GREAT FIRE IN CAMBRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9308, 11 March 1889, Page 5

GREAT FIRE IN CAMBRIDGE.

[BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENTS. ] Cambridge, Saturday. A fire broke out about four o'clock this morning in Duke-street, Cambridge, and destroyed eighteen buildings on the south side of the street.

It was first observed by Mr. Cussen, brewer, and Mr. Haydon, horse trainer, who intended making an early start for Te Aroha races. Mr. C. L. Hope, licensee of the Masonic Hotel, was also aroused by an unusual glare of light through his window, and on looking out saw flames coming from the roof of Mr. Bates' saddler's shop, although there was 110 appearance of fire inside the building. The fire spread rapidly on each side, and no water supply was available, nor even an axe to be found by the first comers to chop down some of the ■mall wooden shops, and so make a break. The fire simply burnt itself out. Fortunately the wind was light, and was from the north, or the other side of the street, where the principal business premises are, must have gone. As it is, from the Melbourne Drapery Company's shop to Bucklaud's Horse Bazaar, a clean sweep was made of Dae side of the street, containing Keesing's store (unoccupied); Riley, tailor; Ward, chemist ; Bates' saddler's shop and dwell-ing-house ; Mrs. Wyiie's (unoccupied) shop; Sargeant, jeweller ; Kincaid, storekeeper (two shops); Golder, watchmaker ; G. J. heal, storeroom; Bond, stationer and printer ; Pierce, fruiterer; McXeisb, bil-liard-room ; Cox, bootmaker; Mrs. Jackson (unoccupied); Ripley (unoccupied); G. J. Neal, seedsman and agent; Auckland Boiler Mills ; Huge, hairdresser, etc. ; two unoccupied offices and the fine horse bazaar lately occupied by Mr. J. S. Buck\nd.

Fortunately, with the exception of Messrs. Ward and Bates, most of the stocks in the various buildings were saved, many (rilling hands helping. Two female servants at the Masonic Hotel, Ellen and Mary Dillon, displayed great coolness and presence of mind. The roof of the hotel, which is on the opposite side of the street to where the fire was burning, caught in several places, but a fire ladder, brought down by Mr. John Hally, Mr. J. Bull, and Mr. Sargeant, was reared, and Mr. Cracknell, of the Railway Department, and. Mr. Wooster, the wellknown sheep-drover, worked hard, and put out the flames, saving the hotel and the remainder of Duke-street.

Mr. Bond's printing plant was also got out, and fortunately the biggest part of the working stock was in a detached iron building, which resisted the flames.

Hamilton, Saturday. Yesterday morning the acting-mayor, Mr. Knox, telegraphed as follows to the Mayor of Cambridge: — "The people of Hamilton deeply sympathise with Cambridge in its calamity of this morning." A reply later on was received from Mayor Clement; " The people of Cambridge sincerely thank Hamilton for its sympathy." Quite a gloom has been cast over Hamilton to-day by the sad event.

On making inquiries at tho insurance offices, we were informed that there was not io any case any large amount of risks effected on the block. It was a closelybuilt block of wooden buildings of not a high class, and risks were restricted. We we informed that the New Zealand Company had a risk of £400 on three of Mr. yox's buildings, the National had a risk of £250 on a portion of the block, and the South British had also some insurance, but to what extent has not yet been ascertained. The Norwich Union had £200 on ■Bond's Printing Office, and £50 on another on another property. The Victoria had •300 on Mr. Sergeant's.