SERIOUS LANSDOWNE FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1035, 26 January 1911, Page 4

SERIOUS LANSDOWNE FIRE.

STOEE, HOUSE, AND WINE CELLAR. .(By TcleEraph.-Specia! Correspondent.)' , Masterton, January 25. A destructive fire occurred at Lansdowne shortly after noon yesterday, a largo store, house, and implement shed at Mr. H. G. Williams's Lausdowne Homestead being- Completely destroyed. The fire was first' seen by Mr. V. E. Donald who communicated the fact. to the inmates of the house a few yards away. When first. discovered the fire was. just catching the north-east corner of the building having spread from a heap of bramble,and rushes in which it is supposed to have started. The house party, assisted by a few willing workers, removed several things from the blazing building,, including ten cases of benzine and'a. wagon., A very anxious time was spent in getting out the benzine, the firo getting such a hold that the rescuers had 'jo;'£ease. operations to allow tho smoke to cleVr away. The building, which was about 60 feet by 60 feet, was about 20 years old, and was partly of two storeys and partly of one. Half of the building was occupied by a largo wine cellar in which, at the time of the fire, there was stored over 5000 gallons of the famous Lansdowne wine, all. of which was. completely destroyed. Mr , . A. H. Wrightson had a considerable quantity of furniture stored in the build,ing which, together with tho other contents, was destroyed. ' » The Masterton fire brigade was soon on the scene, and "got th« fire • under ' way, fiutting .on leads from the Lansdowno ight-pressuro supply, and one from the creeK. Mr."Wrightson's_ furniture is insured for .£505 in the New Zealand Office for which Messrs. G. H. Perry are tho local agents. The insurances on the other contents and the building aro at present unascertainable. Mr. Williams estimates the damage done at considerably-, over .£2OOO. ,