THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 143, 17 June 1879, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON FIRE.

Wellington, Monday evening. It is generally agreed that the fire originated in the dome of the Imperial Opera House. Several men belonging to the Theatre endeavored to put the fire out with the hoses on the premises, of which there were several, bat the force of water was very feeble. Had a good stream been played on the fire from the inside it might have been checked. It was burning some time before the alarm was raised, but the men inside were unable to cope with it, and it spread with great rapidity. When the Brigades came up they got the hose on the top of the building, but soon had to get away, the flames overpowering everything. The weakness of the flow of water here was felt a great drawback. When once the Opera was blazing it sent a sheet of flame into the sky that made the glare distinguishable for 30 miles round. The flames soon leaped across Manners street, and in a few minutes the Methodist Church, school-house, and half-a-dozen shops were blazing. The Bank of New Zealand was close to the Opera House, but being of brick and concrete it might have escaped but for the ornamental wood coping round it, by which means the fire penetrated to the building, and soon all the inside was on fire. It was thought for a long time that the Royal Oak Hotel was in no danger, and the people did not move anything bafc the wind being in that direction carried such a rain of sparks and so much heat that those endeavoring to save it with a small hose had to leave it to its fate. As soon as the Wesleyan Church was on fire it was seen that the Nag's Head must go, and 22 horses were got out of the stables very sharply by volunteers. There was now great danger of Te Aro House catching, which, if it was the case, muat inevitably have carried the fire on up Cuba-street, and the result must have been appalling, but all of Smith's shopmen and others manned the top of the building with bales of blankets, and kept these constantly wet. The workers were also obliged to roll themselves in wet blankets to enable them to face the blistering heat and fiery shower that came from the other side of the street. So terrible was the heat sometimes that all had to retire for a few moments. This was the critical point in the fire, and it was only the gallant work done on the house-top that saved Cuba-street The Brigades worked magnificently. Eddie and Jack lost nearly their whole stock, buc were heavily insured, the building for £1850, and the stock for £600. Mrs Eddie, who for the past twelve months kept a little fruit shop, was uninsured, and estimates her loss at £200. Scott, ironmonger, estimates bis loss of stock at £1200. He was insured for £800. He had 50 basbies and a number of guns, which were saved. Cameron caved the whole of bis stock, but it was considerably injured in removal. Rickman's boot and shoe shop contained a large stock worth £800. It was partly covered by insurance, and the bulk of it was saved. Simeon saved nearly - the whole of {his stock. He had only been in the Manners-street shop a week. •; The Wesleyan Church was built about six years ago at a cost of £4000. Its present value was estimated at £6000. It was insured for £2000. Some of Engleman's stock was removed into the Bank, but as that building was shortly after in flames, the goods were destroyed John Hogarth's timber yard at the back of the Opera Hoiise was jnsnred, and fcia estimated losa is jßipo

The Naval Brigade did good service in saving property. Mr Gorman, the acting custodian of the Opera House, in endeavoring to save the Company's property and piano and wardrobe, neglected his own household goods, and lost them all, as well as £35 in notes. Joyce, the stage manager of Hiscock, Hayman, and Co., had a narrow escape of his life, having once been nearly suffocated with smoke. Miss Beatrice lo3t several pieces of valuable jewellery. In battling to save Smith's Te Aro House every blanket in the shop wa9 used. The goods in the shop were almost uninjured, the furniture upstairs, however, was entirely ruined. The Imperial Opera House was insured in the New Zealand and South British for £7000. The building was only opeiied iv May last year, its total cost, irrespective of land, being £10,459, made up as follows:— Cost of building £7,732, stage fittings £753, decoration and scenery £790, gas fittings £500, stall and house fittings and furniture £773. TBe branch Bank of New Zealand was uninsured, although there was an insurance formerly upon the building. It is computed that about 12,000 or 13,000 spectators witnessed the fire, many coming in from the Hutt and Petone. For a considerable distance the surroundiug hills were lit up almost as bright as day. There were several narrow escapes from falling chimneys.