GREAT FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1194, 9 February 1864, Page 3

GREAT FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

At length, after repeated escapes that should have served as the most potent warnings, Dunedin has been the scene of what may be truly termed a " great " fire ; but which might have been kept within something like moderate limits, had there been a proper supply of water. Now, at least, we presume, steps will be immediately taken to organise a Water Company, and so to take advantage of the six per cent, guarantee which the Government long ago promised to any company prepared to carry out an efficient scheme. The alarm which was pealed forth from the Bell Tower about a quarter after seven o'clock, on the evening of the 2nd February, fell startlingly upon the ear, after a day of excitement in connection witli the Cricket Match between the All England Eleven and Twenty-two of Otago ; and especially was the alarm most ominous, after the two on the previous day. Then, the wind was blowing a gusty gale, but in neither case did the lire gain any head: now, the air was almost perfectly still. Had there been even a moderately strong breeze, it is impossible to guess, even, at what points the fire would have staid, or rather, would have burned itself out. The fire commenced, so far as present information tends to show, somewhere in the rear of the premises of Messrs. G. and 11. llart, general merchants, near the top of Stafford-street, and on the southerly side. But what originated the conflagration cannot he guessed; as the store was closed between twelve and one o'clock, and remained so until after the alarm. The smcke that poured from the premises soon became vovy doneo, showing the rapid progress of the flames; and although, we believe, most of the papers and books were saved subsequently, it was from the first evident that the building was doomed. It was of wood, unfortunately, like nearly every other warehouse in that part of the city. The Fire Brigade were on the spot promptly, with an engine; but there was the old and terrible difficulty as to water; the flames spread mercilessly; and soon they enveloped the building. The other engines and apparatus were brought up at a run by members of the Volunteer Brigade and other volunteers; and there was a praiseworthy willingness to do, and energy in doing, what was possible ! on the part of quite as many men as could usefully work. Adjoining Messrs Hart's premises on the higher side, were those of Messrs. Royse, Mudie and Co,, who carried on an extensive business as merchants, in addition to being agents for the vessels of Messrs. M'Meckan and Blackwood of Melbourne. There was a very heavy stock of goods in their place; and upon its bulk scarcely any impression could be made before the flames had extended to the building. On the lower side of Messrs. Hart's, was the shop of Mr. James Mills, gunmaker, and it was blazing very soon after Messrs. Roy?e, Mudie and Co.'s premises; but what powder there was in the shop had been got awny to a safe distance before this time; and Mrs. Mills and her children were also safely away. The conflagration now looked likely to be terribly destructive; for the stillness of the atmosphere gave place to a slight motion; and while it was impossible to predict from which quarter the breeze would come, it was plain that if it came from the north or east, the whole of the great block bounded by Stafford street, Hope street, Walker street and Princes street must, in all probability, be destroyed. What water could be got was even now useless as an effective check to the flames in any direction, even for a moment; and there was no one at hand to take the responsibility of pulling down a belt of warehouses and other erections, so as to afford a hope that the fire might be circumscribed thereby. Almost at the same moment, the flames extended downwards to the shop of G. I. JMerrie, tailor, and upwards to three small buildings occupied by Mr. W. Lang, restaurant keeper, Mr. Thomas Oakenful, bootmaker, and Mr. James J. Moran, storekeeper. The next places on the lower side that would fall to be destroyed, were the offices of Messrs. Mills, Dick and Co., general printers, and also printers of the ' Evening Star'and ' Daily News;' and the store of Messrs. Tickle and Co. On the upper side, only the store of Mr. Column, grocer, remained between the burning block and Hope-street; and already the extensive bonded store formerly belonging to Mr. Casper, which fronted Hope-street, and extended to a considerable depth, was burning. The wind fortunately did not grow strong, and what there was of it now showed decidedly that it was coming fiom the S.W., and so tending to limit the fire to the buildings named, unless,'indeed, the breadths of Stafford-street and Hope-street could be overleapt. The former had, indeed, been all but passed. The store of Messrs. Youngman and Co., opposite Messrs. Royse, Mudie and Co.'s, smoked freely, as its wooden front dried and scorched in the fierce heat. But the jet from one of the engines was turned upon it, and danger in that quarter was averted. The sight about this time was grandly- terrific. The burning stores contained so tnany highly inflammable compounds—including spirits, and kerosine and other oils, as well as saltpetre and ruscellaneous drysaltries—that the flames were not only constantly shooting up to great heights, always accompanied by an intensified glare, but the compounds lent, rich hues and tints to those greater flames, which made the whole look like sonic Cyclopean pyrotechnic display. And there was more. There was that "awful voice of flame, which generally comes from auv quickly and wellfed conflagration. The whole was a thing to be remembered mournfully. The showers, of not simply sparks, but of burning masses of wood and textile fabrics that fell over Hope street, weie exceedingly unpleasant and dangerous, especially to the poor people whose residences had been destroyed or threatened, and to their bedding or household effects with which those streets were lined. But most happily, the quarter whence the slight wind came gave time—and time only could enable something effectual to be done to check the spread of the fire. Messrs. Mills, Dick, and Co. s offices ignited while the types, presses, &c., were being got out; but, at last, all the arrangements for pulling them down were completed, and out the front was pulled, to the effectual demolition of the whole. The debris was cleared off, and there was room to hope that Messrs. Tickle's place was saved. But still danger threatened in another direction

Mr. Coleman's store was burning more fiercely than any of those already destroyed, and the flames were hissing ami crackling about and from Mr. Casper's in a way that showed that its combustion would be still more vivid and rapid. I3elow this store, and fronting Hope street,were the British Dining Rooms kept by Mr. Hutchinson; the Temperance Dining 'Rooms of Mr. Mo ran; and one or two smaller erections. Backing close against the side of Casper's store, were two rows of cottages belonging to Mr. W. Hooper, to which access was given by right-of-way known as Hooper's Lane. These cottages were in flames, and a group of low shanties and sheds was in danger of catching momentarily. Those sheds and shanties would have carried the flames, on one hand, to some large stores in Stafford street, and on the other (and worse still) to the stables of Messrs. Cole, Hoyt, & Co.. which stretch across almost from Stafford street to Walker street, and which would have served as a conductor of the flames to Messrs. Cargill's stores, and so into the line of Princes street. Then, scarcely a yard of the entire grounil-block within the four street boundaries named, could have been left covered with other than charred ruins.

Mr. Joseph Mills, whom we have on previous occasions had to mention with high praise for his tact and daring in such matters, saw not only the danger but the means of (humanly speaking) averting it. lie represented both to Mr. Cargill; and that gentleman and others desired him to carry out his plan, guaranteeing that he should be held harmless. He almost instantly collected volunteers for the task, and in a short time, five or six erections were levelled with the ground. They included three cottages belonging to Mrs. liearne, one belonging to Mr, Walker, of the Royal Hotel, and one owned by Messrs. Cole, Hoyt and Co. Then an open space was left, and there was hope that the extent of the fire was defined. About the same time, a small cottage which frontea Hope street, and stood on the opposite side of the right-of-way mentioned, waß pulled down, and thus a check was put to the likelihood of the flames rounding the corner into Walker street.

The bonded store spoken of as Casper's was really the property of Mr. W. Pole, who was also the owner of several thousand pounds worth of goods therein. The sale of the store was effected very recently indeed. Another inslance of a similar kind occurred with Messrs. Hart, who, only at the end of last week, bought and paid for the interest of their then partner, Mr. Robinson. Mr. Pole, we regret to hear, has suspended payment and called a meeting of his creditors.

We have been totally unable to arrive at anything like a reliable estimate of the loss caused by the fire. Our commercial column contains a statement that it will not exceed from £40,000 to £50,000. But we were again assured yesterday, that it is not an over-estimate to set down from £80,000 to £90,000 as the value of the stocks in Casper's (or Pole's) stores. It will be a source of great congratulation if the low estimate of the total mentioned above should prove to be correct. We were informed yesterday, at the Custom House, there would be a work of considerable length to go through the books, and to take out the quantities of dry and wet goods there set down as bonded in this store; and, in addition, it may be said that these books might mislead as to the real ownership of large parcels of valuable goods. They are bonded in the names of consignees, who, in many cases may have sold and handed over certificates of the same. It must suffice for the present that there is a large number of merchants interested, and that it is better not to attempt to apportion the loss than to do erroneously. The place was literally filled with goods of a most varied description. They comprised large quantities of sugar, tea, spirits, wine (just landed), hops, clothing. It may, however, with certainty be stated that Messrs. Dalgety, Rattray and Co., having goods in the store to the value of £3000 or £3500, were insured on them for £3000—equally divided between the Lancashire and London, and the Liverpool and London Offices. Messrs. Cargill held about £2000 worth of stock in the place—most of it only bonded a few days ago, and all uninsured. Such will be the story as to by far the larger proportion of the goods; for there was an objection oil the part of several of the agents to listen to a proposal touching goods in any store, free or bond, near the top of Stafford street or Hope street. The close vicinity of cheap lodging houses and the consequent danger has been the primary cause of the objection; but another has been found in the distance from that best source of water supply, the Bay.

The Brilis'n Dining Rooms, Hope street, belonged to Mr. W. Hooper, whose loss amounted to £1200, including cottages; but he was insured for £300 in the New Zealand office. The loss "and insurances of Messrs. Hart were stated about corcectly yesterday. Mr. Mills was insured for -£700 in the New Zealand Office, and it is to be hoped that his loss will not greatly exceed that sum. Messrs. Royse, Mudie and Co. estimate the value of their stock and building at about £3000, which is much less than was feared.' They are insured to the extent of £1200; and of the remainder a considerable portion will not fall upon them but upon shippers of the destroyed goods. There were 300 bags of wheat in the place; the remaining stock being miscellaneous. Messrs. Mills and Dick, ns stated yesterday, saved their type and presses, and they are insured for £1000 by the Mercantile Office. Messrs. Coleman and Co. have an insurance of £1000, for goods in Caspers; and Mr. R. Coleman, grocer, had his buildings insured in the same office for £400. What is the amount of his estimated loss on stock we have not been able to learn: and the same remark applies to Mr. Moran.

As to the amount insured in the different offices, we can spealc with more certainty. The following are the results of enquiry from the agents:—Mercantile, £2400; Liverpool and London, £5000; Royal, £3000; New Zealand, £2000; Otago, under £500; and Australasian (we believe) about £1500. These figures give a total of £14,400; and the fact that it bears so small a proportion to what must be feared is the loss, is unquestionably to be attributed primarily to the disinclination of various offices to grant policies, or their extreme carefulness in doing so, which again must be greatly due to the fact that there is no water supply. From the stated, or from others, it also remains the fact that the following offices are not concerned with the property destroyed:—Northern, Imperial, and Victorian. The cause of the fire remains unknown.