SERIOUS FIRE AT MORVEN.

North Otago Times, 6 December 1910, Page 4

SERIOUS FIRE AT MORVEN.

'.TWO, SHOPS! AND RESIDENCES " DBSTHOYBD.

(Special .'to the. Timaru Post,)

• ' • Waimate, December 5. The. most disastrous fire' ever ex--I'eriencofi in township of curred yesterday jriorningi about 8.30. When the lire was discovered it had a strong hold of the.'drapery, 'depigment of Mr J, Mid'dleljroob's erap/jrilim. Mr ■ Mrddlebrookand! family, who lived on the" premises, s<ion realised that it was .useless f urthfer. trying to extinguish the flames, which were fanned by a strong!northeast breeze. Willing Assistance was forthcoming, but there was 110 waVer supply, and before an hour elapsed not only was Mr Micldlebrook's iv blaze from all 'quarters, 'hut the twostoried premises of Messrs Blair Bros.' butcher's shop and grain stores were on fire. The fire had started ■in the southernmost portion of the block, and rapidly ate its way up against the breeze from both residences. The greater portion of the household furniture was removed, 'but the stock perished, with the exception of Borne bags of crushed oats. The fire made a complete clearance of the two, large buildings, including, Blair Bros.' seed-cleaning mill,.'■ and only the. shads at the back were left standing. However, the bakery premises, foimeriy occupied (by Mr Nichol, and recently taken over by Blair Bros., were saved. It is considered that if the wind had veered round during the progress of the fire nothing codld have saved the other buildings contiguous on the northern si de, inclu'd'i n g Messrs M ancuester Bros.' The origin of the fire cannot be accounted lor. Mr Middlebrook is a heavy loser. He carriedj .a big stock, and had just taken delivery of a largq consignment, only. part of which had been unpacked. This consignment was entirely uninsured. Mr Middlebrook's safe, containing the record of his book 'debts and takings failed to, stand the test when opened at about 5 o'clock, and the contents blazed up, completely destroying any chance of making out the figures. The buildings all belonged to Mr James Meehan, MaMkihi, who car-; ricd on a 'business. in Morven till about eight years ago. The [buildings were insured, also the whole of Mr Blair's stock, as well us the other portion of Mr Middlebrook's, but the amounts are not yet known,