GREAT FIRE IN THE CITY.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 542, 21 June 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

GREAT FIRE IN THE CITY.

IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. POUR ACRES OF BUILDINGS DESTROYED. THIRTY BUILDINGS BURNED. (From the Evening Post, 16th June.) It i» our painful duty to-day to record a most lamentable disaster which has befallen this city. Wellington last night was the scene of one of the most serious and destructive fires yet experienced in New Zealand, and an area of about four acres, which yesterday was covered with handsome buildings, is now a blackened and smoking waste. A few minutes before eight o'clock last evening, just as the congregations from the various places of worship were wending their way homeward, the Te Aro firebell rang out an alarm, and immediately afterwards a bright glare was visible in the direction of Manners-street, whither a vast crowd of people speedily poured. The intelligence quickly spread that it was the Imperial Opera House which was on fire, and on reaching Manners-street a pillar of smoke and flame could be seen rising from the roof of that fine building, apparently at a point nearly over the dome The two fire brigades, the fire police, the Armed Constabulary, and the local Volunteer corps, including the newly formed Naval Brigade (who wore a white handkerchief round the arm as a distinguishing mark) mustered on the spot with remarkable promptness, bringing all available appliances, and vigorous efforts were made to stay the further progress of the fire. For a time it appeared as if their exertions would be successful. The flames subsided, and the dense masses of black smoke which followed appeared to indicate that the water was doing its work. Unhappily just at that critical moment there came a sudden gust of wind from the porth-west, and from that moment the fate of the Opera House was sealed. Fanned by the fresh breeze the flames leaped forthwith irresistible fury, and by halfpast 8 the whole building was one huge furnace, belching forth a mighty column of flame and smoke, while torrents of sparks filled the ,«ir, and being carried far and wide on the wind seemed to threaten the whole ot Te Aro with destruction. It now was but too evident that there was not the slightest chance of saving the building', and it became a matter of deep anxiety whether the conflagration could be prevented from extending to the adjacent houses. For a while the walls of the Opera House retained the fire within their limits, but soon the roof fell in with an appalling crash, and then it became clear that the walls would cease to act as a shield. With almost incredible rapidity the side walls which were covered with corrugated iron, first grew red-hot, and then the zinc coating : of the iron became ignited and burnt with a vivid blue light ; next the iron itself collapsed, giving the flames full scope. The wooden wall frontiug Manners-street was much longer in giving way than the iron, thus proving tbe utter fallacy of trusting: to the latter as any protection. The street facade, however, steadily yielded to the terrific heat and came down with a crash, the shops on the ground floor being quickly enveloped in tbe blaze. The fire now bad gained the entire mastery, and being unimpeded by either walls or roof, raged with fearful fury, giving forth such terrible heat that it was impossible to stand within a considerable distance of the spot except under cover of wet blankets. The firemen, who worked like heroes, now used almost frantic efforts to save the neighboring buildings, but it was impossible to help seeing that the fire had attained a magnitude too vast for their comparatively puny exertions to cope with, and the conviction b j came general that tbe conflagration would be an awful one and that much more widespread destruction was imminent. THE WORKING MEN'S CLUB. These presentiments were but too soon fulfilled. At a quarter to nine o'clock the flames were seen issuing in several places from the W orking Men's Club and Messrs. Eddie and Jack's bottling stores, which form one block of buildings adjoining the Opera Howe. All efforts to save tbe save the building proved futile, and ere long it was a mass of blazing ruins, while tbe fire persistently worked its way along Manners-street, in the teeth of the wind, which now had hauled round to W.N. W , with occasional gusts trotn due W. and N W. A still more formidable mishap, however, was immediately pending. THE WEBLEYAN CHURCH. The fine Church in Manners-street, belonging to the Wesleyan body, which stood exactly opposite the Opera House, was now exposed to the frightful heat of the burning theatre, from which gigantic columns of tlame and smoke still ascended with unabated violence. Standas it did, a little way back from the street, with a clear space in front, it was hoped at first that the Church would escape, and urgent measures were adopted to keep the exterior as wet as possible For a time the fate of the Church hung in doubt. The street, front and tall spire alternately smoked as the wood was scorched by the intense glow of the opposite furnace, and then steamed as the jets oi water were directed against it ; but the superficial area to be guarded, was too large, and ere long the dismal conviction seized all the eye-witneses that the Church itself must go, and not only that, but must form the nucleus of a fre-h and alarming outbreak in a new block of buildings. The spire was the cynosure of every eye, and the suspense became almost agonising in its intense strain, for should the church once become fairly ablaze, the high tower and spire might carry tbe seeds of destruction and ruin In all directions. Gradually but steadily events progressed, and the doomed church went to its fate. Now occurred one of the most striking scenes in the whole terrible spectacle A strong gust of wind set the whole body of flame dead on the church. The spire, which had been smouldering for some time, alternately smoking and steaming, suddenly became enveloped from base to summit in pale blue smoke, which, taking the exact form of the structure, presented the aspect of a tall conical obelisk of bluish vapour. Another minute and strings of light ran up each angie of the spire to the very top, and tbe obelisk of smoke became transformed into one ot bright flame, which at first only took the sharp corners, but soon enveloped the whole, and presented the beautiful but awful spectacle ot a pointed fiery column, fully 100 ft. in height. For nearly an hour this continued, when the spire and tower successively lell in, but not before the mischief had been lamentably augmented. Tbe mass of flame, the gusty wind which was blowing, and the currents of air caused by the heat soon spread destruction far and wide. The window* of tbe church itself now begun to show a glow from tho inside, and in a brief space ot time the entire building was blazing from end to •ad, and there was nothing to bo done but to leave it to its fate and endeavour to save the •hops on both sides and the large school-room in the rear fronting Dixon-street. Unfortunately, all efforts proved utterly futile. MANNERS-STREET. In what seemed a marvellously short poriod, all tbe shops along Manners-street, from the Church to Cuba-street on the one side, and to Helyer's stone-yard on the other, were blazing furiously, including ths establi»bments of Graves and Fleming (late Pirie), drapers ; Mrs Elder, confectioner; Rickman, bootmaker. Simeor, tailor; Many at, tobacconist; M'Lelland, bootmaker; Smart's oyster saloon; and Scott, ironmonger. On the other side of Manuers-street the shops of Messrs. Engelman, fancy good* warehouse; Alexander, thowman; Warcup, bootmaker; and Jsddie and Jack's, bottlers, offices shared the same fate. The flames quickly spread to Stratford 's (late Beck and Tonka) bay and corn store, which was rapidly converted into a seething maw of fire. The building was constructed wholly of iron,. and the fierce interior combustion soon heated the iron to redness all over, and this formed another of the specially striking ttgty «{ $9 pjgUt, fte jugs iron building

standing for some minutes as a glowing cube of red-hot iron. It was not long, however, before it collapsed, and tbe flames burst forth. Only by dint of the most strenuous efforts was the fire prevented from spreading along Mannersstreet to the New Zealander Hotel, which escaped almost by a miracle Meanwhile, events were proceeding with melancholy swiftness in the other directions Tbe Opera House contined to present tbe appearance of a mighty furnace, and all the buildings, stables, sheds, outhouses, and workshops in the rear across old Custom House-street to tbe very edge of the harbor were swallowed up in the fierce glow, and literally swept off the surface of (he earth. THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. On the Cuba-street side of the Opera House it was thought that the space of some 30ft I which intervened between the Opera House and the Branch Bank of New Zealand and that building itself, being of brick, would interpose an insuperable obstacle to any extension in that direction. This hope too proved wholly fallacious. By some amazing and inconceivable fatuity, although the building was very solidly and substantially built of brick and cement, it was surrounded with an ornamental wonden parapet at tbe top Owing to this extraordinary piece of folly, the Bank fared little better than the wooden buildings in the vicinity. The wooden balustrading became ignited, and the fire soon crept inwards to the roof, and then downwards to the Interior rooms. The flooring, lining, paper, &c, caught like tinder, and within half an hour, the Bank resembled a gigantic brick stove, its contents blazing brilliantly, and when at length the bricks became red hot the effect was very grand and striking, however deplorable the destruction of property. The strongroom, which stood in the very centre of the building, apparently resisted the heat, and passed unscathed through the trying ordeal. So much confidence indeed was felt by the Bank manager and his subordinates in their building beitig fire proof (the vulnerable point, the wooden parapetapparently being forgotten) that the Bank books and papers were not removed until the last moment. At it was everything not removed was burned, only the four bare walls and the brick strong-room left standing. The interior of the Bank was blazing for some hours, but the seaward extension of Cubastreet, and the open space beyond, checked any further spread along Manners-street in an easterly direction. CUBA-STREET. Unluckily, there was no such safeguard on the other side of Manners-street, and the fire moved on apace. Brown's furniture shop soon followed, Graves and Fleming's in the gener. 1 havoc, and the breeze freshening from the westward, the flames were carried across Cuba-str.et, the result being that the old Market Hall and Corporation shed soon burst into a blaze, and then the two adjoining shops, Aston and Jacobs, bootmakers, and Williams and Cameron, saddler?, tbis last bringing the conflagration to tbe corner of Taranaki Place. On the other side of Cuba-street, tbe conflagration next extended to Messrs. Dwan and Kirton's stables and saleyards, attached to the Nag's Head Hotel. These speedily succumbed, some valuable horses being saved with some difficulty. From the stables the flames soon spread to the Nag's Head Hotel, and that old — almost historic— inn speedily added its glare to the fearful glow which was illuminating the whole surrounding country. DIXON-STREET. All this time the fire was gradually but steadily, and with irrestible force, making its way backward from the Wesleyan Church. Several small cottages close by burned away like paper, and then the fierce element seized firmly hold of the Dixon-street Schoolroom, notwithstanding the desperate struggles of the firemen, volunteers, and assistants to keep it down, it beiog plain that should this prove impracticable thpre was imminent danger of the fire crossing Dixon->treet, and spreading over the whole Te Aro flat. All efforts proved vain, and the school became a mass of flame. The entire northern frontage of Dixnn-street aud ( aranaki Place was now burning Curiously, while there seemed little abatement in the locality where the fire commenced. Emeny's Royal Oak Hotel, which hitherto had held out, now caught from the Market Hal), thus completing tbe block, the whole of which was one vast furnace. THE GENERAL VIEW. At this time the coup d'eeuil from the Terrace and other elevated positions was one of an extraordinary nature, combining horror and grandeur in a degree of absolute sublimity. Three largo blocks of buildings, together covering nearly ten acres of ground, and fronting from different streets, were all blazing at one time. Tbe ruddy glow emitted by so vast a mass of blazing material was positively painful in its intensity (it was seen at distances of from 30 to 50 miles away), while the street gaslamps looked like little bluish sparks by contrast. In the city itself the streets were literally as light as in the day, and tbe entire bay was brilliantly lit up, while all the surrounding hills stood out almost as clearly as in sunshine, their outlines being distinctly marked in tbe vivid red gleam. In the centre of all huge volumes of flame mounted to a prodigious height, tingiDg the waters of the bay with their angry beams, and ever and anon some of tbe pyrotechnic materials stored about the Opera House would explode, and send up showers oi blue, red, green, or golden stars. The Nag's Head and Royal Oak Hotels added another feature to the remarkable scene, in the constant bursting of wine, beer, and spirit casks and bottles, while the constant reports sounded like a rapid discharge of small artillery. The whole spectacle was one happily but seldom witnessed, and once seen never to be forgotten. STOPPAGE OF THE FIRE AT DIXONSTREET. The greatest, and in the end successful, struggle with the fire was at the corner of Dixon-street and Taranaki Place. Terrific volumes of flame and smoke were continuously hurled across thoie streets from the row of blazing buildings on the north side, and the efforts by which the further progress of the fire was checked can only be fairly described as heroic. The three buildings in immediate danger were the Te Aro House Drapery Establishment, Whitehouse's grocery shop, and Minto House, lodging establishment. These were assaulted for nearly an hour by the batteries of flame and sparks, the dense smoke rendering it almost impossible to remain there. Nevertheless the Te Aro employ ds, who mustered in full force, worked with the most splendid courage, endurance, and devotion to save the building. Numerous jets of water were kept conhinually playing on the street front and roof, and wet blankets were applied wherever practicable. It is impossible to praise too highly the zeal and bravery they displayed. Similar energy was used to prevent Wbitehouse's shop and Minto House becoming ignited, but several times both were in flames, and the anxiety was extreme, until at length the gradual subsidence of the fire on the other side of the street indicated that the supreme crisis, was past. Several buildings were cut and pulled down with axes and ropes wherever it could be done, including the Corporation sheds, by which the fire was prevented from spreading to Bohau's coach factory, the Wellington Fire Brigade station, and Courtenay Piace. For three hours— from 8 to 11 p.m. — the fire raged in its full fury. By midnight all was practically over, but the burning area still sent up a vivid fiery glow, which only diminished by degrees during the night. The firemen, fire police, volunteers, and constabulary, all worked with untiring zeal, energy, and pluck, 'ihey were required to be in attendance all night, for the debris was still smoking, and some of the Opera House remains actually blazing even so late as noon to-day. The number of buildings totally destroyed is about 80 in all; others, such as Te Aro House, Whitehouse's shop, Minto House, &c., being badly scorched. The total amiuut of damage i-< variously estimated at from £75,000 to £100 01)0. THE BUILDINGS DESTROYED The buildings destroyed are as follows:— Opera House and WorkiDg Men's Club, with Engleman's and another shop in front; branch Bank of Now Zealand; Wesleyan Church; Eddie and Jack's b'ewery ; Graves and Fleming's drapery establishment; Mrs. Elder's confectionery establishment; Rfckmaa't boot

ditto; M'Lennan's ditto; Marryat's tobacconist ditto; Simeon's tailoring ditto; tbe old I Market House; Williams and Cameron's saddlery; Eraeny's hotel; Brown's upholstery; Nag's Head Hotel; Dixon-street Scho 1-house ; Hogarth's timber yard ; Warcup's boot-making establishment; Smart's oyster shop; some sheds behind the Opera House; Scott's ironmongery establishment ; Young's oyster saloon; and four or five cottages in Dixon-street. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. We have already mentioned tbat the flames were first seen coining through the roof of the Opera House, and them is no doubt tbat it originated over the dome, between the ceiling and the roof of the building. Two or three stage bands were in tbe theatre on Sunday evening fitting up scenery, &c. At a little after half-past 7 they were suddenly alarmed to find that fire had broken out in tbe upper portion of the building. They ru«hed to the upper circle, and having got three hoses to work directed them on the fire, with the hope of being able to subdue it Finding that it was getting the mastery of them, however, they ran out of the building and gave the alarm. The opinion of Mr. Montague Browne, j the manager of the theatre, is that the gas- j star in the centre of the ceiling, by which the house is lighted, was the original cause of the mischief. Tbe gas was burning practically from 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon till midnight, when the evening's performance terminated. Mr. Browne's theory is — and it certainly seems a very rational explanation of the affair— that the iron pipe supplying the "star" became super-heated and communicated with the wooden joists above. The woodwork in such a case might easily smoulder for hours before it burst out into a flame. Those who were first inside tho theatre say that the fire extended from the centre of the dome to the side, as if it originated in the neighborhood of the gasalier, and gradually spread in the direction of tho upper circle, away from the stage. The workshops, property-rooms, and scenery, where tbe most inflammable contents of a theatre are to be found, and where one would naturally expect a fire to break out, were all at tbe back, about the stage, and this was the last part of the building to be destroyed. Weighing all the probabilities of the case, and taking all the facts, as they were observed, into consideration, the theory as to the fire having originally been caused by the overheating of the gaspipe certainly seems the most probable explanation of the outbreak. SALVAGE FROM THE THEATRE. Soon after it was discovered that the Opera House was on fire a number of willing hands rushed into the building with a view of saving what property they could. Mr. R. W. Gary, who was one of the first in the theatre, informs us that when he entered, about onethird of the ceiling, extending from the centre over the upper circle, was all in flames. It appeared to those inside the building, that bad a strong force ef water been then directed on the fire from the inside of the building, it might have been got under. Somehow or other this does not appear to have been tried by tho brigades. There were a number of hoses in connection with the Opera House for use in case of fire. For instance, there were three under the stage, four upon it, and there was a hose both at the entrance to the stalls aud the middle entrance to the pit. There were also two hoses in the dress circle, and two in the upper circle. They were small affairs, however, and the pressure of water was anytbiog but good at the first when tbe stage bands, already mentioned, attempted to put out the fire by these means. Whether any further attempt was made to extinguish the flames from the inside of the building -ye have been unablo to ascertain, but it seems pretty evident that the firemen did not bring any of thair large hose 3 into the theatre with a view to trying their effect. Meanwhile the stage hands, with the willing af-sistince of a number of bystanders, were making manly efforts to save what property they could from the theatre. The building being full of smoke, this was a work of considerable difficulty. Mr. Joyce, tbe stae;e manager, once fell, overpowered by the suffocating vapors, but managed to recover himself. The piano and musical instruments were removed from the orchestra upon the stage, and thence out into the yard at the back of the theatre. The wardrobes of the company were rescued in the same manner, though with some difficulty, the little band of workers having frequently to discontinue their labors in order to get a little f esh air Presently a large portion of the ceiling fell in with a crash, necessitating a speedy stampede from the building and putting a stop to all efforts to save any further property from the thoatre. Consequently the fine scenery was all destroyed together with the valuable "properties" and other appliances with which the theatre was abundantly supplied. We are sorry to hear, too, that Miss Beatrice lost a pair of gold bracelets which she left in her dressing room after the performance on Saturday night. Fortunately the books and papers of the Te Aro Theatre Company were saved by the manager, but all Messrs. Hiscock and Hayman's documents were burnt. The impression at first was that the back part of the theatre would be saved, and consequently all the property rescued was deposited in tho back yard. It was soon found, however, that this hope was doomed to disappointment, and the goods had to be again removed. This time they were taken to Hunter's Wharf, where they were secure. Mr. Gorman, the custodian, of the building, was very energetic in saving the property of the Theatre, to the neglect of his own, and the greater portion of his furniture, together with £25 in notes belonging to him, was destroyed. The Theatre was insured for £5500 in the New Zealand Insurance Company and for £1500 in the South British. We understand — and it will be some satisfaction to the shareholders to be made acquainted with the fact — that it is estimated that the insurances, together with the value of the site, will fully cover the mortgages and other liabilities of the company. VIEW FROM THE FIRE BRIGADE TOWER. Mounting to the look-out at the Fire Brigade Station, Manners-street, at about half-past 10, when the fire had attained its greatest area, a magnificent but at the same time saddening spectacle presented itself. Most of the buildings had crumbled away under the devouring element, and nothing but a vast sheet of flame, from which arose dense volumes of smoke and clouds of sparks, was to be seen, in the foreground Manners-street was observed to be thronged with a denso crowd of human beings, while to the right some blue gum trees stood out black and spectral-like against the glare. From Dixonstreet to the sea, flames were shooting up in all directions, lighting up the Scotch Church and other prominent buildings in the background with an unearthly glare. Far and near the windows of hundreds of houses in the locality ware twinkling and flashing in the unwonted radiance, giving one the idea of so many spectral eyes blinking at the fire. The range of hills at the back of the town were illuminated as if by a bright flood of moonlight. Contrasting with the vivid mass of flame and the luminous column of smoke rolling' over the town to the I southward, the Bay appeared like a pool of ink, in the midst of which the masts of the shipping, catching the reflection of the flames, stjod out clear and distinct. 1 pening the window of the look-out, the roaring of the flames, intermingled with the hum of voices from the people below was borne upon the ear. Presently a hoarse cry of warning would be heard as some tall chimney, standing out in the midst of the fLmes, was seen to be tottering, and then as it fell with a sullen boom, a fiery column of sparks, like the " graud flight of rockets" with which pyrotechinic displays are usually concluded was projected into the air, and the flames shot up alrtsh as if in exultation at thu victory they bad achieved. It was indeed an impressive sight, and one not easily effaced from the memory. HORSES SAVED. No fewer than 22 horses were taken out of the Nag's Head stables, when they were found to be in danger, aad it is stated fat some of them were very valua T le, two having been sold on Saturday last for £500. FALLING CHIMNEYS. In the small hours of the morning the chimney of the Working Men's Ci«b, which was

about sixty feet in height, was seen to be swaying to and fro, and the order was given to " stand from under." A general rush was made from the spot, but some of the firemen, anxious to do their duty, remained till the last moment, and when the chimney f-ll with a tremendous crash they narrowly escaped being killed. Two or three of them wore knocked down, but. fortunately, they were not seriously injured. Superintendent Moss, of the Central Brigade, was struck on his leg by the falling bricks, but he went pluckily to work a few minutes afterwards. Several other chimneys fell, but happily nobody was hurt. AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT. It is stated that the fire would not have spread as it did had it not been for an unfortunate error of judgment which was committed by a member of one of tho brigades. It appears that shortly after the fire was discovered a person made his way into the Opera House with a hose, and if he had played on the ceil- , ing the fire could have been extinguished without much trouble, but he was ordered by an officer of one of the fire brigades to take the hose outside and play upon the front of the building. THE PERSONS PRESENT. Amongst those present were all the members of the two Fire Brigades, a large number of the Armed Constabulary, the Firo Police, the City Police, several Volunteers, and 71 members of the newly-formed Naval Brigade under Lieutenant Bennett. All these men worked bravely, and many of them risked their lives in their endeavors to save the property that was in danger. A MAN REPORTED MISSING. It is rumoured that a man lost his life during tbe progress of the firo. It is stated that soon after the Opera House was discovered to be on fire a man, whose name is not known, went with the firemen to the upstairs portion of the building, and as the smoke was very dense he was stupified and fell down. As he was sot seen to leave the building it is believed that he was burned with the building. INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE. Some of the residents in the immediate neighbourhood of the conflagration were evidently completely dazed by the suddenness and violence of the outbreak. Then they commenced to pitch their household furniture pellmell into the road. As is not unfrequently the case, it was observed that the least valuable and less destructive articles were saved first, and the streets presented a curious appearance, blocked up as they were with heterogeneous collections of pots and pans, crockery, beds, bedding, tables, chairs, and other '' household gods," most of them irretrievably damaged by water and the haste in which they had been bundled into the street. Over these the men, women, and children stood, gazing mournfully at the havoc that had been made, but wearing, withal, the air of people who had realised that it was no use " crying over spilt milk." Occasionally, however, some unfortunate woman suddenly left homeless would be found giving vent to her lamentations, and men would be running about in a state of excitement, recounting either the losses they had incurred or stood in danger of incurring, but apparently too distracted to do anything towards checking the disaster. One poor old woman who had evidently seen far more than the allotted " three-score years and ten" of life was found in ono of the cottages in Dixonstreet, apparently paralysed with excitement. I Although her cottage was in considerable jeopardy, she at first stoutly refusod to leave. She was gently, but firmly led away from the scene of danger by Sergeant Anderson and a by-stander, who went to her assistance, the poor old lady meanwhile moaning for the loss of her " deeds," apparently referring to some papers left in the cottage. At all fires there is always more or less of the " rowdy" element present, and this occasion unfortunately proved no exception to the rule. v Tho whole of the police force of Wellington were on the ground, under the direction of Superintendent James, but owing to the large area covered by the fire they wero unable to be everywhere. However, a number of thievish rascals were detected in petty larcenies, for which, as will be seen by our police report, they were brought up and sentenced this morning. Ropes were stretched across the streets leading to the fire, and by this means the crowd were kept back from interfering with the operations of the firemen. The number of people present on the ground could not have been far short of 12,000 or 14,000. The reflection caused great alarm at the Hutt, where it appeared as it' half tbe town must be on fire. A large number of people came in from the Hutt, Petoni, and other places, and so swelled the crowd of spectators. It may be mentioned that the captain of the Kiwi informs us that he saw tho reflection when he was fully thirty miles away from Wellington. It is a curious circumstance that when the strong-room of the Bank of New Zealand was opened yesterday morning some boxes of matches which had been left there on the previous day were found to be unignited, notwithstanding the intense heat to which the exterior of the strong-room had been subject. This fact is a strong testimony in favor of the security of the safe. It is a shocking fact, but it is nevertheless true, that certain young men of sporting proclivities were found on Sunday night freely " offering the odds" as to the chances of the fire spreading in certain directions. For instance, one individual who helps to " govern the country" from 9.30 to 5 p.m.^daily was heard to bet 5 to 1 in half-sovereigns that the Manners-street Wesleyan Church would go. He of course won. He also bet that Te Aro House would not be saved, and it is said— although we hope that this is not true— that he retired to the Terrace and watched the progress of the flames in an agony of suspense lest his anticipations should be falsified, and he should lose his money. It is satisfactory on more grounds than one to know that this ultimately did turn out to be the case. OPENI3SG OF THE BANK'S STRONGROOM. At 10 o'clock this morning Mr. A. Warburton, manager of the Te Aro Branch of the Bank of New Zealand, and a number of other gentlemen assembled at the ruins of the bank for the purpose of opening the strong-room, and ascertaining whether the contents were safe. As the door, which was one of Milner's patent, could not be opened with the proper key, Mr. T. Tolley, locksmith, was sent for, and after an hour's labor he succeeded in forcing the lock. To the astonishment of all present (and a great crowd had congregated to watch the result) the bullion and papers which were in the room were found to be uninjured, though the walls were blackened by the smoke which had gone through tho keyholes and "cracks" of the door. We understand that several very valuable deeds and papers in connection with the estate of the late Hon. W. B. Rhodes were in the strong-room at the time of the fire. SALVAGE. Nearly the whole of the stock of Messrs. Graves and Fleming and Williams, Cameron and Co., was saved. It was removed in expresses and other vehicles to various places of safety, but, of course, it suffered considerably from the water which had been poured upon it. Mr. Simeon, tailor, also managed to save a large quantity of his stock, but still he calculates that he had to leave £100 worth in the shop. Nearly everybody who was burntoutsaved something, and everybody in the immediate neighborhood of the fire got his household goods ia readiness, so that he might save them if he were in danger. Goods of all descriptions were stacked on the footpaths in Mauners, Dixon, and Ghuznee streets, but it is a noteworthy fact that whenever any article of value was placed in any secluded spot it was certain to disappear. The police caught two or three persons in the act of carrying away articles of this description. THE RUINS. The scene of the fire is a most deplorable spectacle. Smoking ruins and totterii-g chimneys abound, and several people are going about the Sites of their late homes saying they are ruined. The fire has created such a v acancy that Manners and Cuba-streets are scarcely recognisable. The scene of the fire has been visited to-day by hundreds of people, all of whom express their regret occurrence.