THE LATE FIRE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3308, 25 March 1879, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE.

. <». FDETHER PARTICULARS. Smith and Barkley had over LII,OOO worth of property in the front shop, the whole of which suffered from hasty removal and wet to full 75 per cent. The stock in the back premises did not suffer. The National Bank was completely gutted but the securities and books were saved, the furniture and stationery destroyed. The fire was arrested here no doubt by the iron parting wall between it and the Union. Mr Badger is a heavy loser, and it is to be regretted that his insurance policy for L4OO expired about a month ago and was not renewed. ORIGIN OP THE FIRE. Two suppositions are entertained — one that it originated in the stationery room which abutted upon the kitchen chimney, which, as may even now be seen, has been built of very inferior material, the mortar in places having dropped out of seams and left a £(ap into or out of the chimney ; the other is that by some accident it commenced in the manager's room. It is stated that the manager had been writing letters by the overland mail, and it was -while he was away at the Post Office that the fire was first discovered and the alarm given. After the heat from the embers had sufficiently subsided yesterday morning to enable an examination of the premises to be made, it was found that one of the safes had been left open, the keys having been left in it, indicating that the manager could not have been absent for any considerable time. There were five safes in the building supposed to be fireproof, all of the same make (Tanns), and each of them, by the appearance of its contents when opened, showed how little reliance is to be placed on safes of this class. It may, however, be mentioned that one o? the safes had gone through the purgatory of fire on the occasion of the great fire in 1869. The notes of other banks, which had not been exchanged, were saved, they being in the teller's safe, which suffered the least ; but all the bank's own notes in hand are destroyed ; but this will not entail any loss of moment to the bank. The gold and silver coin left in the safes of course bear marks of the action of fire, bui it is not supposed there will be any loss in this regard. The stock of Messrs Forsyth and Masters sustained great damage from exposure to the rain, especially in the case of sewing machines and articles of cutlery, plate, &c. ; and the firm estimates thair loss at quite LIOOO. The Union Back, having secured accommodation in the premises of Mr Morris L.tvy, Mackay street, will continue to cr.riry on its business there. . The National Bank has taken tempocarily the vacant premises adjoining

Messr3 Smith and Barkley's establishment. The loss of this bank ie : we aw . informed, about equal to the insuranO3. In the necessarily hurried account of the fire which appeared ia our columns yesterday, many circumstances in connection with the- event were left unnoted, but we may take thi3 opportunity of congratulating the Fire Brigade upon the manner in which its operations were performed. Mr C. Holder proved himself an admirable captaiu, giving his orders in a quick, decisive manner a. every point, and it is fair to say that tha members of the Brigade steadily obeyed instructions. There wa3 plenty of personal courage displayed, and it is satisfactory to learn that no injuries of a serious character have been sustained by any member of the Brigade, although in several instances the firemen were in positions of considerable peril. Some incidents are worth noticing. Whilst the fire was raging in the Union Bank premises, occasional reports were heard which if, has been ascertained were occasioned by the explosion of several loaded revolvers kept on the premises. What became of the bulieis ia unknown ; it is pleasant to know, however, that they hit nobody. Pumping is not easy work, and ia apt to make men thirsty, and probably it was a. good deal owing to the absence of refreshment in the shap9 of beer that caused a difficulty at times in keeeping up the pumping power. Mr D. Sheedy, however, came to the rescue, and, we believe, was the only publican who did so, in supplying beer ad lib to all who were working at the fire. The following is a list of the insurances : — INSURANCES. Bank of Australasia— L4oo, Imperial. Badger — Nothing. Union Bank— L6oo, Union ; LSOO, Standard ; L2OO, New Zealand, National Bank — Building, L 275, furniture, L 25, National ; building, L 125, Standard; stationery, L2OO, Standard; manager's furniture, L3OO, South British. Smith and Barkley-rStock: L 550, New Zealand ; LSOO, Victoria ; L2OO, South British ; L4OO, Standard ; L3OO, Union ; LSOO, Phoenix ; L7OO, Imperial ; LIOOO, Trans-Atlantic; L 250, Northern. Forsyth and Masters— Stock :L250, National ; LSOO, New Zealand ; LSOO, Standard ; LSOO, Victoria ; L 750, South British ; L 750, Imperial. Total— Llo,27s.