FIRE AT OAVERSHAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1325, 21 April 1877, Page 7

FIRE AT OAVERSHAM.

Early on bunday morning a serious fire broke out at Caversham, whereby two four-roomed houses belonging to Mr John W. Feger were destroyed. They were respectively occupied by Mr W. R. James, bootmaker, and Mrs ljucas, whose premises were known as the Caversnam Drapery Mart. At 4.30 a.m, tne inhabitants were aroused by the loud ringing of the School bell, and they rendered invalu. able service on the occasion, Messrs Blogdea and Jones, who were formerly members of the Dunedin Fire Brigade, particularly distin-' gmshing themselves. The house occupied by Mr James was the first to succumb to the names, but before Mrs Lucas's establishment was much burned, the neighbours (ably assisted by Constable Moore) saved a lot of hei- stock her piano, and the sewing machine. Great dimculty was experienced in stopping, the progress of the flames to Messrs Wolfenden and .tores butcuers' shop and dwelling-house which caught fire no less than three times. Neither Mr James nor Mrs Lucas resided ia the premises destroyed. Mr James states that he left one of his sons in the shop at about 9 15 p.m. on Saturday, .with' instructions to extinguish the lamps. There had been no fire used m the grate, since the 10th iust. The son William James says that he left the premises all right at 9.30 p.m. on Saturday, He locked the door as usual, and ■ does' not know how the fire originated. Mrs Lucas btates that she left her shop at about 11 30 o clock on Saturday night, when there were only a few embers burning in the grate. She inspected the house to see that it was all right before she left Oneof the first to discover the fire was Mr JJavid Clark, who resides in the locality near the Mam South Road, and he ia positive that the flames broke out either in Mr James s house or in the workshop which was at the rear of the premises. Mr James estimates his loss at Ll5O, and is insured in the Victorian Immrance Company's office for L 75. - aw e fj. tn f ites her loss at LSOO-insured in the New Zealand office for L3OO. Mr Fegerestimates his lo«s on the two houses at L4so— ensured in the New Zealand office for L2OO This occurrence shows the necessity ofa>. water supply for the town. •

j A man, accompanied by a pack of dogs oS j all sorts and sizes, passed through Milton. J last week, on his way to Southland, wherej heis intending, to go into' the rabbit-killing^