FIRE AT INVERCARGILL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6978, 4 October 1884, Page 4

FIRE AT INVERCARGILL.

[BY TELEGRAPH.! . Invbroabgill, Friday. At 6 o'clock yesterday morning the constable on duty in Dee-street found D. Smith's drapery establishment on fire. The fire brigade was soon on the ground, but nothing could be done to prevent the destruction of the buildings, which were of brick. The shop of James Craig, watchmaker, on the south side,- was in great danger, and so was Sloan's Theatre, adjoining, punning's Opera Company removed their [properties, and then rendered valuable assistance in pumping and saving property. As it is the theatre is somewhat damaged. Adjoining Smith's shop on the north side was the boot warehouse of R.- Sloan and Sons, and this soon caught. Between this and the next building, occupied by Reid and Ferguson, watchmakers, was an iron wall, and for a long time the brigade kept the flames from -getting beyond this. At 9 o'clock, however, . when everybody thought aIL was safe, the water was exhausted, and the near end of Ferguson's place took -fire in several places and spread from there to that of Ross (fruiterer)i 'YR., Cleve (seedsman),, and Cowper and Wilson (ironmongers). All these plSt3e"^?were burned down, but before this agood deal of stock was get out. The Prince of Wales Hotel, which

is separated from Cowper and Walson's by a right-of-way, was in great danger, and waa only saved owing to the brick wall ereoted. between it and the burning /shop. Had the hotel caught the block might have been swept away to Spey- ; street, and great loss occasioned, j Nothing is known as to the ; origin of the fire. The insurances are as follows :— Craig's stock (slightly damaged by water), £1300 in the National office, W. Smith's stock, £2,000, divided as follows — New Zealand, £500; Royal, £750; Northern, £250; Australian Mercantile Union, £500 (half re-insured). Smith's shop (owned by Sloan) and Sloan's warehouse were insured for £650 in the Norwich Onion, and for £500 in the Equitable ; Sloan's stock, £1000 in the Colonial (£750 re-insured), £500 in the South British, £500 in lhe Liverpool London and Globe, and £500 in tbe Eoyal (partly re-insured} ; Sloan also had a lot of stock over Craig's shop ; it was damaged by water, and is insured for £1000 in the Liverpool London and Globe. Beid and Ferguson's stock, £1000 in Equitable, and on the stock and fittings £500 in the North British. P. Ross had his building insured for £150 in the North British, and for £500 in the Royal. Cleeve's premises, £200 in Equitable, and £100 with the HamburghMagdeburgh ; Cleeve's stock, £500 in Colo nial. office. Cowper and Wilson's shop, £250 in Australian Mercantile Union, £400 in Royal, £500 in United; stook, £500 in South British, £500 in Equitable, £500 in Standard, £1000 in Australian Mercantile Union, |and £250 on fixtures in same office. Cowper and Wilson's brick store (not damaged by water) is insured for £1000 in tho South British and £500 in the Northern, and tho stock for £500 in the Northern, £1000 in iho Standard, £500 in the HamburghMagdeburgh, and £1000 in the United. The total insurance amounts to £18,650. The second outbreak could easily have been prevented if anything like an adequate water supply had been available.