FIRE IN QUAY-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11854, 4 January 1902, Page 5

FIRE IN QUAY-STREET.

Shortly before nine o'clock last evening Mr. Thomas Carle, night watchman for .the Northern Steamship Company, noticed smoke issuing from a two-storeyed building at the approach to the Railway: Wharf, occupied partly", by Mr. J. Reid, boatbuilder, and partly by ■ Mr. ; James D.; Goss ;■: as a fish market. He at once gave the : alarm by telephone, and in a few minutes the fire brigade, under Superintendent Woollcy, w,ere on;,the scene and streams of water were ■brought to/ play on the building,, which was a mass of .flames. The fire appeared to be confined to the upper portion of the building occupied by Mr. Reid as a factory. Captain Field and the salvage corps were also in attendance and were instrumental in saving several boats from the workshop, also some carts and harness from the premises of Mr. Joss. The building,which was a very old one, built of timber and roofed with iron, was formerly occupied by the Premier Joinery Company. '[■■ Not before the; building was practically gutted were the flames extinguished, and the firemen were in some danger from falling pieces of wood and iron. The ketch Saucy Kate, which was moored alongside the breastwork immediately beneath the burning building, was in some danger, as the crew were unable to work her out, the tide having left her resting on the mud bottom. However, the brigade poured water on her decks and canvas, and she suffered no damage beyond a slightly burnt mainsail. Sergeant Hendry, who was present with a.number of constables, also rendered assistance, and despatched a man to the residence of Mr. Reid at Northcote in order to acquaint him of the occurrence. Mr. Joss, who rented a portion of the building from Mr. Reid, saved all his gear and a few pounds will cover his loss. He was uninsured. An employee of his locked up at five o'clock last evening, and no fire had been lit in his premises since New Year's Day. Mr. Reid, ou ; arrival, stated that the. building, stock, plant, and fittings were all covered under a policy for £300 in the Royal Insurance Company, but he was unable at the time to apportion the amounts. He states that he purchased the building outright from the Harbour Board, and thinks that in view of the fact that a large quantity of his property* has been saved, also a yacht which was Hearing completion on the stocks, his loss will be fully covered. He can in no way account for the origin of the fire, and stated that when he locked up last evening everything was apparently secure. ' ■•"