THE LATE FIRE AT GISBORNE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5324, 7 March 1879, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE AT GISBORNE.

The wreck and debris of a large fire on the north side of the Gladstone-road had scarcely been cleared away, when another, not so destructive or serious, has occurred on the south side of the same street, in a block generally termed Stevenson's block. At five o'clock this morning, shortly after dawn had broken, the night watchman, Mr Byrne, discovered a fire in the premises of Mr Dugleaux, baker. Au instant alarm was given, the fire-bell, tolled out its warning notes, and in a few minutes a large number of persons were gathered on the spot, and, to the great credit of the members of the Fire Brigade, and all present, prompt assistance was rendered in removing goods, furniture, and the general contents of the premises on fire, and the premises which adjoined them. A bucket of water at command might have extinguished the flame in its infancy ; but there was no water at command, and in less than half an hour the fire had communicated to the shop of Mr Smith, shoemaker ; from thence to the dress-making establishment of the Misses gchuite } from thence to Mr Sam Steven-

eon's store ; and from thence to Mr Nasmith's jeweller's shop. Here the further progress of the fire was Btayed by a wide vacant gap between Mr Nasmith's shop and the Standard printing office. Between Mr Dugleaux's shop and Mj Townley's a wide street intervened. I n : front was the road ; at the rear were the\ s yards of the burning buildings, so that ■ the fire was confined to a block consisting of five shops. There was fortunately very little wind blowing at the time, and although all precautions on the other side of the road were employed to keen the roofs and front walls of the buildings drenched with water, at no time can it be said there was any danger of the fire extending beyond the block in which the fire originated. The stock-in-trade of the burnt buildings was all, or nearly all saved, and although all the occupants will be losers, it will not be to a ruinous extent, as the . buildings and stock-in-trade were tolerably well insured. :

The fire originated in .Dugleaux's, and is accounted for by the following explanation :— Mr Dugleaux has two ovens. One is in the building which has been destroyed. The other is about a quarter of . a mile along the Gladstone-road. Mr Dugleaux had risen about 4 o'clock ia the morning, and had lighted his oven. He then left it, and went to the oven higher up the street. It was while was engaged there he heard an alarm of fire. He hastened down the street to find hia premises in flames. Mrs Dugleaux was in bed, and had no time to dress. She, quickly folding herself in a waterproof cloak, rushed out of the house, and escaped uninjured, but greatly terrified. Mr Dugleaux states that among his losses were notes to th& value of £50. Some of the stock was saved, but very little furniture. The 1 building was one of those owned by Mr Walsh, dairyman, as also, those of Mr Smith and the Misse* Sehultz. These buildings stand insured for £450; namely, £150, Standard, Mr H. ft Webb, agent; £200, Norwich Union, Mr Fl J. Piesse y agent; £100 in Mr" Adams- ■ agent. Mr Dugleaux, stock was instttfedim the New Zealand for £100, Mr A<^aar, agent. The Misses Schultz's stock was ito* aured in the .Standard for £250. Mr Smith's stock was insured for £100 in the Hawke's Bay Insurance Company, Messrs . Ferris and Pitt, agents. Mr Sam Stevenson's two buildings, his own store and Mr Nasmith's shop, were insured for £200 in ' the Norwich Union, and his stock for '.':'■ £1000— of which £500 was covered by the l National, Messrs Graham and . Co., .', agents, and £500 in the Union, -if Jessrs Graham and Co., agents. The whjple of the burnt- out will be losers to a greater or lesser extent. Within three hours after . the fire there was not a bit of burning -4$ ash to be seen, the site of the fire having , been covered with sand. — Herald. ■