FIRE IN SHORT-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1313, 31 January 1868, Page 3

FIRE IN SHORT-STREET.

A fire broke oui in Short-street, off Eden-street, at about twenty minutes to two o'clock this morning, which, but for the promptitude with which its progress was arrested and the direction of the wind, would certainly have resulted in immense destruction of property and consequent loes. The fire originated in the general store of Air. Kobe:t Strong, situate en the west side of Short-stroer. just below P&ltner's iloyul Hotel, nna partially from the surrounding buildings, which are very clo9<; and numerous in this locality and of wood. JSr. strong eaye that he was Bleeping in a. bed-room on the first floor with his wife and two children, when ho wue awoke by a suffocatins; eensation, and alarmed at seeing tho glare of flames through the open bedroom door. Hβ immediately awoko his wife and family and they removed the children, and euch small articles as they could conveniently curry, to a safe distnnce. The fire at this time was burning fiercely on the northern side of the chimney on the ground floor, and in a few minutes tho whole building wns in flnmer , , rendering it impossible to save anything. At this time constable Gramble and Mr. Haughton arrived on the spot, and a boatman nsmed Connell, and these, with the assistance of the neighbours,endeavoured to save the furniture and effects from tho houses contiguous on the north side. Messrs. Isaacs and .•. sher of the fire brigade, Mr. H. Paine and several other gentlomen had by this time arrived, and a fence running from the burning building parallel wiih the street towards Palmer's Hotel, and along which the fire was rapidly communicating itself, was knocked down and removed out of the way. But danger by this time had arisen from another quarter. The wind blew from the northward, carrying the flames and volumes of sparks and blazing fragments upon the roof and sides of Palmer's Hotel. The roof of a email raised balcony at tho back of this place had already caught fire, and tho flamuj -ere V.i, rating up just over Jhe eittinfit-ro'Ui window, when Mr. H. Paine, bud a gentlenu , * connected with this office, climbed u:i over a pile of wood, and one of them eucocck'd ja partially smothering tho flumes with \he .Ju o<* ;i Ihick coat, which fortunately hung near, while the other turned his attention to another spot which had alcso by this time caught. Very promptly, Mr. Naughton and the officers of the Fire Brigade, with Mr. Hurst and the Bev. Mr. Lioyi], procured buckets of xtattst, with v>hkV; f!>e fim in >(.i..c epot was extinguisher!. uril as tba cr-'lier l'.-.:k'v.r.'- had by this time bov-.i iioarly burnt, all tfai.gir sras at an end. Had P&mn'a hotel once caught, i; is imposuibln to say where the conflagration would have Btopped. Mr. Strong's house was insured in the Imperial for £300, the stock for £15O V and the furniture for £100. Nothing was saved. Great credit is due to the several parties who bo promptly arrived and prevonted the spread of tho fire, and especially to Mr. H. Paine for Mb exertions in saving the ttoyal Hotel. j