FIRE IN NELSON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue IV, 28 August 1867, Page 7

FIRE IN NELSON.

SIX BUILDINGS DESTROYED.

ESTIMATED LOSS, £11,000. (From the Colonist.)

SHOBTiT before nix o'clock on "Wednesday morning, Augußfc 14, fire was discovered in the store of Ml. Thomas Askew, Bridge street. Mrs. Askew, whose husband is from home, first observed the first observed the fire, and her cries alarmed Mr. James Wilkie, who generally sleeps on his father's premises adjoining. He attempted to extinguish the fire, which wbb. then confined to a small office behind Mr. Askew's .front shop. Here it is believed a candle had unwisely been left burning, and which, burning to the socket, had probably ignited some loose papers in tho narrow and confined room, and the fire rapidly spread. A high fence of corrugated iron, and the total absence of assistance to supply him with water, prevented Mr. Wilkie from succeeding in hiß efforts, and after throwing a few bucketfuls of water through the window without staying the fire, he desisted and ran to the fire bell and rang a hasly peal, and then haßttned back to save what he could ia bis own store. He had in his attempts to put out tho lire in Mr. Askew's store Bomewhat severely scotched his arm. The alarm was quickly after taken up by Mr. Bettß, who rather heroically stood upon the scaffolding in the cold morning air with only a single under-gar-ment on. The small firo engine was brought out by the few persons who wore early on tho ground, but in consequence of the absence of branch pipes, its services were not then brought into action. Meanwhile the alarm spread, and so did the fire, and in consequence of aomo hitch in tho removal of the large engine from the shed at the Government buildings, it did not arrive .on the ground until Mr. Askew's house was one mass of flumes and nearly consumed, and Mr. Wilkie's buildings hopelessly on firo. During all this time a large orowd had assembled, and the Fire Brigado were busily playing on Mr. Hornby's dwelling and store, and also on Mr. Davis's building next to Mr. Askew's, used as a warehouse, and running back a considerable distance, filled with goods, and leading to an iron bonded store, in which a largo quantity of spirits was deposited. This bond waa speedily emptied of its contents, as a precautionary measure j and finding that it was impossible to save either Mr. Davis's front store or Mr. Hornby's building, several gentlemen busied themselves with the back premises between Mr. Hornby's and the Wakatu Hotel, so as if poseible to save tho bonded store and othor buildings, and also the hotel, as there were great fears, should it ignite, that it-would be very difficult to Bave some of the opposite corners ins'Xrafalgar street. Fortunately, this was successful, and the firo was stopped liero by the oid of the fir© engines, both of which were put in working order on the arrival of (he Brigade. Now Mr. Wilkie's buildings, which consisted of a double Bhop and two storied store behind, were a mass of flame, which speedily caught the adjoining building, about sixteen feet off, occupied by Mr. Black, baker. It was impossible for the strongest efforts of the Fire Brigade to prevent the destruction of this building, as the enormous flames which rose from tho adjoining store were driven with great force towards the house, and it was quickly in a blaze. Thore wa9 nothing for it but to remove an adjacent building, in the hope that the progress of the fire might be stayed; and while the attention of -the Brigade was devoted mainly to Mr. Black's premises, Mr. H. Curtie, agent for the New Zealand Insurance Company, took upon himself the onus of ordering the uninsured shop and premises of Mr. Taylor, cutler, to be pulled down. This was accordingly done in a very brief space of time, and with an ultimate aucceßs which no one who witnessed the power of the fire and and the force and effect of the wind had dared to hope for. By this prompt action it is probable that the further loss of about £15,000 wns prevented to the general wealth of tho country, and about £10,000 saved to tho insurance offices. But there was still arduous work before the Fire Brigade and they did it well notwithstanding a scarcity of water, owing to the fact of the pipe in Nile-street leading to the Trafalgar-street culvert being partly choked with roots of trees which had insinuated themselves into the running water in the pipes, and thus partly filling them and diverting the supply. The long hooks of the Fire Brigade were of great service in pulling and pushing the burning timbers of Mr. Black's buildings within the fire's own limits ; and the men of the Brigade who had the management of the branch pipe (the direction pipe of the hose) acted here with great gallantry. They approached within a foot of the blazing house under cover of wet blankets, which had to bo repeatedly saturated during the operation, and played with great effeot on the Otago Dining Roomß, whioh had oaught fire on the roof and the walls, and at one time was giron up for lost. We are informed by one of the Fire Brigade of one feat of brave endurance by Mr. Brown, photographer who, in the midst of a great heat, and all but stifling smoke, climbed up the roof of this buildiner, and arranging with a gang to supply him with buckets of water, and there perched behind a chimney, he maintained his position for about twenty minutes, refusing to come down, although frequently entreated to do so. He saw how neceassary it was to keep the roof well waterod, and his endeavours were the theme of praise by al who saw them. The fire penetrated insidel the upper storey of the house, and somo of tho Brigade got in at the window, and, with the hose of the little engine, drowned it out; the other engine doing tho same with the exterior of the building. People were busy during all this time at tho buildings on the opposite Bide of Bridge-street, especially Mr. Davis's large warehouse, Mr. Tingle's shop, and the premises of Messrs. Lucas and Son, all of which were in imminent danger; tho fervoncy of the heat from the other Bide blistering the wooden walls, cracking the p'ate glass, and rendering the shingles of the roof as dry and inflammable as tinder. By dint of great exertions, and a plentiful supply of water, wet blankets, and a timely application of the engine, ordered by Captain Knight at the suggestion of Mr. Treasurer Sharp, these were saved, and beyond a loss of plate glass and other surface damage, no great loss accrued on that side. But a moro imminont danger was escaped and does not seem to be generally known of, for it has not been pvblicly mentioned. While tho attention of most people was attracted to the immediate neighbourhood of the firo, Mr. Crisp observed some smoke coming from the roof of one of Messrs Edward's bonded-stores, about 80 or 100 yards further down the street, adjoining Mr. Henry Honnsall's premises. Mr. Crisp and hit son, obtained a ladder and blankets, and on mounting the roof, found that some flakes of fire had been blown down by the wind, and seemed in the air like birds of flame, had lodged on tlie store, and also "on the shingled roof of Mr. Hounsell's two storied building, which with his adjoining store, covered a stock of between £4000 and £5000. Tho discovery was most timely, for the fire had penetrated Mr. Hounßell's roof, and the flame was already " licking the interior rafter. By tho prompt application of water the fire was stopped. Had it it continued ten minutes longer unobserved, the entire block would most likely havei gone with tho rest, for the fire at the upper end required such tonstant attention from the Fire Brigade, that the engines could hardly have been able to perform the necessary work at both placoa, for, when the discovery at the Bond and Mr. Hounsell'a waa made, the fire above had not yet reached its height. It wa ß a most satisfactory thing that the Wakatu Hotel was saved, for, though it is an old ugly and tolerably well used-up building, whose absence would bo great gain, yet, had it caught fire, the chances are, with the wind blowing so strongly as it was, that "we should have had a repetition of the painful scene of 7th August, ISC6, just a year ago, and have seen four street corners at once in a blaze. Providentially thin was prevented. Mr. Askew lost everything. His books and papers were in the safes, both Tann's and these on being forced open wore found to have done *keir work. The total damage is estimated at from £10,000 to £11,000, of -which, as above, £8000 is covered by iiißurance. _ ~ The loss falling on the various Insurance Companies may be stated aa follows Liverpool and London New Zealand ... _ Liverpool and Lancashire ... J°oo Victorian Otago 600 * Imperial 1000 Total * 800 °