AFTER THE CALAMITY. A SCENE OF RUIN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 97, 22 October 1906, Page 7

AFTER THE CALAMITY. A SCENE OF RUIN.

WOOD BLOCKING AND TRAMWAY GEAR DAMAGED. TELEPHONE WIRES IN DISORDER It was not until after an interval that tho mind could thoroughly grasp the full effect of the conflagration. The Scene of, ruin that presented Itself about 10. a.m. was almost appalling. The stately structure of tho Bank of Now South Wales, which for tho pas* year or so has been such a prominent feature on the Quay, is practically burnt out) and the only thing that ieftiinds tho spectator of the uses to whi;h it was put are a few brass plates with tho names of various films upon them. Inside the building is nothing but a heap of twisted iron and debris, and the- walls aro bare. They give the vn* prossiou, however, that they are stiU fit for service, and that ,tho intern il affairs of the building aro the only noytiqns that need reconstruction. TL'ct Dividing foimefly occupied by Whifccombo and Tombs is in fir worse plight. Only the barest structure remains, iho merest skeleton, whose inside is a heap of debris still smouldering, the remains' of one of the onickesb pieces of work which the Fire Fiend has accomplished in ft solid structure of recent years. Then there is a big spaco, occupied only by tho -burnt lemnahta of tla. small shops which once fronted tha Quay, and the' Commercial Hotel, bear^ ing muto testimony to the fierceness of the fire, which swopt through tho tim« ber structures, with astonishing snood. Then, standing gaunt and lonely, a pathetic spectacle, is all that remains of tho Ti'ocaaoro, with an omnty space on its northern side where iixt furniture auction mart in which the Ere originated once presented such an undignified appearance. Only the barest skeleton cf the "i'rocadero remains, accompanied bjj two or thre,e forlorn-lpqking chimhfcys, and its aspect is .the very personification of desolation. I Opposite is gnother, h.ea,p gf debrif

The block fronting tho Quay, Fcathers-ton-strect, Grey-street, and Martin's Fountain contains oply ono structure — Young and Tripe's brick "building, which has come out of the ordeal almost uninjured. Tho remainder of the block is represented by two or three rlecrepitlooking chimneys and tottering -vooden walls which only require a push to send them to the ground. In f.ict, one chininoy which formerly served the Alliance OlHco came to the gs ound \\ ith a cr.isii when the wind blew harder than usual. The Quay between the destroyed buildings is not safo for pedestrians. The wood-blccking is bac"y charred, in some cases to a depth of several inches, tho electric power, light, and telephono wires hang about in a tangled skein, and tho tramway power standards and poles aro btnt and twisted into all manners oi shapes. Some lit on tho ground, absolutely useless whilo on soms of the wires still hanging sheets of iron are suspended, threatening danger to careloss pedestrians. Tnc scrub on tho hillside at the rear of tho Trocadero and adjacent buildings is scorched and blackened, and even tho picket fence at tho Quay end of the sections fronting the Terrace shows signs of having besn set on fire. _ Large crowds of people were present viewing the. se'ene iof desolation, and various comments 'were mado. The most practical, however, appeared to be thsi> which emanated from a business men, who urged that the City Council should take advantage cf the op'oftunity to widen the narrow part of the Quay from. Grey-street to Martin's Fountain. Every precaution, it may, he added, was taken by the authorities "to provent the public getting into the- danger zone, as some of the shells left standing were evidently tottering dangerously, and it was satisfactory to find that no accidents happened.