FIRE IN CHAPEL STREET.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 5404, 26 January 1886, Page 2

FIRE IN CHAPEL STREET.

About six o'clock yesterday morning an alarm of fire was raised. The locality proved to be Chapel street, and the building the residence of Mr James O'Brien. It appears that a few buckets of water and a little presence of mind at the time would have smothered the flames and prevented the subsequent loss and damage ; but the hour was early, so that the neighbors and those who were on the alert at the time were taken by surprise. It was fully a quarter of an hour, if not more, before the engine was toilsomely dragged to the fire, very few of those assisting being firemen, though the members of the Brigade were numerous and active enough a few minutes afterwards. By this time rain was falling smartly, and it did not cease until the fire was out ; but as there was a fresh breeze blowing from the' northeast the rain did very little good, unless in the way of preventing the spread of the fire by saturating roofs and shingles. The engine arrived on the ground very soon, but as there was no water to be had the engine was taken alongside the creek at the back of Jones's hotel, from which the water was conveyed by 900 ft of hose to the fire. It was a long distance to pump water, especially when the break at one side or the other was badly manned; but willing hands moved around the old engine and soon had her in working order. Some of the leading citizens in the town could be seen working away like Trojans, red and perspiring, for the work was somewhat severe for those whose vocations are not attended with any physical exercise. But all - grades and classes worked manfully at the engine in forcing water from the creek to the fire. Unhappily, although the men on the brakes worked as hard and steadily as men could, the stream projected seemed to be very inadequate for so much labor. This unsatisfactory feature is attributed to the fact that while the hose is 3Jin. in diameter, the suctioapipe is only 3in. The theory may be sound or not, but the fact remains that the volume of water was somewhat insignificant as compared with what was expected. Hopes >vere at first entertained that the adjoining houses, those of Mr Garth and Mr Helms, would be saved ; but the flames from Mr O'Brien's house were too strong, and the occasional gusts of wind rendered it impossible to prevent the flames driving to leeward. Warned of the danger in time, Mr Garth's household effects were removed into the street. Mr Helmsjp household goods were also to a great extent removed ; but as he had an immense number of botanical and entomological specimens prepared for shipment home, they suffered largely by removal into rain ; and even those that were not removed were deluged with the water played on the roof and gable end of the house. £150 would scarcely cover Mr Helms' loss. At one time it was thought that the row of houses was doomed, but pulling down Mr Garth's house altered the^aspect of affairs for the better, and the fire was happily confined to the two cottages.

The origin of^the fire hag not been satisfactorily explained. It is only known that it occurred in Mr O'Brien's premises, in the scullery ; but otherwise the fire is an enigma. Both cottages were insured in the South British for LIOO each ; but that amount will not more than half cover the loss, which will fall particularly heavy alike on Mr Garth and Mr O'Brien, neither of whom is in a position to make light of so serious a loss. We might mention the names of sever? 1 gentlemen who distinguished themselves by their exertions and pluck in lending assistance at the fire, but there were so many who did all in their power to help that it would seem invidious to make specially mention of one or two.

(See fourth page.