BIS FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 120, 31 May 1901, Page 2

BIS FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, last night. The most extensive fire that has occurred in Wellington since 18S7 broke out on Mount Vicfo: la, in the neighbourhood of Oriental V- y, this morning, and destroyed virtun' 1 ';, the whole residential block fronting ilawker, Shannon, and Moeller-streets, besides' all but two or three houses on the east side of Shannonstreet, and also on the west side of Hawkerlstreet.

Twenty-three houses in all were burnt, covering an area of between two and three acres. : *

Amongst them were those of Messrs Devine, solicitor ; Rowe, Public Librarian ; Freyberg, timber expert ; Rev. F; Hales (Church of Christ) ; and Darroch, schoolmaster.

Mr. Rowe also lost his private library of 1500 volumes, valued at £I3OO.

The house of Mr Grundy, schoolmaster, was the. only one saved out of the main block, and this is in a ruined condition. The inmates of the houses lost practically everything. The buildings destroyed by fire were the residences of C. H. Radcliffe, and Revs. J. Freyberg, T. W. Rowe, R. Daddoch, Captain Westrupp, Mrs H. Ross, Dix, Herbert, Dix, Freeman, J. J. Devine, Hargreaves, Collis,-- Petherick (2), N. Fraser, F. Cooper, G. Snadden, W. Dutch, B. Meyer, Hughos, Clifford, Rev. F. Hales, and Mr Gifford.

The total insurances amount to £14,185, divided as follows :—Royal .£2,675, South British £1,600, CommercialjUnion £1,500, Phoenix £1,400, New Zealand £1,300, Liverpool and London and Globe £1,200, Manchester £BBO, Alliance £750, Imperial £SOO, Victorian £4OO, Standard £3BO, National £l5O, North Queensland £l5O, Sun £IOO, Australian Alliance £SO. Later.—The amended insurances total £15,860. The Royal has > £3,500, Commercial Union, £2,100, Phcenix £1,480, New Zealand £1,500, Manchester £9OO.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRE. SEVERE LOSSES. THE PEOPLE PANIC-STRICKEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Wellington, last night. During the progress of this morning’s fire the sight was truly magnificent. Huge columns of flame shot up into the sky, and borne along by the gale swept in a resistless volume' along their course of destruction, while millions of sparks and burning fragments formed a pyrotechnic display of a wonderfully effective description. The scene was particularly impressive when viewed from a distance. The flames spread with such extraordinary rapidity that the people living in the neighborhood were panic-stricken, and in nearly every instance the destruction of their homes involved the loss of the whole of the furniture and personal belongings. The scene of the fire being on the higher levels, the brigades men were practically impotent, the pressure of water available being only sufficient to throw a jet of water for about twenty feet. Still' they worked away doggedly for hours under these depressing conditions, and finally succeeded in checking the further spread of the flames. For about three hours, however, the fire was completely beyond control. Mr Devine lost a very valuable library, as did Mr Gifford and Mr Hales. The greatest loss in this direction, however, was that suffered by Mr Rowe, chief librarian of the public library, Mr Rowe had been a book collector for years, and had a library of over five thousand volumes, valued at LI4OO. This was one of the finest public libraries in New Zealand, and comprised many rare and valuable books. His collection of poetry t and drama, and especially of English poetry and drama, was unique, there being nearly 1300 volumes under those headings. Nothing was saved from this house but scanty articles of clothing which the inmates wore when driven out by the flames.