FIRE IN COURTENAY PLACE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4292, 27 February 1901, Page 6

FIRE IN COURTENAY PLACE

DESTRUCTION OF A SAWMILL. 1 SMART WORK BY THE BRIGADE. A disastrous fire, by which the oldestablished sawmill of the Stewart Timber Company, Limited, Courtenay place, was totally destroyed, took place early yesterday morning. A few minutes after three o’clock the tower watchman noticed smoke, rising from the mill, and then flames bursting from the sides and roof of the building. The building was old, was full of various descriptions of dressed timber, and was packed around. with stacks of timber and firewood. It can be realised, therefore, that a stupendous task confronted Captain Hugo and his men when they arrived ou the scene, a very few minutes following the sounding cf the alarm. All the available water was soon playing on the burning mass from seven sets of hose, and so well did the brigadesmen (of whom there were thirty on the scene out of & total or thirty-one) do their work that within an hour’the fire was controlled and fear of its spreading was set at rest. It was, however, not till shortly after midday that the brigadesmen had roiled up their last stretch of hose. Over 600 tons pt water per hour were poured upon the fire in the first hour or two. The scene yesterday morning was a splendid advertisement for the Municipal Fire Brigade,for the great charred mass of wood, surrounded with a wall of barely scorched timber, was evidence of the sound judgment which had directed the work of quenching the flames. The building, which stood in the centre of the timber-yard, quite apart from the shop and stores of the company, was totally destroyed, together with the plant, but the engines and borers, occupying a room at one corner, were very little damaged. The mill contained.. an extensive plant for breaking down rough logs, for planing and dressing timber, and generally for manufacturing stock for builders and cabinetmakers. The machinery was driven by a forty-six h.p. engine, with two multitubular boilers. Over one hundred and twenty hands were employed in the mill. Many of these had kits of valuable tools. Some of them will suffer further by being temporarily thrown out of employment. A few Af the men fortunately had their tools insured. One employee found the chest containing his tools intact, and his were the only tools saved. The insurances on the mill and machinery amount to £4OOO, cf which £2200 is covered by the South British. Insurance Company, £I3OO by the Commercial Union, and £SOO by the Phoenix. Re-insurances, are held by these companies in other offices. There was absolutely no insurance on the stock, and the total loss represented by its destruction is £7OOO. The Citizen Fire Police, under Captain T. Ballinger, rendered valuable assistance, and the work of the brigade was further facilitated by the several policemen who were on duty.