SAVING THE POST OFFICE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 122, 23 May 1908, Page 5

SAVING THE POST OFFICE.

AN ANXIOUS TIME.

About 9.30 it looked,' in sporting parlance, "odds on" that the Post and Telegraph Offices must go. The wind, at times, had the force of a gale, which sent huge showers of sparks flying in all, directions, and dense volumes of smoke blotted out everything except the forms of the tireless firemen, ancf the faces of the multitude of people who stood around anxiously watching the progress of the battle. Away up on top of the Post Office parapet six firemen could be seen directing two powerful leads of water on to the roof of the adjoining, building. For three solid hours they hung there, almost motionless amid th 6 sparks and smoke. The hoses had been carried up a telescopic ladder in Panama-street, and were fed from tho fire engine on the Queen's wharf. Inside the Telegraph Office the Post and Telegraph Rifle Cadets were giving valuable aid to save the State buildings. The flames had actually made their way through the s top of an iron door on the third floor and commenced to eat away the wooden framework. Fortunately, the interior of the building is provided with adequate fire-extinguishing appliances and a 6tout lead of hose* was directed on the burning door by the vohinteers. The smoke was stifling, but the amateur firemen stuck to their task and succeeded, with the assistance of the men on the top of the building, who kept, the exterior wall saturated •with water, in averting what must otherwise have been a disastrous conflagiation.

THE TELEGRAPH STAFF.

Early in the progress of the firo the telegraph operators, who valiantly stuck to their instruments as long as the pkice wfis habitable, had to leave work. The whole building was filled with smoke, and on most of the fioorts two or three inches of water had gathered. Many of the Morse instruments were hastly detached from the tables and removed to a place of safety in case the worst might happen. Down stairs the public office was closed, the electric lights went out and the whole place was > smothered in darkness. Wellington was minus telegraphic communication with the outside world, but the wires between Auckland, Napier and other stations in tho North Island were connected with the cables, and the South Island stations carried on business as if nothing was happening. The discipline of the «taff was remarkably fine. Guided by their officers, they removed everything of most value to a, place of safety without fuss or excitement, and were ready to recommence business as soon as the word was given. The telegraph nowadays is too imDort-

anti an adjunct of business to be put out of action for any time a single fire. Mr. Harrington and Mr. Buckley assured a, member of our staff that had the building been entirely destroyed the operators would have been at work this morning at instruments set up in a temporary building. At 11.30 one- of our representatives had a look into the operating-room and business had already been resumed. Light was provided by candles, and the newspapers in all parts of the colony were receiving the details of the fire from operators who ticked away at their instruments, with water dripping from the ceiling and pools of slush on the floor. '

THE POSTAL BRANCH.

The postal branch of the department fared better. The southern end of the building was farthest away from the scene of the firo, but the heads of the various departments who were on the spot early took no chances, and had all sorts of material, documents, letters, records and other things, at once removed" to a place of safety or piled up and collected for removal in case the worst should happen. Bags, baskets, and boxes of all descriptions came tumbling out of the building in quick succession. The public will be relieved to know that nothing has been lost, and that- business was resumed this morning just as'if nothing had happened. The building is saturated with water in the northern end, and a good deal of office material has been destroyed by water, b\it the damage, comparatively speaking, is small.

THE DANGER OVER

When the Post Office clock chimed 10.30, the brigade was evidently getting the better of the flames. In Featherstonstreet the building in which the fire broke out was nothing but a burnt-out shell, with a raging furnace inside, but the progress had been stayed and tho Labour Department and the State Fire Insurance ""Department, which occupied the 'small wooden building in Grey-street! As the danger to the Post Office lessened more men were put on to the other parts of the outbreak, and by 11 o'clock tho fire was practically out, and the crowd slowly melted away.

WHERE THE FIRE STARTED

The building in which the fire originated was reduced to a mere shell. U contained a considerable quantity r,i furniture belonging to clients of Messrs. G. O'Brien and Co., all of which was destroyed. It included some £1000 worth belonging to Mr. R. L. Levin, and Captain H. H. Browne, of the Defence Department, also lost a considerable quantity. Next to this building was a smaller one occupied by the Inspector of Weights • and Measures (Mr. M. Green), Mr. W. B. Appleton (manufacturers' agent), and, Mr. A. S. Gannawuy (dairy produce exporter). This was-gut-ted, and the flames also did damage to a smaller building next door, which was until recently occupied by Mr. H. H. Ekins (gunsmith), and Messrs. Keir and Co. (carriers). The Labour Department and State Fire Insurance Department escaped Without material damage, but a good many of the insurance office papers got loose while salvage operations were proceeding^ and 'flew, hither and thither before the wind. • The Parcels Post Office, of Grey-street, was severely damaged, and the telegraph stores in Pana-ma-street were burnt out. NOTES. , As to the work of the brigade, it can be said that Acting-Superintendent i O'Brien and his men got to work' promptly and in "a most business-like manner, and the hardihood, and pluck and energy displayed' by all' hands was the subject of very favourable comment. . The brigade was fortunate in having an excellent pressure .of water all through the fire. Ward (the council's turncock) arrived shortly after the alarm* was sounded, and had. the full service, directed into the maing-in- -Panama an& Grey-streets. •' ' M » Acting- Superintendent O'Brien speaks warmly of the valuable assistance he received from the Fire Police. "I do not know what wo would do without them at times," he said to a member of our staff. The Post and Telegraph Rifles are also deserving of high praise for the excellent assistance they renderI cd. Major Hume had a contingent of Permanent Artillerymen sent down to the fire in case their services should be required. The Harbour Board's officers decided to take no chances with the fire. Mr. Muuro (the board's wharfinger) had sevi era] lengths of hose connected with the mains on the wharves ready for use in case the, flying sparks should ignite any of the board's buildings. The fact that the fire was got under without danger in the direction, indicated does not detract from the value of the precautions taken. There were no insurances on the buildings destroyed. , They came into the possession of the Government when the block was purchased for Post Office ex- ! tension purposes some time ago, and j within the last two months the policies fell in. i The Chief- Postmaster ( informed us that two or three packages of English parcels were destroyed in the parcels room adjoining the brick building. Otherwise nothing has been lost. All the mail matter removed from the building was re-sorted and ready for delivery at '9 o'clock this morning. A Post reporter made- an excursion through the ruins this morning with Acting-Superintendent O'Brien. It was clear from what was seen that the brigade had a most difficult task. Old rotten timbers and rubbish lay strewn about. In one building a cavity under a staircase was stowed up with rubbish of all descriptions, chiefly paper. The progress of the fire was closely watqhed by the Premier, who, as Post-master-General, was naturally keenly interested in the safety of the Posb Office.

THE FIRE OF 1887,

The fire last night naturally recalls the big Post Office fire oa 27th April, 1887. That firo broke out at 4.40 p.m., and raged until after 7. The flames had got a big hold at the rear of the building before the brigade arrived, and by 5 o'clock the building was well alight. By 5.30 the fire had taken possession of the clock tower, and the whole of the upper floor. The clock, the largest in New Zealand, chimed at 6 o'clock, and ever after held its peace. The fire was got under by 7 o'clock, but by that time the offices, which were three stories high and cost about £30,000, were almost totally destroyed.

INSURANCE MANAGER'S VIEWS

Tho manager of a large fire insurance company expressed an opinion to-day that when fires occurred a far greater amount of security is felt by all concerned if papers and other valuables are stored in some place of safety. This theory is not a new. one, for it is well known the merchant sleeps sounder whea he knows that his papers are behind' fire-proof doors. There are no better fire-resisting safes, and strong-room doors, than those made by Chubb and Son, these doors have been tested in many a fierce fire, and have always stood the test. Gualter Dykes and Co., Fea-therston-street are New Zealand agents. — Advt.