FIRES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 5

FIRES.

OUTBREAK I.V WILLIS STREET. PROM EVENT .BUSINESS PLACES DESTROYED. A fire, which caused consideraole loss, occurred at an early hour yesterday

morning. Shortly before five o'cloci a column of smoke was seen issuing fron the roof of (ho building occupied bj' lb. Singer Sewing .Machine Company ii V.’illis street, and the alarm was giver lo the Municipal Eire Brigade, which under Superintendent Hugo, turned out smartly. By the time the hrigadesmei: arrived on the scent; the fire had gainer

a, held on tho top doors of tho premise of fhe .Singer Company and Messr: '.Vrigglesworth and Bnuis. Indeed, h

was difficult to toll then on which building it had (lie stronger hold. Fortunately, a plentiful supply of water war .-.viiiluhie, but even with this advantage.

j couplc-tl with the fact- that the morning was perfectly calm, the briga lesmen I had to exert all their energies too keep j the flames in check. It was soon evident that the buildings; wore doomed, [ end Superintendent Hugo then directi cd his attention to saving tho Western ' Hotel, a two-storey wooden structure : on tin; south side—tho brick building i on the north being regarded as practically safe. This ho succeeded in doing, ' an inspection of the hotel after the fire flu.wing the front room adjoining the Sing i- building to he quite untouched by either tiro or water, while only one bedroom (at the hack) was damaged, and Unit by water only. NT-t long after the brigade had settled down to their work some timber, end with it a largo flag-polo, came crashing down on to l.he telegraph wires. A clever piece of work was accomplished by several members of the brigade in getting the pole free from the wires by means of their patent fire ladder, which they used as a derrick. It was shortly afterwards noticed that the skylight on the brick building on tho north side had caught. The value of the new fire-ladder was here again proved; as by its assistance 1 a ho.se was taken up and tho water played on the flesh outbreak, which was soon extinguished. So well did the brigade work, that within an hour after tho outbreak the fire was subdued, it was then found that tho ground floor of the Singer Company’s premises was practically untouched by fire, being damaged by water alone. The main building of Messrs V'.Tipglosworth and Binns was quite gutted by fire, hut the studio at the rear, containing the cameras, lenses, etc.,

was but slightly damaged by water. The reason for the lire raging so fiercely in 'Messrs Wrigglesworfch and Binus’s premises was owing to the very inflamrblo nature.of some of the photographic materials and chemicals stored in the upper floors.

The from the fire was intense, end the occupiers of some of the buildings opposite were compelled to protect their premises by wet blankets.

Detective Cox and other members of the police force rendered valuable assistance to the brigade, both in connection with the fire and in keeping the crowd clear of the buildings. INSURANCES. Following arc the insurances:—Singer’s building, owned by Mr Jacob Joseph, £2500 in the Commercial Union, and reinsured as follows; Sun office £250, Alliance £250, Standard £l5O, London and Lancashire £2OO, Australian Alliance Company £250, Norwich Union £250, Liverpool, London and Globe £250.

Wrigglesworth and Bin ns’s building, owned by Mr Jacob Joseph, £'l6oo in the Commercial Union, with the following reinsurances: London and Lancashire £2OO, Victoria £l5O, South British £SOO.

The brick building, formerly in the occupation of Messrs E. A. Hooves and Co, and owned by Mr Jacob Joseph, is insured for £3500 in the Commercial Union, reinsured in the United £SOO, Manchester £SOO, and North British and Mercantile £SOO. ,(

The Western Hotel, owned by Mr Hamilton Gilmer, is insured in the- Now Zealand office for £ISOO, and there is a, reinsurance of £7OO with the Commercial Union.

The contents of Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns’s premises were insured for £<loo ir. the Alliance and £l5O in the Standard o'fice, and the con tents of the "Western Hotel are insured for £SOO in tho South British office, the Commercial Union holding a reinsurance of £3OO. The contents of the Singer Company’s premises are not insured in New Zealand, but are believed to bo covered by a Sydney office. MELBOURNE, January 18. Mason, mirth and MjcOut-cheon’s printing works in Little Collins street have been destroyed by fire. The stock, which was valued at twelve thousand, was insured for seven thousand. GISBORNE. January 18. . The furniture manufactory of Mr John Townloy. Mayor of Gisborne, .was destroyed Iby fire this morning. It Was utterly impossible to save anything. Tho building was insured for £250 in the Northern office, but tho large stock of valuable contents was uninsured, and Mr Townley estimates ms loss at £7OO above tho insurance.