FIRE AT THE SALTWATER CREEK.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 341, 2 September 1868, Page 5

FIRE AT THE SALTWATER CREEK.

Oii Wednesday thorhirig Aug.l2, at about five o'clock, itJ'Diillcr, -landlord iof Sthe" Otipua House,, Saltwhter' Creek, iwas'' awdke by n seniw o.f,Bii£ocation,prpduced>bj; smoke which pervaded 1 his room. On going into tjie adjoining rbom; \ tho s eittirig-'room, tio' 'discover' tlie cftuse, he found the floor'of thai room on fire. Wnter ; being ati<hand,.be .succeeded as he' : thought m ext ingoishing t^ fire, and retired to rest, bgaini. .' About half an hour after, Mr iriilijr Was called, by his serriiit girl; who ; said tfi'e hoi ise W6n ißre.; ; Oil his into thet 'iitting-room Ahe /olind the floor and niant«lpiiece .m ..a j&rc?'. blaze, which re»j»tcd' 'alleiforts at extinguishing, and m half »h 'lidurV'tim* tin- -wlible Inn ; wa» burnt down. i Flobrif, T roof,' wjillsf ' ito| are completely- ' deBtroyedy the 'only ' pertions of the prenrrisea ■saved being the! bowling alley arad the st&blts. 'Such was the/ rapidity pf the iirje that J£r iDriller was able to, Bdre only a yerj small ipbVtiori of his furniture, the reet being COnismned. ','■'.. ' From enqumes ihto the c^use of the Bre tweleHrtv that the in&mtes of the house retired to, rest- ak the usual ltpur the preTious night, leaving, as was. customary, a small fire buruiug m the sitfing-rpoini It is supposed, that fire, ■from the' grate falling on the hearth, whioli wat sligiitly" brbken m places, rolled thmugh/one of the creTTCe* of lhb brick-work, and »o:, underneath the -flooi^, where m .all probability , was an ijccunmlatipn of shapings land nibbisß, the fltltcst food for- fire.- „ .! I ' Tne diipM^Mß,''^.nearly"i'-iiew'iuil3ing 1 ,l : all' tfie lower TpoVtion of the"hpuab.hatiiig'been I lrbuilfc; By-Mr Drills- aft*p : tKe fliod ! inl February., i That lower portaoit was originally 'cob, but standing as itdoes^on low, ground, it JBuflered to se.Terely.ili" - "ihat, Jieary flood that rfiwftA'neccesaryltfrebhiTa it, whibh was done, irf -wood. Mr 'DriHerl ji 'tUereifore 1 a' hcaty losery for the premises- were- -rallied : at some■thing like £300, and the only 'insurance effected j ■qn them j«iix^he London and Lancashire -for