The Gisborne Fire.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4859, 8 March 1887, Page 3

The Gisborne Fire.

|PEB PBBSS ASSOCIATION.]

. : , : • Gisborne, This day. > - The fire was discovered at 8.10 a.m. by come of the waiters of the Albion Club Hotel, who saw a small column of smoke coming from the hay loft. The flames spread Very rapidly, and it was with great difficulty the horses, harness, &c, were extricated. The Brigade were early on the BCone, but experienced considerable delay in fretting the hose connected. The Loan and Mercantile building resisted the fire tor a time, but at last the roof caught. At 10 a.m. things looked very ugly, and every effort was made to save the block opposite. The only accident was to one of Mr Adair s hands, who fell through the skylight -thirty feet. No bones were broken, but he was much- cut: By noon the fire had burned itself out. When sufficient time has elapsed to allow full details of the losses to be obtained, the total amount will come up to an alarming figure. In the Loan and Mercantile Company's store was stored 4000 sacks of grass seed, a number, of bales., of ■wool, and over a thonsnnd pounds worth of general merchandise. The Company s loijs fs estimntedatover £10,000. Messrsßerry, Daniels & Co. estimate their loss over the insurances at £300. Good, the jeweller, is insured for £500, and will lose through damage by removal £400. Nasmiths buildings were insured for £900 ; estimated loss over the insurances, £500 on tho building, and £1000 on the stock. Mr McLennan's, jeweller's, strong-room was opened, and the valuable contents have fortunately suffered no injury. The following places were destroyed :— Caffr, bootmaker; M'Lcnnon, jeweller; Miller, barber; Nasmitb, working jeweller ; Searl, tailor; Wilson, Albion Club Hotel; Ward and Cresswell,- solicitors; DcLautour, 6olicitor; Union Steam Ship Company; N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company; Native Land Settlement Company ; Westrupp, commission agent.; Ferris, native interpreter; Berry and Daniel, commission agents; and Clarko, butcher. On the uptown side of the street the fire was checked at Good's jeweller's shop, which, with Adam's stationer's shop was gutted. The~following is an approximate estimate of'ihe losses :—Stock in Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's store, £9000 ; building, £5000 ; furniture, £ 1000. Albion Club Hotel, (Wilson's) £3500 ; furniture in Albion Club, £1000. Berry, Daniel and 'Co.V: building \nd stock, £1000. Albion Club stables, £1000. Searl, Nasmith, Miller, and M'Lennon's buildings, stock, and furniture, about £2500. Total, £24,000. 10.30 a.m.

Sweeping through the light dry woodwork of the Club Hotel and Berry and Daniels' store, the mass of flame attained fearful intensity, and a small building between Berry and Daniels'*, and the fine brick and stono building of the Loan and Mercantile Company were overwhelmed in an incredibly short space of.time. From this a gathering of a fresh force of flames enveloped the end of the Loan Company s building, and although powerless against the thick brick walls, iv a very few minutes earned a successful holding on the roof. In this building a portion of tho basement was occupied as offices by the Union Steamshipping Company, whose safe and books, together with those of the Loan Company, •were all removed in ample time. Upstairs ■were offices occupied by Ward and Cresswell, solicitors, and Mr DeLautour, solicitor. The valuable deeds and documents of these firms were also got out. By tnis time a pretty fresh breeze had sprang np from the north-west and fanned still further the flames, which were now bursting through the windows of the buildingon to the street. The Loan Company's block being onceattacked, it was not long before the butchering establishment of J. Clark was in the full force of destructiou, bein<? all in nvood. No hope was entertained of its being saved, and the attention of the' Brigade was given wholly to arresting the _re at its northern end near Adams' shop. At this end the men had been working for siearlv an hour, and once the flames had got up to' Woods' they, were met by au already -well soaked mass of wood and iron. A ' good pressure was on, and after an extremely tough fight Woods' and Adams', shops were virtually saved, though much scorched and otherwise danuftred. The shops of Messrs Searle. Mills, McLcnnan, and Caffy, however, all shared the fate of the hotel, but the stock had been taken out in time. . - Another fire at 11 p.m. destroyed Stevenson's stables, and Winter and Hays chambers. The fire was got under by nridnight.