FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE AT WELLINGTON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 429, 12 September 1877, Page 2

FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE AT WELLINGTON.

(By TKLi'.cr.Arn, per I'nu.ss Auunoy.) Wicli.inoto.n, September 12. , A five broke out at Alcorn'h draper'j shop, on t in beach, about 20 ininulcß punj 8 o'c'ock I:is 1, night, witli alarming hiu|| deniuss. No .somicr had the alarm beoM raised than the whole of the upper Btoru;i was in limns. The owner of tlii!,Rh<i|i was ont at the time. Wiien Airs. Alcorn'j attention was directed to tlie lire by tin servant she opened the door, but, was im mediately driven back by a sheet of llami'tj and prevented from rescuing her littlj son, tinve years of age, who was a»lec;j in another room. With some dilljcnltj s';c passed t ie other four children on t« the roof of the verandah, from which threw her infant to the by-standers belowl and soon aftenvarus she was assisted dowfc a ladder by her husband, who had arrived, and t'-e other c lildron were thou handed down to the by-slanders. NVatc' was soon brought to bear upon the iirc J which would have been shortly mastered; but that some volunteers broke tlio Htainj pipe in endeavoring to turn on mora water. A delay of 10 minutes occurred before the ac i lent could lie and water again set. flowing. During thii time the building was blazing furiutiHl}' and all the buildings to the leowanj seemed doomed, but by great exertional (he lire was eouiined to Alcorn's The body of the child wan found wliol the j'.re had been ixt ii:■ cuis led. Tho ill suraiie s. so fir as i hey are vet are as follows :- t >;i t-ie building— Company, LOOO ; and the S.oufc'i itritis! Company, LlO U). On the stock—Tram atlaniic Compiuy, I/JOOO ; and Staildtitt Company. LSOO. Two biunehni"n of tli Fire Brigade, who were on the veranda when the water was cut oil', were severe! burnt before they eune down. Instil ances on the stock had for Koine tim been current in the New Zealand fill National Companies, but were allowed t lapse lately.