FIRES AT COROMANDEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5395, 3 March 1879, Page 5

FIRES AT COROMANDEL.

About 10 o'clock on Thursday niglit (February 27) the residents near the hospital were startled to see a broad glare of fire illuminating l the landscape, which quickly proved to be the house of our worthy clerk of the B.M. Court, Mr. J. M. Clark, on fire. It was found utterly impossible to save anything except a few trifles lying about outside. Fortunately there was no wind, or the hospital, closely adjoining, and other houses in the neighbourhood, would most likely have caught. The hospital was in great danger daring the height of the blaze, but afew willing ilanda got on the top, and others passed buckets of water up and kept the roof and sides saturated. The fire burned rapidly. Had the people been aßleep in the house it would have hardly been possible for them to jiave escaped. In less than half-an-hour trom its first catching fire the house was a smouldering ruin. It appears the_ fire occurred in this way : Mr. Clark was engaged teasiag some tow for a mattress, and passed

into an adjoining room for a.further supply. On returning he found the other room all ablaze, probably caused by the draught bringing some of the flax in eontact with the candle. In endeavouring to put it out, Mr. Clark was badly burned and singed about the head and hands, and had to fly, unable to save a single article. The loss is very heavy. There was a large number of valuable books, a gold watch and chain, and many curious and valuable articles consumed. . There was no insurance on anything. At 4 o'clock this morning (Friday) there was another fire, in a cottage belonging to Mr. Cadman, tiuibar merchaut. It appears to have occurred in a most singular manner. The occupants, Mr. Spence and family, had not seen the first fire, but after going to bed, Spence says he dreamed that the mill was on fire, and so vivid was the dream that he got up about 2 o'clock and went to look at the mill, but finding it all right, came back and went to bed again. Two hours after, his wife roused him, saying the place was on fire. They had barely time to get out, aud nothing was saved. It is just possible that Spence, in his half-sleepy state, did something which caused the fire, but the coincidence is very singular. The bouse was not insured.—[Own Correspondent.]