Destructive Fire.

Southland Times, Issue 4985, 23 July 1884, Page 2

Destructive Fire.

The residents of Campbelltown were awakened on Tuesday moraing by the most unusual cry, in that quiet township, of " Fire." At about half past tbree flames were observed issuing from the brick store occupied by Mrs McDonald as a drapery establishment, and it was soon ascertained that tho whole of the interior of that building was in flames. As soon as th« fire was observed the bells upon tha ships in port w«re ruig, and tbe hose on board the b.s. Glaucus was run out and steam got up on the donkey engine, but, a» the hose was too short to reach the fire, all hope of help waa relinquished from this direction. Although tho upstairs rooms of the Terminus Hotel contained a considerable quantity of smoke, the inmates were not aroused until the fire was seen from the outside. A large crowd soon assembled in the street, including tl.e sailors from the various vessels in port, and, as it was obvious that nothing could save the hotel from destruction, every effort was made to save as much of the stock and furniture as could be conveyed to a place of safety. The wind was blowing a steady breeze from the westward when the fire began, and it was feared that the Albion Hotel would be ignited by the heat and sparks ; and axes were at once set to work upon the wooden building leased by the Union Bank, which adjoined the Terminus Hotel, to the eastward. A workshop situated between the bank and the Albion Hotel, owned by Mr McDougall, wai also levelled. Fortunately, however, the wind veered into the nor'-west, and by the time the Terminus was in full flame the wind was due north, so that the sparks and heat weie driven up the hill and away from the adjoining buildings. There can be little doubt that to this providential occurrence must be attributed the saving of the Albion Hotel and the large block of build* ings, incSu'lini; the several grain stores adjoining. Had the block which has been demolished consisted of wooden buildings inetead of substantial brick structures, nothing could have prevented a moat serious conflagration, involving the loss of thousands of pounds. The block of buildings was the property of Mrs Barron. The Terminuß Hotel was occupied by Mr Sweetman. The insurances are— Terminus, LI4OO in the Uew Zealand, L4OO being reinsured in the Union ; Sweetman's furniture and stock, L 550 in the Colonial (L 250 reinsured) ; brick store, L3OO in the Victoria, L4OO in tbe Colonial ; Union Bank, L2OO in the Union ; .Mrs McDonald's stock, LIOO in the New Zealand. This disastrous fire is the first that has occurred at the Bluff during the past thirty years, excepting the burning of a workshop owned by Mr Thompson, about eight years ago ; and the urgent necessity for a water supply was amply demonstrated. When the large amount of grain that is stored in the various grain eheda, and that will doubtless increase year by year, is considered, a fire occurring in connection with the grain sheds would cause an incalculable loss, and this consideration should urge the residents to at once supply some means of water supply to be used in such emergencies.