DANNEVIRKE FIRE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10115, 24 October 1917, Page 6

DANNEVIRKE FIRE.

A SCENE OF DESOLATION. EXCITING EXPERIENCES. The desolate scene of the greatest conflagration in Dannevirko’s history was visited yesterday by numbers who came Irora neighbouring town's. Several brick walls, grim survivors ol a once active business centre, swayed with the wind and threatened to totter and (all at any minute, while, smoko ftill issued in. great volumes Lorn, the ruined area. All th’d previous night the (ire light crs had worked amongst the smouldering debris, and dawn saw a tired band of men relieved of their labours, for during the night, a gale had sprung up and the flames had started once mot e, and the firemen were kept hard at work. Alaiiy exciting incidents of (ho lire are told. The maids in .Andrews’ Hotel, where the conflagration had its origin, had difficulty in getting away, so rapid was the progress of the flames. Miss Esther Duley discovered the outbreak, but had to be assisted to a place of safety over the balcony ol the hotel, as other exits were instantly cut oil'. A lady of the D.C.A. staff, who was a. resident'of Andrews’ Hotel, and who was contemplating matrimony, bad a trousseau in preparation and a glory box well filled. She lost nil these- —hut still possesses hoc prospcetivo husband. Messrs McDowell and Power had a most anxious time. Recent additions, had been made to iheir premises and an increase m stock carried, and, as the lire assumed fi ganti'c nroportions, it severely threatened their premises. Stock was hastily removed, but fortunately intervening premises were saved, and with this the firm’s place of business, .Much controversy, says yesterday 3 news, lias raged in the past about insurance rates, how the community, owing to its immunity from five, have been praying' out thousands yearly for nothing, and that Danncvirke has been ba happy hunting ground for the insurance canvasser. Dannevirko Borough, Council have discussed the by pass tit. the reservoir in regard to tire?, the. -Mayor has pegged away at the necessity for a reduction in lire rates, and even offered the Fire Board to get up-to-date appliances if a reduction of rates were agreed to. To show their sincerity Danneyirkc Borough Council, when they realised the danger of fire, forced the building of a benzine bond outside the business area, a fact upon which tln-y must have congratulated themselves yi sturdily. Still the insurance companies were, adamant, and yesterday apparently justified tin an. Though the people have, paid in for years, and (he ■companies have willingly received, their turn has now come to do the paying, and whereas their receipts were comparatively in dribs and drab-, their outgoings will now be eu hundreds of thousands. Just how much they will have to pay is not ascertainable, .nor will it be lor some time until lost policies

arc repliimi and the. risks ferreted out. But it will bo substantial—and those who saw the scene will btVlievb in insurance after tin’s. Some interested are now lamenting the fact that they lot their policies lapse, and, have to bear the brunt of the loss themselves.^ Tit tee men, David Davis, Franck Mitchell, and Jinny Lewis, caught pilfering goods removed from Mr K. K. Prior’s j.teinises, appeared before the Court during the morning. Davis and Mitchell were lined £lO each, in default two months’ imprisonment. and Lewis £5, with the option of a mouth in gaol. Danneviike’s experience on Monday right was novel, and in many respects similar to that of Londoners when their city was firstplunged into darkness. The manager of the gas works cut off the supply to the main diiocilv the fire assumed big dimensions, and in consequence the older method of lighting—the candle~-had to be resorted to. During yesterday afternoon a test was made, of the gas, and the town was expected to be lighted without delay.

(Pas Press Association.) DANNKVIRKE, Oct. 23. The fire ruins am till .'mouldering, but tin to is little fear of a. .ie< i ihlv!. vnee of tin.* outbreak. fl»-p nt.-j previously issued were not exaggerated, and the lorscs are practically itiiposMblo to estimate on the pierlit prices ol slock and cost, of rebuilding. '.I he (l.t'.A. stock wiii vedited at £36,000 cost price, and was insured for £25,000, v.liiio the building also involves a heavy lorn to tho owners. Andrew F Hotel in; valued at £IB.OCO. furniture aiul iluet- at £4500; the building was insured for £7710, and the effects for £3225. The Masonic Hotel building was insured for £2250, and the loss is considerably above- that amount.; the licensee, Mr Buss, estimates the loss above the insurance on stock and eifccts to lie about £2OOO. Mr McCallurn’s (jeweller) total loss is about £1200: B. O. Thomsen, tobacconist, £500; J. T. Klvnn, bootmaker, £600; A. (‘ Webber, bookseller, the building was insured for about £7OO and the stock for £IOOO. and was valued at. £2500. Hose, Ltd., the buildings were valued at about. £2OOO, and were uninsured. das. Neagle, saddler and motor agent, is a heavy loser. Drummond and Dodder, ironmongers, the building was insured for £IOOO, and the stock, valued at £3OOO, was covered by £ISOO insurance. Collett and Son, where stock ami machinery was valued at between £7OOO and £3OOO, are heavy loser,-.. A. 11. [fill, tobacconist, the building wa-s valued at £IOOO and was insured for only £176. Annstrong ami Morrison, the building was valued at £IBOO and instiled for £500; the nock was worth £6500, and wa-s insured lor £3500. L. B. Bartlett, bootmaker. Hie ..lock valued at £2OOO, was insured for £575, Charles Clarke’s (butcher) loss i.s about £BOO. J. P. Kiiglebretson's (draper) stock was insured lor £BOO, and was valued at £5500. and he aim lost personal efiecis to the value of £2OO. Them are the principal loser.-:, but many lucre smaller semi make up a Tornildabiv list. Many messages ot fvmpathv have been received by the. sufierets, many of whom are. making temporary arrangement;, to carry on.