THE BURNING OF THE KEROSINE STORE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4198, 27 January 1871, Page 3

THE BURNING OF THE KEROSINE STORE.

Thk burniug of the kerosine store in Mechanics' Bay on Wednesday night last showed the wisdom of the Dangerous Goods Act;. Had so large a quanti'y of oil caught fire in the town no effort:! would have sufficed to rescue a vast amount of property from destruction. As it will be necessary to find another store for kerosine, we would suggest that a proper inagazino be constructed of earthwork, the entrance beiug secured by a strongly -fastened iron door. Several circumstances lia\o come to the knowledge of Messrs. Arcbard and Brown, the propnetors of the store, which leave no room to doubt that the fire was the work of some sneaking incendiary. When the fire was first seen it was observed that thiee of the galvanised plates on the side of the store next Mechanics' Bay had been tampered with, the nails at the middle portions of the plates had been sprung, and a considerable opening made between them here, but all other portions of the store were quite firm. There it was too that the fire began. The heat of course was so great a^ to prevent anyone examining the place properly, and now it is beyond their power to do so. However, another trace lias been discovered — a mark which the tire has not obliterated. When, the fire had abated yesterday, Mr. Archard and the police discovered that several of the tins which had contained the kerosine were pierced in the side by some sharp instrument, such as the sharp end of a file. The wooden case which contained the tins being burned, it cannot now be proved that auger holes had been made in them to reach the tinaj but doubtless such was Vhe case. These piereei Vms wetfe chiefly found where the galvanised plates had been tampered with. One or two were fouud at another corner, but this was doubtless caused by some of the tiers of cases falling down, ai d thus scattering the tins. The incendiary or incendiaries having everything ready, no wonder the fire increased ripidly with small streams of kerosine pouring down upon the flames. We hope the police will show their skill in hunting down these miscreants. The following are the quantities of kerosine destroyed by the fire, and the names of tlje losing firms, kindly furnished to ua by Mr. Archard : — Buchanan, 8 cases ; J. Roberton and Co., 65; H. B. Morton, 20; Stannus Jones, 461 ; Glanville and Ellyett, 5 ; Close Brothers, 6; T. and S. Morrin, 15; J. and J. Dickey, 52; Stone, Brothers, 68; Kiley, 12 ; J. C Morrin and Co., 60; H. S. Meiers, 10; E. Porter and Co., 10; Newman and Ewen, 22 ; Jakins and Wilcox, 10 ; Thompson, Victoria-street, 10; W. J.Vance and Co., 3SO ; ex ' Hero,' no owner's name given, 10— making in all 1,204 cases, or 9,632 gallons ; which, at 3s. 6d. per gallon, makes a money loss of £1,685 12a. The Store in which it was placed was built at a cost of £150; »nd neither the building nor any of its qoatwts vu QQT«r«a by iaaurauoA