHAM TELEPHONE SERVICE DISORGANISED. A large sawmill belonging to Gavin Watson and Company, situate in Durham street South, was totally destroyed by tire yesterday morning, together with a large quantity of timoer stored in or near the building for milling purposes.

The fire was first noticed a few mm before five o'clock, and it then appeared to be- confined to a stack of timber in the locality of tho stairway outside the building leading to the second storey. An alarm was given from the Clock Tower box, and the Lidhfield and Chester street brigades turned out promptly, but by tho time the engines arrived at the scene of tho outbreak the fire had made such rapid progress that the whole building was in names, and ite rescue from total destruction was then quite out of iihe question. Fanned by a nor'-east brcczo tho huge flames spread over the stacks of timber spread outside the building, and the whole energies of the brigades wore called into requisition to prevent the fire spreading to neighbouring properties. A great deal of outside timber was badly charred and rendered practically useless for building purposes, and tho loss on this heiid alone will be considerable. The mill itself contained a large quantity of timber, aJso a valuable set of machinery and tools, but everything was destroyed or ruined, onl-" the hare brick walls remaining.

■ The heat from the fire was so intenso as to cause a serious breakage in the metallic circuit cables leading to the southern part of the city and Sydenham, and it was exnected to take a day or so before the wires wore connected up again. In the meantime the district affected was cut off telephonically from the rest of the city.

The building belonged to the Church Property Trustees, and was insured for £4~0 in the Northern office. Tho contents of the building and the machinery belonging to Gavin Watson and Company were covered by a policy for £1100 in the Atlas office. The boilerhouse, which was uninjured, was insured for £25, and a shed fronting Durham street, which was slightly injured, was insured for £15. Most of the timber stacked outside belonged to Mr R. W. England, who will be a large loser by tho fire, his property being uninsured.

In connection with the fire we received the following memo, from the Telegraph Department yesterday:— consequence of a fire which occurred this morning on the premises of Messrs Gavin "Watson and Son, sawmillers, corner of Lichfield and Durham streets, serious damage to three telephone cables was done, and over 200 subscribers were disconnected. The work of repairs, etc., was put in hand afc once, and will be completed by tomorrow morning (Friday)."

DAILY MEMORANDA—Friday, March 10. AUCTIONS. Charles Clark, on premises. Dudley Creek rciul, Richmond, at 11 —Furniture, etc. iXcKoiizie Willis, at Booms, at 1.30— Furniture, etc. H. B. at Ynrds, at 11—Timber. Harris Brc?., at Room?, at I.3o—Groceries etc. MKETINGS. AMUSEMENTS. ETC. Theatre Ecyal—Pathc Pictures. Colosseum—Wide World 'Pictures. Choral Hall—Madame EldThorst's Lecture Recital. Art Gallery—Exhibition of Pictures, 10 and 7.30. Wainoui Park—Entertainments. Burv.ood Gardens —Amusements New Brighton—Wonderland. Sheffield— Foley's Pictures. Bichmond Football Club—Druids' Hall EichmoDd, A.M. 8.