Yesterday's Fire

Southland Times, Issue 18057, 29 January 1903, Page 2

Yesterday's Fire

The oriftin of the fire in Deschler's Hotel on Wednesday morning is one of those mysteries which will 1 probably never be cleared up. It is now deunitely est«ablished that the .first room attacked was Mr K. Cameron's, but us that gentleman was away in the country and no one had authority to occupy his room, it is hard to account for its beginning at such a place. One of the boarders states that he hoard a crackling in the room fully half-an-hour before the alarm was given, but he had not the suspicion of fire, and oiVly realised the situation when his own room was filled with smoke. He jumped out of bed and a short examination, showod that the flames had a firm hold. He aroused the rest of the inmates, who: all escaped without injury. An attempt was made to extinguish the flames with a 2ir>hose which was lying ready in one of the passages, but unfortunately it was not long enough to reach the portion affected and was therefore of little practical use. The brigades were fighting the flames for fully three hours, and succeeded in saving tho whole of the newer back building, and most of the downstairs rooms in the front and middle of the building. Water has caused a good deal of damage to furniture, etc., but this was unavoidable. There were some remarks in the crowd about the want of pressure in the mains, particularly at the commencement of operations. This is explained by the fact that the man in charge of the waterworks has to be roused out when the alarm is given, and has to see to his fires and start his engines. This takes some little time, but when accomplished tho pressure ia good.

The hotel was the property of the late [Mr C. J. Deschler (Messrs Lewis and I Todd acting as trustees), and was just lately leased by Mr Horace Bastings, who took it over from Mr D. McFarlane. It contained about forty rooms for lodgers, besides dining and sitting rooms, and there were about thirty people staying there at the time of the outbreak. A good denl of sympathy is felt with Mr Kenneth Cameron, who lost some articles that money cannot replace to him. in the shape \>f medals and trophies, won in various competitions. Following are his insurances : — Medals (40) and jewellery (including gold watch and chain) £120, estimated value £150 ; bagpipes and music, £40, est.imnt.ecl value, £50 : personal clothing, etc., £75; general (including pictures, etc.), £45— total. £280.

The total insurances amount to £6050, made up as follows :— Building, Royal, South British, North German, and Commercial Union, £1000 each ; stock, £200 in the New Zealand Office ; furniture. £500 in New Zealand. £500 Norwich Union and £500 in the Commercial ; private effects of boarders, £350. The building was valued at £5500 and t/he furniture at £2000.